Pope alarmed by decline in confessions

TimesOnline ^ | 6/19/09 | Richard Owen

[bdeaner]

Pope Benedict XVI has raised the alarm over the decline in confessions, urging priests not to become "resigned to empty confessionals" but rather to help the faithful rediscover "the beauty of the sacrament", which answered "a deep and humble longing for forgiveness".

[sharkhawk]

Go back to the old style confessionals instead of the face to face and I would definately go more often.

[SkyDancer]

I have a friend who’s a JW and she has to turn in these slips of paper that showed what she did all week. I asked her why and she said it’s the way she can show the Watchtower she’s been “working towards the kingdom” ....

[bdeaner]

Do they really evaporate, as in disappear, or is it that the prospect of having to confess the sin if you go on and commit it adds enough discouragement to help you overcome the temptation?

From a psychological perspective, I can't say for sure one way or the other for sure. But theologically, from a Catholic perspective, temptation literally evaporates, because the act of Confession releases the person from the bondage of the sin. Sin has a way of becoming entrenched and habitual. I find that Confession releases me from the habituation or entrenchment of the sinful behavior, in ways that did not work for me prior to going to Confession, including therapy.

This is a little personal -- but I will go ahead and share it. I had been addicted to pornography for a long time. When I started going to Confession and confessing the pornography, I started to literally lose interest in porn. It just started to become boring and uninteresting to me. I'd even go to a porn site and find myself wandering to a non-pornographic site out of boredom. That just seems to be a special grace, and from my personal experience, did not flow from a fear of having to confess the sin again. Obviously I had already screwed up by going to the porn site. The amazing thing is that the desire and motivation to stay there was gone! Amazing.

[bdeaner]

I have a friend who’s a JW and she has to turn in these slips of paper that showed what she did all week. I asked her why and she said it’s the way she can show the Watchtower she’s been “working towards the kingdom” ....

Yeah, that's pretty creepy. No offense to JW folks.

[kosta50]

A magnificent Mystery of The Church. Without it, how does one worthily receive communion?

One doesn't. Communion is turned into a "Jesus Pill" that cures everything...

As one Eastern Orthodox confessor said: if you don't need to confess, then you don't need the Eucharist! Perhaps the Vatican ought to copy that message.

But, then, again, that's probably too much to ask. They have reduced the Eucharist to a cookie for all practical purposes—everyone get one for just attending the Mass. It reminds me of that "I voted" sticker every gets for voting...

[bdeaner]

if you don't need to confess, then you don't need the Eucharist!

Totally agree.

[Enoughofthissocialism]

I figure cut out the middle man and go straight to the top.

Really? Did you baptize yourself too? Performed your own marriage ceremony? Do you act as priest/minister at your own self-oriented self-worshipping masses/services? Did you create yourself while you were at it? Just cut out everything since YOU are the center of the universe. (Why do what that Jesus guy says? Who does He think He is anyway?)

[Tax-chick]

Here’s a hint, pastors: BE THERE! I realize you’re very busy, but if I load up eight children and show up at the scheduled time for Confession, only to find no priest and a line of people who’ve been trying to confess for weeks (all trying to be charitable ...), that indicates where the problem might be rooted, doesn’t it?

[chase19]

They do closed confessionals in most parishes. I hadn’t been in years until fairly recently as much of the secular/protestant movement infiltrated and I started to think the same way. So if I went to a funeral or wedding I’d ask God to forgive me and go to Holy Communion because I asked God for forgiveness I knew it was okay. Ha! Lies! I recently returned to the Church and go to confessions at least monthly. Love, love, love it. The Catholic Church is right and has been for 2,000 years.

[MinorityRepublican]

Up until a few years ago, it had been more than two decades since my last confession. When I finally returned to the sacrament of reconciliation, it was an incredible feeling --like a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders.

It'll take me all night to complete the sacrament of reconciliation.

[chase19]

It took me a long time as well. My advice - make an appt with a priest you respect and like, and have at it. Good luck! :)

[chase19]

“Did you baptize yourself too? Performed your own marriage ceremony? Do you act as priest/minister at your own self-oriented self-worshipping masses/services? Did you create yourself while you were at it? Just cut out everything since YOU are the center of the universe.”

Excellent points!

[chase19]

“This is a little personal — but I will go ahead and share it. I had been addicted to pornography for a long time. When I started going to Confession and confessing the pornography, I started to literally lose interest in porn. It just started to become boring and uninteresting to me. I’d even go to a porn site and find myself wandering to a non-pornographic site out of boredom. That just seems to be a special grace, and from my personal experience, did not flow from a fear of having to confess the sin again. Obviously I had already screwed up by going to the porn site. The amazing thing is that the desire and motivation to stay there was gone! Amazing.”

You’re one brave individual. Thanks!!! I haven’t been hooked on porn, always a good idea to say - yet - but ask me about ETOH...

[bdeaner]

That happened in your parish? Very shameful. You might want to alert the Bishop in your diocese. I'd be tempted to go to the rectory and drag him by his ear to the confessional booth. I learned that tracik in grade school, first hand, from St. Joseph Mary. LOL.

[Enoughofthissocialism]

And I wonder if he ever asked anyone to pray for him.

[Tax-chick]

It is unfortunate, yes. This is two pastors in a row who haven’t been available for Confession much. After a while, of course, people give up and don’t even try - go to another parish, or just don’t go. Then one hears that nobody’s going to Confession!

I make an appointment during office hours sometimes, to take the Horde, but most people work during the day, and their children go to school.

[Ransomed]

Yeah, maybe more folks would go if the appointed time was longer and more frequent than an hour before the Saturday vigil Mass for parishes with 1000-1500 families. I try to go weekly, sometimes it is crowded, sometimes not. Sometimes someone takes 20 minutes, which is a third of the allotted time. I often think, “what the heck would happen if just a 1/10th of our parish showed up?”.

Freegards

[bdeaner]

but ask me about ETOH...

I never had a drinking problem, but eating bad food can be just as much a sin -- the deadly sin of gluttony.

Confession can be very powerful for helping with temptations of addiction. Some priests will try to talk you out of confessing gluttony, but they are wrong. St. Thomas Aquinas was very clear that gluttony is a mortal sin in need of confession, and that means drinking or eating beyond necessity, or otherwise putting the stomach before the Lord.

I also find that, when tempted, it is very helpful to offer up the object of temptation and the suffering caused by the deprivation, to the Lord. This kind of suffering is redemptive and you can share the redemption with others, praying for their conversion, or healing, or whatever. I find that kicking a habit is much easier when my suffering is understood to be potentially redemptive for others, and not just myself. St. Therese of Lisieux is a power intecessory for helping with these kinds of struggles.

Sacrifice beads can be a helpful tool:



Also: the rosary and holy water! Keep the sacrifice beads, rosary, Bible, holy water, and the crucifix by all the triggers of addiction in your house. They are powerful deterrants.

God bless.

[chase19]

Personally, I have a hard time asking anyone for anything as I take the independent spirit to the extreme. A good thought though...

[chase19]

“St. Thomas Aquinas was very clear that gluttony is a mortal sin in need of confession, and that means drinking or eating beyond necessity, or otherwise putting the stomach before the Lord.”

“I find that kicking a habit is much easier when my suffering is understood to be potentially redemptive for others, and not just myself.”

It’s one of the seven deadly sins...Drinking like I do is the same thing. I’ll try the beads and offering it up. I’d given up ETOH for years and just went back on it thinking I was cured after so many years. One is never “cured” - I’ve got an addictive personality if there is such a thing...