The Sin Box: Why have Catholics stopped lining up at the confessional?

Slate ^ | Nov. 17, 2005 | Andrew Santella

[Antioch]

A Catholic friend of mine recently went to confession at her parish church for the first time in years. She had personal reasons for wanting to seek absolution, but there was this, too: She said she'd long felt a little sorry for the priests sitting alone in their confessional boxes, waiting for sinners to arrive.

A generation ago, you'd see a lot of us lined up inside Catholic churches on Saturday afternoons, waiting to take our turn in one of the confessionals. We'd recite the familiar phrases ("Bless me Father, for I have sinned"), list our transgressions and the number of times we'd committed them, maybe endure a priestly lecture, and emerge to recite a few Hail Marys as an act of penance. In some parishes, the machinery of forgiveness was so well-oiled you could see the line move. Confession was essential to Catholic faith and a badge of Catholic identity. It also carried with it the promise of personal renewal. Yet in most parishes, the lines for the confessionals have pretty much disappeared. Confession—or the sacrament of reconciliation, as it's officially known—has become the one sacrament casual Catholics feel free to skip. We'll get married in church, we'll be buried from church, and we'll take Communion at Mass. But regularly confessing one's sins to God and the parish priest seems to be a part of fewer and fewer Catholic lives. Where have all the sinners gone?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Required handholding is prohibited. There is no required gesture for the assembly during the Lord's prayer; I have heard it said because of that, if a family wants to hold hands, it's ok, because they aren't forbidden. It is absolutely wrong if the priest tells you to do it. I refuse to handhold myself, on general principle, the same way I don't hold my arms in the orans posture.

[A.A. Cunningham]

As evidenced by the behavior and lack of knowledge displayed on many of these threads, one can surmise that the majority are.

[tiki]

I'd tell ya but then you'd have to be Catholic. LOL

[A.A. Cunningham]

Those who hold hands during the Our Father, or any other part of the Mass, are violating the Sacramental structure of the Mass, violating the rubrics, violating the GIRM and participating in an illicit act.

5.2 Holding Hands during the Our Father

Holding hands during the Our Father has become commonplace, but it is an illicit addition to the Liturgy. Clarifications and Interpretations of the GIRM ["Notitiae" Vol. XI (1975) p. 226] explains:

". . .holding hands is a sign of intimacy and not reconciliation, and as such disrupts the flow of the Sacramental signs in the Mass which leads to the Sacramental sign of intimacy with Christ and our neighbor, Holy Communion."

112. QUERY 2: In some places there is a current practice whereby those taking part in the Mass replace the giving of the sign of peace at the deacon's invitation by holding hands during the singing of the Lord's Prayer. Is this acceptable?

REPLY: The prolonged holding of hands is of itself a sign of communion rather than of peace. Further, it is a liturgical gesture introduced spontaneously but on personal initiative; it is not in the rubrics. Nor is there any clear explanation of why the sign of peace at the invitation: "Let us offer each other the sign of peace" should be supplanted in order to bring a different gesture with less meaning into another part of the Mass: the sign of peace is filled with meaning, graciousness, and Christian inspiration. Any substitution for it must be repudiated.

[IIntense]

Thank you, jo kos, for your insights and clarity. Some adults still struggle with issues of conscience ingrained in them as children. The requirement for strict obedience did not allow room for individual thought.

As for the culture of obedience in the fifties, society has steadily declined since then for lack of it. That may turn around in time. Life is constant change.

[Rosary]

There are PLENTY of SINNERS out there-its the belittling of the SACRAMENT that has stopped them going...the belittling of the graveness of SIN-the LACK of preaching by the priests on this and HELL- nowhere else can sins be forgiven thats WHY Christ Himself instituted this SACRAMENT along with the 6 others.
St. John Vianney knew the NEED people have for making confession by hearing them for hours at a time-this is one JOB of the Catholic priest--its a SHAME not even some of them put to use the power they have been given in forgiving sins!

[IIntense]

...personal interpretation open to debate."

If expressing one's doubts about any Church doctrine amounts to a debate, then it is best kept to one's self. (No sarcasm implied)

"...Catholic in name only."

The numbers of Catholics who receive the sacrament of Reconciliation have dropped drastically. Why? I don't know but it is factual, while at the same time just about every person at Mass receives Communion. The priests, of course, are well aware of this. Do you believe they are knowingly distributing Holy Communion to Catholics in name only? If so, do they have any choice? I would think so but I don't know the answer.

To touch on another teaching of the Church which is flagrantly dismissed is the use of artificial birth control.

You may very well be encompassing the majority of Catholics under the umbrella of "Catholic in name only".

And you may be absolutely right; I fully comprehend your reasonsing. But, there we have it...the reality of what's going on, to touch upon just a couple of subjects.

[AHerald]

Where is the comparison to the apostles being priests in the Bible?

What you're really asking is, how does the authority Christ gave to forgive sins pass from the Apostles to priests? The following links provide a slew of scriptural proof texts as well as writings from Church Fathers that should more than answer your question. I earnestly hope that you'll read and prayerfully consider what they have to say.

Orders [Where do Priestly Orders Come From?]
Bishop, Priest, and Deacon
Why We Have a Ministerial Priesthood
Did Jesus Give Priests to the Church?

Since you are insistent on answers that only come from the written word of the Bible, my question to you is where does the Bible anywhere say one must hold only to the written word as the final authority on matters of faith?

I leave you with a suggested prayer, the "Those Nutty Catholics Couldn't Possibly Be Right, Could They? Prayer ":

Dear Lord, I want to make it clear upfront that I don't believe that those misguided, sometimes nutty (but always lovable) Catholics could possibly be right in what they assert to be the Truth. But on the infinitesimally small chance that just maybe the Catholic Church is in fact what she claims to be, namely the Church founded by Your Son and my Savior, I freely open my will to your Divine guidance and ask you to lead me to the truth about the Catholic faith. The pursuit of the fullness of Truth is my only desire, Lord, no matter where it may lead. It goes without saying that I know it can't possibly lead to Rome ... but, Lord, I promise to follow wherever you lead me.

God bless you, friend.

[IIntense]

"...toward guitars in church..."

Where is it written that God can't stand guitar music? Many received the talent to make beautiful music...guitar music. Did God intend for guitarists to play only in Folsom Prison (Johnny Cash), or just to accompany Flamenco dancers, or for rock music in a bar/club?

Organ music ONLY in church: It is, it always was, and it always should be.

For those who don't care for hymns played on guitar, trumpets, drums or any other instrument, they are totally free to attend an "organ" Mass.

[samiam1972]

I tried to go last week and managed to get there late. I didn't get to go that week. I hate that! The very next day our priest did his homily on confession. I'm in a new church and love this guy!! I can't remember the last time I even heard the word confession at the other churches I attended. I'm so thankful to have found this church. Our priest challenged all of us to come to Mass Wednesday night and go to confession. He's ready for the lines to wrap around the block! :o)

[AHerald]

Our priest challenged all of us to come to Mass Wednesday night and go to confession. He's ready for the lines to wrap around the block! :o)

Wow, awesome! You're blessed to have such a priest.

[samiam1972]

This church I just recently joined, after a year of church hopping all over the city, has guitar and mandolin. When I first saw the man setting up I felt a sad tug on my heart that I would have to continue my search. Surely a guitar Mass couldn't be what I was looking for. I found an amazing Traditional community with the most tasteful guitar music I have ever heard. It was beautiful! I was shocked but am truly happy, finally!! :o)

[marajade]

the Bible is the inspired word of God

[AlbionGirl]

I agree with you. I attend both a regular and Latin Mass, and in both they play the organ so loud that it is disturbing. I mean really disturbing. I prefer low Mass at both, just so I can avoid that.

Last year on the Feast of Christ the King, at the Latin Mass, a lone trumpeteer played, without being miced, and it went right to your marrow. It was absolutely beautiful. I like guitar too, and I think that if I could just get Pope Benedict to listen to some early Beatles, I'm sure I could get him to change his mind about rock and roll.

And to your point about what we were taught way back when about Limbo and other things. I agree with you too, I was never told believing in Limbo was optional. It didn't strike me as cruel though (Limbo, that is), because the image I got from how the nuns presented it was a state without suffering. Some pleasant enough existence, though somewhere away from where God was.

One thing that left a huge impression on me is that the nuns used to tell us that when we committed mortal sin a big, black X-mark was placed on our souls. And because of that tendency to view everything as a sin, they completely skewed my understanding of it. I remember looking down my blouse to see if the mark was beginning to appear on my skin.

Even to this day, I think I suffer a tad from scrupulosity. When I go to confession, I'm told I'm confessing temptation not sin. So, I don't know what I'm doing sometimes, even now. I go in there with a list, that I try to read in the dark. It's nuts.

But, I like going, and I like going every couple of weeks. You don't tend to forget sins over that short of a period of time, and you don't tend to rationalize them either, which I find I can do, if too much time elapses between 'visits.'

[clockwise]

This might help:

From the Vatican's website:

- H.E. Most. Rev. Cristián CARO CORDERO, Archbishop of Puerto Montt (CHILE)

My intervention refers to two points. Firstly, the relationship between Eucharist and Penance, and secondly, Eucharist and Pastoral for Vocations.
1. The relationship between the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance is dealt with in the Instrumentum Laboris in n. 22-24, and also when speaking of the Eucharist, source of Christian Morals (n. 72-72).
The “Year of the Eucharist” has brought with it obvious spiritual and pastoral fruits in the life of the Church in Chile, which are projected, in one way or another, in the life of society. It has been providential that the Year has coincided with the canonization of Fr. Alberto Hurtado, who was a social and Eucharistic man.
My proposal is that, given the close theological, spiritual and pastoral relationship between the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance, and taking into account the shadows in the latter sacrament’s field, a year be dedicated to the Sacrament of Penance, taking as fundamental points the following:
a) The meaning of the living and true God and his eclipse in modern culture
b) The need of salvation and the announcement of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
c) The sense of sin, which is diminished or annulled, due to the loss of God and moral relativism
d) Conversion and the virtue of penance
e)Spiritual direction or accompaniment
f) The celebration of the Sacrament of Penance as an encounter between the sinner, who converts from his misery, and God who, in his mercy in Christ, welcomes and forgives him
g) The conditions for receiving Holy Communion
h) New life in Christ, as His disciples and members of the Church
2. With respect to the relationship between the Eucharist and the Pastoral for vocations, I propose that in the “Year of Penance” priests be formed and motivated to give spiritual direction to young people and to give time to the Sacrament of Reconciliation that, together with the Eucharist are fundamental in spiritual direction.

[Campion]

It was such intolerance and blind faithfulness to practices not mentioned in the scriptures or practiced by the Church pre-Nicea that drove me away from the RC Church.

Yes, you're not a Catholic because of your scholarly study of early church history. Got any swampland to sell me?

Did you miss the part where Tertullian, 100 years before Nicaea, gives a catechism lesson on how to choose a good confessor?

But you know, John 20:22 always seemed like it was "pre-Nicean" enough for me.

[Campion]

If you think that this scandal has not affected the perception of the RC church and of priests being viewed as conduits to God you really need to take a reality pill.

I think Catholics whose view of their priests as "conduits to God" is rooted in their confidence in those priests' personal holiness need to take a catechesis pill.

It's not the priest who is forgiving my sins in confession, it's Christ acting through the priest as intermediary. Since Christ is the Incarnate Son of God, the priests' personal holiness is really not -- strictly speaking -- necessary or even important to the validity of the sacrament. I'm not confessing to the priest because the priest is a good man, I'm confessing to the priest because he is Christ's representative.

That isn't to say, of course, that a holy priest won't give better advice in confession, or that one shouldn't seek out a holy priest to be one's confessor. But Catholics shouldn't go to confession expecting that Father's holiness will "rub off on them". That's just not what it's about.

[jo kus]

You are welcome.

I do believe that life moves like a pendulum. Hopefully, it swings back in time before our society goes the way of the Romans of the 300's..

But at any rate, it is heartening to see young people desiring the old traditions - the steadiness of the Catholic spirituality in such times as these is sorely needed as people search for meaning in their lives.

Take care

[muawiyah]

The hand-gestures and arm-raising both strike me as smacking of prohibited pagan ritual.

[Fzob]

I'm not confessing to the priest because the priest is a good man, I'm confessing to the priest because he is Christ's representative.

I'm not a Catholic and don't pretend to be one, and I know what you're saying is true according to the RC faith. But do you really beleive Christ will use a representative that molests children? I understand that sin is sin in the eyes of God, but Jesus had some particulary strong words in Matt 8:16 about those that hurt children.