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?

[AlaninSA]

"Forgive me, but I'm not finding anything in Gal 5:19 that talks about confession."

Feel free to skip confession. I find all of the sacraments of my Church to be Biblical in background. I find confession to be a liberating and stress relieving process that brings me closer to God.

And I go every four to six weeks.

[DesignerChick]

"There definitely is room for improvement on making Confession more easily available."
I was thinking the exact same thing. They used to have it right before mass at my church and they stopped and every time I go to mass I think 'shoot I forgot to go to confession'. I'd love to go - as one is suppose to- every week.
But you're totally right. Maybe they should have confession during the masses for us sinners who can't seem to make yearly doctors appointments let alone priestly ones.

[IIntense]

"...one can surmise the majority are."

You responded to the question asking if all Protestants are ignorant.

I'm interested to know the areas in which they are ignorant. Do you refer to their knowledge of the Catholic faith? Their beliefs as to what is sinful or what is not? Or maybe the very fact that they are not members of the Catholic Church?

Forgive my impatience, if you can. The Catholic Church has reached out itself to embrace ecumenism. According to some opinions, it has adopted some of the practices of the Protestant religions.

I may be getting off-subject here but I'd like to relate an experience I had when I was 8 or 9 years old. During that day's religion lesson, the nun taught us that anyone who was not baptized a Catholic could not enter the kingdom of Heaven. (I suppose that came straight out of the catechism we had that year.)

I heard that and was devastated. My Dad, whom I loved so much, was a Protestant. What I was told that day was that my beloved father could not go to Heaven.

If you'd like to hear the wind-up of that sad experience, let me know.

For those who have never had a doubt about what the Catholic Church teaches, you may be absolutely right. There are others who have a problem with it.

I could site quite a few different examples but I've said enough.

[IIntense]

"...do not get their validity or their efficacy from the righteousness of the priest."

I won't argue that point but...would you confess your sins to a priest that you KNEW was a pedophile? If your truthful answer is "no", are you not then taking a position contrary to your belief that God chose a pedophile to forgive your sins?

If you know that a confessor is a pedophile and you choose to confess to him, I seriously doubt that most Catholics would follow your example.

[Falconspeed]

Re: #14. Too funny.

Thanks for playing "Be as biased as possible while twisting vocabulary words at the same time" game.

Mar, dude, the Bible also doesn't say "Use a computer." Grow up.

[marajade]

Well if that is your type of Christianity... who would want it?

[Conservative til I die]

Hi, I just wanted to clarify. I am a Catholic too. My response about Gal 5:19 was actually that it doesn't say anything about Confession either way (positive or negative.)

[A.A. Cunningham]

Brilliant. All of that tryptophan is definitely helping you.

[red irish]

You are so so right. I am a convert to the Catholic faith. It has been a long time but I still remember the first time I had to go to confession. You see by going to confession you have to take the time and think on the seriousness of sin and the effect it has on others around you. And the best part is the counseling, and care on the part of a good priest. It's just not saying I am sorry Lord and then go on and thinking well the Lord has forgiven me and that's it. With the priest there is the holy spirit communicating through the priest guiding you and bringing ones attention to the seriousness of sin and the great mercy and grace to overcome it. When I am finished I feel the love God gave me through Christ from the cross. I guess I don't think it should be so easy because of such a great act of love and sacrifice Christ suffered for all of us. For me it could be easy just not to think of how sinful I can be. Even though I love the Lord so much, I often think of what Saint Paul said, "I do of which I hate. Yea it can be uncomfortable going to confession, so what?

[red irish]

Where I live we too had a problem with the sexual abuse cases but it's funny I never think about it when I go to confession. I must admit I am too busy thinking about my sins and the offense I have made to God and my brothers and sisters. On the other hand there are some priests who do not have good communicating skills. Some I simply do not understand because their English is not very good. But I do believe there are still many good priests to choose from. But I try to remember this is between me and Christ and the priest good or bad is there on behalf of the holy spirit on my behalf and that of the church. And yes I do ask our Lord to forgive me for anything that might have offended him and my brothers and sisters but that would not take the place of confession. Going before a priest I think is a preparation for going before our Lord during the time of Judgment. We must face up. Not only that lets be serious sometime we humans don't think the things we do are sinful. Who shall we ask? And who will point it out in love and in great care of the mercy of God. As much as I love my brothers and sisters. I myself do not want to go to them and confess my sins. At confession you have quiet and someone who is there to guide you through a GOOD confession. And Christ is there through the priest. But for some outside the Catholic church confession will always annoy them and will feel the need to make comments which are not very compassionate, especially to those who seek repentiveness and forgivness . Difference between faiths will always be there. But the true sign of unity is to pray, all of us, that the mercy of God is there for a repentive soul who seeks forgivness of our sins. And to be an example of that forgiveness. May our Lord Jesus Christ give us his strength to recognize our sins and seek his forgiveness and that we might strive to live holy lives out of love for him.

[red irish]

Just this weekend as a sponsor I was at a different parish and they do things different and of course hand holding was one of them.So it was just me and the guy next to me who just reached out and grabbed my hand not much I could have done being of good charity and certainly not making a scene or drawing attention to myself and him. But it is up to the priests to see to it that actions of mass remain sacred and not just a feel good activity. At my parish I sent the documents to out pastor about the hand holding and I think it just irritated him and yes people still feel the need to do it. Many have asked what the big deal is and I say first we aren't suppose to hold hands during the our father, and that is out of obedience to the authority of the church. And second when I can think of something I want to do at mass am I going to get the same kind of, AUTHORITY, TO DO SO, NAMELY MYSELF. The Mass is SACRED and yet people try to make it whatever they want according to how they feel about things. Then once again it becomes about the me mentality instead of the central focus of Christ in the mass and of holy communion. There is where the true unity is in all of us praying and receiving Jesus, not in hand holding. At any other time it's great but not at mass.

[IIntense]

"Limbo is the only sensible explanation of the fate of children..."

Despite what a catechism taught on the subject, I said that, considering unbaptized children, I just can't fathom a loving Father refusing eternity with Him.

The concept of limbo was devised in the 13th century, not when Jesus walked the earth but several centuries later. St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) believed that even babies would be consigned to hell if they were not baptized.

We now learn that the Cathollic Church is prepared to abandon the idea of limbo, the theological belief that children who die before being baptized are suspended in a space between heaven and hell. I recommend researching Pope Benedict's words on the subject.

Anyone who finds peace in following their church's teaching without questioning anything is, in some way I suppose, fortunate. They don't have to think anything out.

There are many who don't fit into that mold. They respect their own thought processes---what is logical and what is not---no matter what other human beings, today and in the past, may decide is fact. Intelligence is a gift from God, just as is a beautiful voice, a talent in the arts, a born-in ability to master a musical instrument. No one has the right to deny what God gave us.

For those who accepted the Catholic Church's previous position on limbo, I would like to know if they hold to it, or quickly alter their opinion based on Pope Benedict's teaching.

[IIntense]

"Your brother, and you for that matter, will definitely be in my prayers."

I am a little late in thanking you but I remembered what you said. My Dad died in '92 a few weeks before his 81st birthday. Mother in '01, a month after her 87th birthday. I have two younger brothers. My youngest was diagnosed with lymphona the yr after Mother died. My other brother was diagnosed with lymphomic leukemia the next year. Add to that my husband's experience with first prostate cancer and more recently, an operation for kidney cancer.

My brother Joe, the older of the brothers, now has myelodisplasia. His wife came to our house Monday, while he was getting a blood transfusion. They had seen the oncologist (from all I've heard of this guy from day one, I do not like him) and he told Joe, "You are getting near the end." "Do you have a living will?" He suggested hospice care.

My brother knows in some part of his mind, how serious his condition is, but another part cannot accept that he is going to die soon.

His wife described the look on his face when the doc laid it on the line, to both of them.

I don't know how old you are and don't know how you describe "elderly". We come from large families on both sides, speaking of grandparents; and aunts and uncles, 13 of them. Other than maybe one, all lived beyond 63. That's how old my brother is. 63. He's wondering if he will make it to his birthday on Dec. 15. Or maybe Christmas?

I have prayed and prayed and prayed that, despite all appearances, God would please heal my brother. I'm still praying, but what's the use? Prayers or not, what will be will be.

Thanks for reading. I'm trying to be strong but it's tough because I am grieving at the same time, because I just can't fix my brother.

[AHerald]

I have prayed and prayed and prayed that, despite all appearances, God would please heal my brother. I'm still praying, but what's the use? Prayers or not, what will be will be.

Please don't give up on prayer, IIntense. Jesus didn't teach that life was simply a matter of "Que Sera, Sera". Jesus prayed regularly (and if he needed to pray than how much more do we need to pray?). In word and deed, He constantly preached about the power and value of prayer (Luke 18:1-14 is just one good example). St. Paul implored us to "pray constantly."

We are not mere pawns in the hands of fate. From the Old Testament to the Acts and Epistles, the power of prayer to bring about change is repeatedly and spectacularly affirmed, along with the knowledge that God listens and responds to prayers. Hard to believe God would spend so much time in Sacred Scripture teaching us to do something that would essentially be a waste of our time. In His Wisdom He may chose to give us answers we don't like, can't understand or have a hard time accepting, but there is always an answer to those who sincerely call on Him. Please believe that.

"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" is a powerful prayer to help you in times of doubt. Fully and freely open your heart, intellect and will with an invitation for His guidance and you will find what you're seeking.

You have frequently been in my thoughts and prayers these days. I will fervently continue to pray for you and your brother. God Bless you and yours. Don't forget that He loves you as if you're the only person on earth.

The best to you and your family,
Aaron Herald

[Salvation]

Priests as Mediators

by Fr. John De Celles

Other Articles by Fr. John De Celles

Priests as Mediators

12/3/05

People often wonder why Catholics have to go to a priest to be forgiven their sins. Some point out that St. Paul tells us that Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tm 2:5).

But while Jesus is the only way to the Father and the only Mediator, Scripture makes it very clear that God calls other human beings to participate in this mediation. From the very beginning of God's revelation to Israel 3,700 years ago, God has chosen individual human beings — people like Abraham, Moses and the prophets — to communicate, or mediate, His will to the world. And in today's Gospel text, St. Mark reminds us that God sent St. John the Baptist to act as a mediator between Jesus and the Jews.

Why does God send mediators, both before and after Jesus? Advent is a season of preparation for celebrating Jesus’ coming into the world at Christmas. At the heart of this mystery is the fact that God became man to communicate clearly and completely through His human body and with human words. But Jesus took His body with Him when He ascended into heaven, while our bodies — the bodies of Christians — are still here. And Jesus continues to send us to mediate through the body, through speaking and hearing His word, and through the holy symbols we see and touch, especially the sacraments.

The Gospel tells us that 2,000 years ago, St. John the Baptist proclaimed "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." And in response Scripture says: "People...were going out to [John]...as they acknowledged their sins." Today, we do exactly the same thing as we go to the sacrament of penance and acknowledge, or confess, our sins before God’s chosen mediators — the priests of the Church. And when we hear those mediators say "I absolve you from your sins" we can hear in their human voices, not the voice of St. John, but the voice Jesus Himself, who St. John tells us "takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29).

The mediation of priests is a great gift to the whole Church. But by their baptism "in water and the Holy Spirit," lay Christians are also called to be mediators of Christ in some way. For most serious Christians, Advent is a time when the words of St. John can elicit a very strong response from us: We hear, "prepare the way of the Lord," and part of us shouts, "Yes, Lord."

But most of us don’t go much further than that initial "yes." Sometimes this is because we're afraid of failure, and sometimes it’s because we really don't know how to prepare the way.

If you’re afraid of failure, remember you are only a mediating instrument — you prepare the way only by allowing Jesus to act through you; let Him worry about the final results. Remember that the great mediator of the Messiah, St. John the Baptist, recognized that even his work was incomplete and only an opening for the Lord: "One Who is more powerful is to come after me."

If you just don't know how to prepare Jesus’ way, remember you start by preparing yourself, by accepting the word of God proclaimed by the Baptizer and by the Church: Confess and repent your sins.

Few of us are called to be public mediators like St. John the Baptist or priests. But this Advent the Lord Jesus Christ calls every single Christian to be His mediator to a sinful world by proclaiming, in everything we say and do: "Prepare the way of the Lord...make straight His paths."

Fr. De Celles is Parochial Vicar of St. Michael Parish in Annandale, Virginia.

(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)