[pepsionice]

Well...if they’d just restart those Letters of Indulgence...folks would feel alright, buy into the system, and the pendulum would return to a normal state of affairs.

[DarkSavant]

I can't chastise people for going to confession, but sometimes I wonder about the horrible lack of courtesy with long confessions when there are a dozen people waiting in line before mass. Universally, there will be one individual who is in there for 15 minutes. Somehow I think It's more likely that they're seeking counseling and a soapbox to bounce their thoughts off than confessing that long of a list of sins. I just wish they'd get a private appointment for their problems, which most priests prefer, than holding up the short 30-60 minute window most priests hear confession in a week.

I see it with women the most. If there are more than 3 in front of me I know there's a good chance the priest is going to have to hear my confession after mass. The men usually are more interested in telling them in as few words as possible than going on a long tangent.

That confession is only available once a week in many parishes is another pet peeve of mine.

[mlizzy]

........but, going to Reconciliation can eliminate the need for a psychiatrist, because one of the reasons one seeks one out in the first place, is to validate their sins; I'm okay, you're okay. Once the sins are removed, there's a breath of fresh air that had been stale and putrid for however long a time [since the last confession], and one can continue on, refreshed and ready to take on the day.

It's our opinion, that if people upped their confessions, there would be almost no need for psychiatrists. Also many good priests are available just to talk, and they do not charge, or continually look at their watches either.

[Alex Murphy]

Confessing our sins is not like going to see a psychiatrist, Pope Francis has said.

An unfortunate choice of words when you consider that, even in the last ten years, bishops send pedophile priests to psychiatrists for "treatment".

[hoagy62]

He said the only way of reaching God’s love is to go to him with the same honesty, transparency and simplicity that children have, accepting the “grace of shame” that lets us feel God’s forgiveness.

The Pope warned about the difficulty of life as “every time we want to do good, evil is next to us”. “This is the struggle of Christians. This is our struggle everyday. And we do not always have the courage to speak as Paul speaks of this struggle. We always seek a way of justification: ‘But yes, we are all sinners’”, the Pope said.

I am not Catholic, but I have to say that, in this case, the Pope couldn't have been more 'on target' if he tried. I like this man.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

“Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.”

Psychologists can’t do that.

[NYer]

Pope addressed the complaint that some people would rather confess their sins directly to God rather than to a priestly intermediary by describing this as “Confession by email”, saying “there is no face to face”.

Lol!! You have to give him credit on his simple, down to earth choice of words.

[GreyFriar]

Drat, that means we can’t break out in a chorus of “Officer Krupke” from West Side Story when we go to confession!

It’s been a looooooooooooooooooooooooooong day and I needed the comic relief.

[Salvation]

Confession Boom Attributed to Pope Francis Effect
Confession[Catholic Caucus]
Penance: "...there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents..." Ecumenical Thread
Cardinal Dolan: Confession is The Sacrament of New Evangelization
The Act of Perfect Contrition [Catholic Caucus]
The Sacrament of Reconciliation (as reflected by our relationship with God
Essays for Lent: Confession

Confession Questions From the Pew [Catholic Caucus] Introduction to 10 Part Series
Part 1 of 10: Sacrament of Penance, Jesus placed great value on forgiveness [Catholic Caucus]
Beginning Catholic: The Sacrament of Reconciliation: Rising Again to New Life [Ecumenical]
Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?
Why do Catholics have to confess their sins to a priest instead of praying straight to God? [Ecu]
When did confession to a priest start? [Ecumenical]
Confession, Confession Everywhere (Cardinal Says Youth Day Is Reviving the Sacrament)
In One Church, Confession Makes a Comeback (Catholic Caucus)
Priests should encourage recovery of Sacrament of Reconciliation
A Gift That is Always in Season (Sacrament of Penance) Catholic Caucus

[Sacrament of] Confession
Make a Good Confession
Those in Mortal Sin Can't Go to Communion, Says Pope
Holy Week Recovers Celebration of Penance (at St. Peter's Basilica) - photos!
Reasons for Confession [Sacrament of Reconciliation]
Lesson 19: Confession (Part 1) BY FATHER ALTIER
Lesson 20: Confession (Part 2) BY FATHER ROBERT ALTIER
Serious about God? Then get serious about confession
St. Ephraim the Syrian: On Repentance
What happened to confession – Changing mores reflective of use
Repentance and Confession - Introduction [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

The Spiritual and Psychological Value of Frequent Confession
Pick a sin, any sin (Confession gone awry)
The Early Church Fathers on Confession / Reconciliation - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Catholics called from the idiot box to confession
Benedict XVI Extols Sacrament of Penance - Says Priests Need to Make It a Priority
Confession’s Comeback
Priests say more Catholics returning to confession
Pope Hears Confessions of Youth
MESSAGE FOR ALL CATHOLICS (in preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday - April 15)
Salvation: Just click and confess

CONFESSION AND CONFUSION
Get Thee To A Confessional! (beautiful insight for those who dread going to Confession)
Emerging Trends: The Return to the Confessional
Confessing to 'sins' is booming in America
What You [Catholics] Need to Know: Penance (Reconciliation, Confession) [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
A Comeback for Confession
MORTAL SIN and HOLY CONFESSION - The Antidote of Death
Thinking Inside the Box: An Attitude for Confession
Confessional Advice
The Epidemic and the Cure [The Sin of the World and the Sacrament of Reconciliation] (Confession)

[Heart-Rest]

The first 24 minutes of this youtube video includes a humorous discussion by Matthew Kelly about Catholic confession.    He does not exactly disagree with Pope Francis, but he does take a slightly different angle, pointing out how the healing grace that comes from this Sacrament involves Jesus in His role as the "Divine Psychologist".

(Matthew Kelly also explains why it was a good idea that Jesus in His infinite, Divine Wisdom, deliberately set this Sacrament up the way He did (to go through other humans), not just trying to do it solely as a "me-and-Jesus" kind of thing, as many non-Catholics seek to do exclusively for their confessions.)