If you were raised in the Catholic Church before 1962, you may remember the long lines waiting for confession every Saturday. Even though the church mandated confession only for serious sin, a culture of sinfulness led good and faithful Catholics to frequent, sometimes weekly, confession.
Many devotional practices, including confession for venial sins, fell into disuse after the Second Vatican Council. Some of these practices, such as exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, novenas and the rosary, have been re-embraced by many Catholics. But not the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And as the numbers dropped so did the easy availability for confession.
In many parishes, a priest is only available for 30 minutes before the Saturday evening Mass, or “by appointment.” But it’s the rare parish where one might find a priest waiting for hours for a penitent to approach.
What keeps Catholics from receiving this sacrament?
For some it’s fear: not knowing how to “do it” or what to say. For many, the thought of acknowledging our weaknesses, faults, failings or sins is just uncomfortable. This discomfort makes it easier to believe that most sins are forgiven during the penitential rite at the beginning of Mass (which is true) eliminating the need for confession.
For others, participating in a parish communal penance service during Lent or Advent, surrounded by others who are braving the discomfort, is a little easier than approaching a priest alone.
Is there a benefit to going to confession?
Spiritual writers tell us that regular confession can be helpful in developing one’s spirituality by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It can increase our self-knowledge by recognizing and acknowledging our weaknesses, our tendencies to make the same mistakes. It can strengthen our resolve to make changes in our behaviors. And it can give us the peace of heart that comes from experiencing the depth of God’s merciful love.
Many dioceses, including our own, are trying different ways to encourage Catholics to return to this sacrament. “We’ll leave the light on” is a theme some have used to convey the idea that when someone is ready, a priest will be waiting to welcome them.
Bishop Larry Silva wrote to all priests in Hawaii asking them to make the sacrament more available during Lent. In addition to their regular Saturday times, and Lenten penance services, most parishes have scheduled additional times when a priest will be available. (See box on this page.)
Father Jack Ryan, pastor at the Newman Center/Holy Spirit Parish at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has been extending an invitation at the end of weekend Masses to talk to those who believe they have some issue with the church, particularly to those who are not receiving Communion. He said that many think their situations are difficult to resolve when, in fact, they aren’t.
The response was “more than overwhelming,” he said after the first week. Misunderstanding church rules, a misguided sense of personal sin and the normal discomfort people have regarding confession have kept some people away from Communion — as well as church — for years.
Parishes will provide pamphlets or other means to guide people through the process. But what still works is: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been _____ (months, years) since my last confession.”
Actually, any expression of desire to confess one’s sins and have a change of heart will work. And every priest is ready to help make this confession a positive experience.
Confession is not just good for the soul. It’s good for the body, mind and spirit. It’s a concrete way of experiencing the love of God who has already forgiven us.
Find out when the parishes in your area will have a priest available, or have their Lenten penance service, and let others know. Go. And invite a friend to go with you. Reach out to someone who goes to church but not to Communion. Invite someone who is not going to church. Let this Lent be a true “springtime for the church.”
Go to the diocesan website (www.catholichawaii.org) and click on the “Confessions” link to find times parishes regularly have confessions.
