All Else Confusion

Confession seems to be the topic of the day. I was considering writing about my own confession experience last Saturday. I went to the church around the corner from me because I was just getting over strep and I didn't want to go far. I usually avoid going to the 2 churches close to me - yes, there are 2 Catholic Churches within a 2 minute drive of my house, there are 5 within a 5 minute drive - because the priests never seem to be in the confessional during the set time for confession. Instead, they're always doing something else, so that either someone has to go and get them, or they suddenly appear from the sacristy to ask if you wanted to go to Confession. I know that if I'm truly sorry for my sins, it should be an act of humility to have the priest know who I am, but I haven't gotten there yet. I like all that anonymity. So, I usually avoid those churches in favor of the one where I know that priest will be in the confessional. (He's also one of the handful of very good, young priest we have in this diocese.) The other reason that I usually don't go to those churches is that I find Confession at 3 on a Saturday afternoon to be very inconvenient. So, I am grateful for St. John's in Worcester, which has Confession every night after the 6:15 Mass.

Anyway, as I say, I was considering posting these thoughts of mine, when a discussion on this very subject erupted over at Dom's blog. He notes an article that says Confessions are in decline in parishes, but on the rise at other sites. The Lady in the Pew picked up the discussion. The 3rd post on the subject by Karen Hall seemed a sign from God that discussion on Confession right now is a good thing. I guess there can never be enough.