More good things from Lancaster, Bishop Michael Campbell's diocese. They are promoting Confession by ensuring every Wednesday from 7pm to 8pm churches are open for Confession - simple ideas but they always tend to be the best.
Some things from the diocesan website:
The special invitation to experience Christ’s love through the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a major new initiative of Bishop Michael Campbell OSA. The Light is on For You! initiative highlights the importance of this sacrament in the life of Catholics and increases its availability, hoping that every Catholic will visit this source of God’s mercy and healing love.
This Lent, all Catholic churches in the Diocese of Lancaster will be open on Wednesday evenings, 7:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. for confession and quiet prayer. Here are some resources to help you and the parishes of the Diocese on this journey:
RESOURCES:Practical SuggestionsExamination of Conscience for Married CouplesExamination of Conscience for Religious & PriestsExamination of Teenagers & Young PeopleReconciliation Guide for ChildrenLancaster Colour PosterLancaster Black & White PosterLancaster FlyerParish Bulletin AnnouncementsSample Prayers of the FaithfulBishop Campbell's Letter to Priests of the ParishesBishop Campbell's Letter to the Schools & Colleges of the Diocese
3 comments:
Father
Very good and it is great to see a Bishop making a positive move for the Church.
Why don't all the Bishops follow this initiative of His Lordship?
My flock come to confession. As I have said before, I have a sign on the confessional door saying
OPEN ALL HOURS
I really do mean it. The Lord's wonderful Mercy is always waiting for us all. All we need to do is approach the Font of Divine Mercy in the form of Confession.
Fr BT
This is one of the most heartening developments I have read in months, and I hope that other dioceses wake up and introduce it also. Saturday-only confession seems almost archaic in the 21st Century, although I can certainly understand that men who may be in their 60’s or 70’s and who live by the rhythm of the daily Office and the weekly and seasonal calendars can fall out of touch with the structures and demands of the modern world and family life. Perhaps now the powers-that-be can turn their attention to the unjust practice of scheduling most weekday Masses between 9am and 10am, and in almost every parish within the wider (or pastoral) area, so that attendance often becomes the sole privilege of those who are retired. Would it really be that difficult for neighbouring parishes to rotate times and expand provision to cover 7a.m. or evening Mass (and Adoration)?
This is good and very reassuring. The problem is that a significant part of the congregation these days does not properly understand why to do confession. They are told that it is "essential" and "necessary" etc. But they have no internal understanding, perhaps due to insufficient instruction.
This may create distress as people know they have the duty but have no understanding what it is really for. Oh father, probably every homily these days should touch the value of confession (1/4 of the time?:). Many people are not very attentive and forget what they heard just ten minutes after the mass (I personally of this sort). So repeating the most important things every time is essential.
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