Tag Archives: penance

the lights are (finally) out – 6 hours later

19 Mar

the Light is ON for You 02

THE LIGHTS ARE OUT!

Father John and I started at 6:50 p.m. because people were already in the church. It was 9:40 p.m. when the last person had left.

That was two priests for ten minutes less than three hours of confessions – that is, twenty minutes less than six hours of confessions – 5 hours and 40 minutes of confessions. That is a lot of God’s mercy assured and realized.

I had not told my parishioners about the usual Lenten penance service on April 8, so one could wonder whether people were thinking that this was it for Lent. But I am suspecting that the parish penance service will be BIGGER than usual, too.

My guess is that the priests of the diocese will give feedback to the bishop that the event was a success and should be a re-do.

My advice to the Bishop will be that we do it again next Lent, adding two hours on a Saturday morning, and two deanery-wide penance services, one led by one of the bishops and the other led by the dean.

Could we possibly have too much of such a good thing?

Tags: , , , , , , ,

we will be ready

18 Mar

the Light is ON for you 05Father John and I will be ready to hear their confessions and to assure them of God’s forgiveness.

In every Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati the doors will open and the lights will be “on” for God’s welcome from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, March 18, 2014.  

At our beloved St. Andrew we are ready for all who come through our doors during this “The Light is ON for You” event.

We have experimented with our lights, so that attention will be gently directed to the tabernacle, to the altar and to the crucifix, while having enough light in the nave for people to be able to read the “how to go to confession” tri-fold.

There will be greet-ers and pray-ers, that is, a couple parishioners who will quietly and unobtrusively help people know that we are pleased that they have come, and who will then slip out of the way and let God do God’s work.

In addition to our every day and all the time reconciliation chapel, we have set up a confessional in the priest’s sacristy. the Light is ON for you 04

At the priest’s chair all is in place. There is a box of tissues to help wipe away any tears of fear or sorrow or gratitude or overwhelming joy … the Light is ON for you 03

… a variety of acts of contrition …  the Light is ON for you 01 … and the gift of a prayer card that might be given as a penance or might be given just because.

the Light is ON for you 02

All is ready, except me.

It is 5 o’clock. I will eat a quick little supper: some leftover cheese and spinach perogies. Then there will be a 15-minute nap, 10 minutes on the treadmill and a quick shower. That should get me alert and refreshed for two hours of God’s welcome.

Tags: , , , ,

%d bloggers like this: