Archbishop wants confession centre-stage

Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is leading a campaign to make the
Sacrament of Confession central to each of his parishes. 

In a letter to
priests seen by The Irish Catholic Archbishop Martin says ''there is no
doubt that we need to renew our commitment to this sacrament and to
enhance the way it is celebrated in our churches and parishes''.

The Irish Catholic understands that the move is in response to the
Vatican's inquiry into the Church in Ireland and comes after concern was
expressed by members of the Apostolic Visitation team about the lack of
availability of confession in some parishes.

In tandem with his letter the archbishop is carrying out a survey of
every parish ''so that we can have a better understanding of the current
practice and how it might be renewed''.

The survey document notes that the number of people availing of the
Sacrament of Confession is declining sharply both individual confessions
and regarding services of penance with individual confessions.

Parish priests are expected to return the questionnaires to the
diocese with such information as the number of hours per week the
sacrament is available and whether or not confessionals allow for
anonymity of penitents by the use of an appropriate screen.

Promote

The document also asks about efforts in parishes to promote the
sacrament such as the availability of cards which may help immediate
preparation for the sacrament and the use of sacred art or icons in the
confessional.

The survey also asks that where penitents wish to confess
to the priest face-to-face whether or not both priest and penitent can
be clearly seen.

A key query in the document is also the level of catechesis - if any - that is carried out in a parish regarding the sacrament.

Archbishop Martin's survey comes as the Vatican's Congregation for
the Clergy wrote to the rectors of Catholic shrines around the world
urging them to do more to make confessions available.

Source