May I go to Confession?

May I confess in a Catholic Church or rite other than my own?

Picture by Водник via Wiki Commons.

Yes, you may. All Catholics in the area are welcome to confess at St. Sophia, either at a regularly offered time before services, by talking to the priest after a service, or by setting up an appointment. Those who belong to the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Assyrian Church of the East are urged to follow their own church’s guidelines; our church does not object to them receiving absolution if they present themselves.

Eastern Catholic priests are quite used to people who are only familiar with the Roman Rite’s form of Confession and will accommodate and guide the person as needed. Roman Catholics have a canonical right to confess to any Catholic priest in any rite; a special reason is not needed to avail oneself of this opportunity.

It is presumed that an Eastern Catholic will have his or her own pastor as a confessor or will receive his or her pastor’s blessing to have a regular spiritual director, but there is no prohibition against Eastern Catholics availing themselves of the sacrament in any Catholic Church where it is available.

All this means if you are a Catholic in need of Confession, there’s no reason not to receive the Lord’s mercy and healing today. Go!