Sometimes I go to other parishes for confession because my own parish's confession time isn't always convenient.
So, I go to my Backup Confession Parish #1 this afternoon and I pull into the parking lot. I look around and see that the parking lot is full. I think to myself, "Wait a minute...why is the parking lot full? Their Mass doesn't start for another hour!"
I decided to park and go in anyway just on the off-chance that maybe everyone is inside the parish hall. Or something.
Boy was I wrong.
I walk into the narthex and see a spread worthy of a reception of some sort. Then I look into the sanctuary and Mass is definitely going on. Like, Communion lines everywhere. And red seems to be a popular color.
Confirmation...maybe?! Then I saw Bishop Vann. Then I was like...ohhhhhhh, that makes sense. This is their Confirmation Mass.
I stood around for a few minutes thinking about a backup plan. I awkwardly peer into the sanctuary to see if anyone was in line for confession anyway, but I was unsure because there was some standing-room only by where they normally have the confession line.
I was about to whip out my iPhone and use the Mass Times app to find out where else I could go for Confession this late in the afternoon but...a gentlemen walks up behind me and asks me what was going on in the sanctuary. Not just any gentlemen--a priest!!! "Ask and you shall receive," right?!
Apparently the visiting priest didn't know about the Confirmation Mass either. That's cool. We both go over to the confessional where there were actually people waiting.
And the story awkwardly pauses while I'm in line for confession yet observing the Confirmation Mass and Bishop Vann and the pastor wrap up Mass with closing remarks and prayer. (Side Note: Bishop had to jet outa there as soon as he could because he had another Confirmation Mass to celebrate across town. His life is Catholic)
Anyway, it was my turn, and I go inside the confessional and all is normal. But kind of louder than normal because you can hear everyone is abuzz in the sanctuary due to the conclusion of the Confirmation Mass.
Father was in the middle of giving me penance and absolution when all of a sudden the pastor walks in!!!
Awk. Really awk.
He apparently wasn't sure if the visiting priest had arrived yet, but my fellow confession line buddies apparently didn't give the pastor the memo? Anyway, we had an awkward exchange of me telling him that yes, there is in fact a priest on the other side of the partition. Haha, and the pastor even went to the other side of the wall to make sure. He leaves. My confessor and I laughed, and I said..."So ...(I repeat my penance) and...?"
Anyway, umm...after I finished with my confession, I walk out and the pastor apologized. We laughed. No biggie. No sacrament abuses here. No broken seals. Still legit confession!
I just laugh and smile because my confession was interrupted by a priest...haha. #Catholicproblems
All clean!
- JD
