With the halfway point of Lent already behind us and no end in sight to the ban on religious services, the Archdiocese of Vancouver and parishes are offering a solemn and holy way for Catholics to prepare for Easter: easy access to safely spaced and sanitized confessions.
Archbishop J. Michael Miller is urging all parishes to expand opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation by offering “Days of Mercy” from March 19 to 31. Sixty parishes are already on board, pledging to offer confession in parish halls, crying rooms, chapels, or other spaces with more room and airflow than confessionals.
“Over the past year, many have been without regular access to the sacrament of reconciliation,” Archbishop J. Michael Miller wrote in a letter to priests.
“This Lenten Season, it is my hope that the faithful will have increased opportunities for confession as they prepare for the celebration of Easter.”
A few parishes, such as St. Clare of Assisi in Coquitlam, are offering confession as many as six or seven times per week.
The archdiocese is also making other Lenten resources available, including an online Holy Week retreat March 26, activity ideas for families, and stories about personal transformation.
For those looking for something more outward-facing, 40 Days for Life is hoping pro-lifers join them in prayer at home and with an online Rosary group for an end to abortion, and this year’s Share Lent campaign is encouraging Catholics to “share love and express solidarity” with financial support for people facing the pandemic in the Global South.
Confession times and all other Lenten resources can be found at rcav.org/lent.
