120 Priests Hear Shoppers Confessions at the Second 'Confess-a-thon' in a Bogota, Colombia Mall

120 Priests Hear Shoppers Confessions at the Second ‘Confess-a-thon’ in a Bogota, Colombia Mall

120 Priests Hear Shoppers Confessions at the Second 'Confess-a-thon' in a Bogota, Colombia Mall

Colombian mall hosts over 100 priests at ‘Confess-a-thon’ to connect with Catholic population.

The Catholic Church is taking some radical steps in going out to the faithful, rather than wait for the faithful to come to it. The ‘Confess-a-thon’ that was held last week in a Colombian mall stands testimony to this. More than 100 priests flocked to a mall in Bogota and sat in various places, waiting for the faithful to come to them for confessions. While the sight was unusual and surprising for some shoppers, others found an opportunity to unburden their hearts through the sacrament.

120 Priests Hear Shoppers Confessions at the Second ‘Confess-a-thon’ in a Bogota, Colombia Mall[/tweetthis]

This is the second confession of this kind held in the mall of the largely Catholic nation. Just like this year, last October’s ‘Confess-a-thon’ was successful too. At the core of this decision are Pope Francis’ repeated calls for peace, forgiveness and love.

The Confess-a-thon has several symbolic significances. The church, which was once highly centralized, never set a single foot outside church property, as it was understood it was the duty of the people to come seeking for spiritual aid. However, the sudden rise in Evangelical churches, new-born sects, atheism and general indifference to religion has alarmed the Catholic Church. Realizing it can no more stick on to its traditional ways of functioning as it was causing harm, Church leaders have been taking more liberal stands towards traditional church doctrines. These reforms were kick-started by the Second Vatican Council have been taken to greater heights by the current head, Pope Francis.

The Colombian bishops said that events like these are held in response to Pope Francis’ calls to take the church out to the faithful. The huge numbers of Catholics who went to the priests for confession at the Confess-a-thon at the Gran Estación Mall indicates this new approach is working.

Catholics were happy for the unexpected opportunity to go for confession, which for them was like providence. One of the Catholic Church’s most important rites, Catholics are required to go for confession regularly. The number of people going for confession has decreased of late, as should be naturally expected what with the decreasing rate of church attendance. The Church can only hope that under the guidance of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church will be successful in retaining its members.

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