Westminster Cathedral

[HopelessPenitent]

I haven't been to confession in decades, and can't bring myself to confess to my PP.

I totally get that that looks flaky.

Does anyone have any experience of confession at Westminster Cathedral? I'm in London all of this week (until Friday morning), and was thinking of going on Thursday.

Do they have confessionals, or is it more a 'priest in a room' type thing? Are they accommodating of lost causes who need directing to the confessional?

Well they always used to have confession there (was my father's 'local parish' when he was younger!)

Proper confessionals. You'll probably have to queue especially as it's easter!! You just sit and move up the queue and go to the next one available. There's a reminder of what to say as well!!

Dead easy to find (RHS of cathedral as you face the altar) and plenty of pews to go to afterwards.

Oh thank you mrsmorton, that's very reassuring.

I might give it a go then. Hopefully the place will be full of tourists, and I won't be alone in looking lost...

It's a great place to go for confession- loads of people go there. Queue starts on right hand side near the top. Was there yesterday would allow 30 mins as likely be a queue- good luck xx

It's great! Very private and anonymous. Wonderful atmosphere. Kind priests. Agree about the queues though! Check times on their website before you go. Good luck!

Just was there on Palm Sunday and going today for Maundy Thursday. I also am hoping to go to confession and (some of) my kids want to go too. Might see you there Hopeless! I haven't lived in the UK for a long time but always went to confession at the Cathedral as a priest is almost always hearing confessions at almost any time of day.

I did it!

It was amazing, the priest was lovely, and I'll be able to recieve communion this Easter for the first time in years.

The whole place is very welcoming and peaceful, and very geared up for the clueless.

Thank you all very much for your responses.

Well done! I'm so pleased for you. Happy Easter!

Great! Well done! Wonderful to be at peace. I am hoping to go - children permitting - to confession on Saturday although dont think I will make it up to the cathedral!

This is probably a daft question but is Westminster Cathedral a Catholic Church? Or do Anglicans do confessions also? Tia.

Oh dear, I just googled it . Well, now I know [tiptoes out].

Yes Harley Westminister Cathedral is Catholic westminstercathedral.org.uk/

Westminster Abbey is C of E although was Catholic before the Reformation. Catholics were not allowed to publicly celebrate their faith for hundreds of years or have bishops. When Catholics were allowed to have a hierarchy present again (in the Victorian era) a new Cathedral was built. Usually the Archbishop of Westminster Cathedral is made a Cardinal. The current Archbishop of Westminister is Cardinal Vincent Nichols who is originally from Liverpool.

Thank you bunny, very interesting. I want to go and visit now.

Well done for going. I stayed away for 23 years and went back a few years ago. Have been three times more since and it gets easier. I go to one near my work rather than my own parish but its a little too 'bright and open' for my liking.

Going back for the first time was gut wrenching but the priest was absolutely lovely and it isn't all hell-fire and 100 Hail Marys. What I thought were huge immoral issues that should prevent me from receiving communion were discussed and I was reassured that it wasn't the case.

I was thinking of going to Westminster in the hope that it is more private and anonymous as I still have difficulty explaining some issues.