Catholic returning to confession- help!

[Shopalolic]

Today after over 20 years i tried to go to confession, I made it to church during the right time for confession but didnt know what to do, from what I remember if the light above the door to the confessional was green it was free. There was a light over a door but I'm not sure it was the right room and it wasn't green. Also the priest was busy round the altar and there were other people in the church at the back (not waiting), so I didn't know what to do and went home.
Could I email him to ask what to do? I'd really like to go.

Yes, absolutely, you can email.

They can set up a time for you if they don't hold confessions during regular hours, and arrange to see you in a confession box or in a room where you're face to face (or face to side of face) with the priest.

Yes definitely email. Explain you haven’t been for a while. He will help guide you through it. Congratulations it’s a brave and courageous act. And you will benefit from it.

Thank you so much both.

There are a few things you could do, but emailing is certainly an option if you're happy with that. He might then offer confession individually at an arranged time, or explain how the scheduled confessions works in that parish. They shouldn't really do it, but priests who have not many people in for a regular confession slot may sometimes leave the confessional and go off to do other tasks, although usually they will keep an eye out for anyone who does turn up looking like they want confession.

It's always advisable to arrive as near to the beginning of a scheduled confession time as possible, unless it's a really long one (e.g. all day during Holy Week). Not only will it help in case the priest has a tendency to wander off if no one comes, but also in case the opposite is true and there's a long queue. Most priests will want to stay as long as they can to get through everyone who wants it, but they do sometimes have other engagements to go to so can't stay beyond the published times.

Also, you could look out for special penitential services in the build up to Christmas, they will have individual confession available (often with a choice of several priests) as part of the event.

Just a word of warning: many priests are great, but some less so. You might come across one who is less generous with his time, or gives some bad advice in confession, or is a bit grumpy or whatever. Please don't be put off coming back to confession if you have one bad experience: it is a beautiful sacrament and such a blessing. I hope you will have a great experience of it, but just in case ... do try again! 🙏🏽

Thanks Fink, I plucked up the courage to email, I did get a reply but when I sent a follow up about making an appointment I didn't get a response (nearly a week ago) feel embarrassed tbh. Think I'll leave it.

Sadly, not all priests are gifted administrators (or have secretaries who deal with communication). They get a lot of emails and they do sometimes get lost, I wouldn't take it personally. Do try somewhere else if you don't want to pursue that particular parish.

If you want to share roughly where you are, I might know a priest to recommend. I might not, of course, (e.g. I don't know anyone well in the northwest).