It’s not very common that ordinary people see a priest in confession but such sight will be seen en masse by the public this Wednesday, the third day of the 2nd National Congress of the Clergy, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

“You’ll see 5,500 priests confessing to each other because some people think that priests don’t confess,” said Msgr. Pedro Quitorio, Spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, during a forum at the CBCP offices in Intramuros, Manila last Tuesday.

The confession which will take place at 2:30 p.m. during the penitential celebration, he said, will be no different from an ordinary confession except that it will include a Bible reflection.

‘It’s the same process. There’s also penance and absolution,” said Quitorio.

“Unlike the ordinary confession there’s a reflection first before the confession,” he added.

The explanation of the Bible, Quitorio said, will be done by Papal Household preacher Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. It will be followed by the penitential rite and then the confession proper.

The CBCP official said that during the confession proper, priests including bishops are free to approach any priest to whom they want to confess.

“It (confession) will be face-to-face. They can choose whoever they want to confess to,” Quitorio said.

The CBCP Media Director, however, expressed regret that the suggestion of Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales to hold a mass confession for the laity or “Kumpisalang Bayan” at the Rizal Park in Manila as part of the Congress of the Clergy did not materialize.

“The laity confessing to 5,000 priests – I think that’s a good proposal but it was not approved because the security complained,” Quitorio said.