…I keep trying to find the answer online, but different sites say different things. To my knowledge and even based on what a priest says, as long as you make a confession 8 days before or after the first Saturday of the month, that qualifies as fulfilling part of the requirements of the first 5 Saturdays. But my question is, does that apply to communion as well? I had read yes, and then no. I’ve done 4 first Saturdays…always on Saturday. Yesterday ( Friday), realizing that coming out to our church Saturday at confession and mass time was sometimes difficult, I looked it up on a Catholic web site. Sure enough, it said I could confess the day before ( confessions were about to start), and that I could receive communion Sunday morning and it would still meet the requirements. Does anyone have a definitive answer? I’d hate to think I got this far, then blew it on faulty info.
My thoughts: Wow.... For someone who desires to uphold her wishes about First Saturdays and Her Immaculate Heart, and simply is unable or received incorrect information---I would not believe Our Lady would 'nullify' or not apply the Graces she wishes to provide to such a soul. (I dare not 'presume' what our Blessed Mother's responses would be, yet knowing Our Lady's great love for souls committed to her I'm sure she knows your intention!) Yes, I understood that Confession can be made shortly before or after the First Saturday proper, though I understood Communion to be on the day proper. I have been doing First Saturdays for a while, and on occasion a family emergency (of course, Saturday morning!) or illness comes up. I too ponder then "Have I blown it? Is Our Lady displeased? Do I have to "start all over"?, etc. And I too look(ed) everywhere and receive different answers each time. But don't let the evil one make you focus on the 'logistics' of it all; instead, let's both turn our hearts to Our Lady and offer reparations. (Just my 1-cent worth here!)
This question has crossed my mind too. The devotion requests confession on the Saturday but I have also done it on Fridays in the past. I was cautioned by a priest to be careful about being too fastidious in my devotion. The priest pointed out that we must do things with love and according to the Spirit and not rigidly per the rule because this is what Jesus reproached the Sanhedrin. When the priest told me this, I had confessed shortly before and this particular confession was light and I think this is what prompted his remark. But I want to be obedient to Our Lady, not be fastidious! Yesterday I was so tired and busy that I did not make it to confession as other obligations got in the way. I could have driven 35 minutes to confessions in another Church, but forgot to do it at the right time and was so tired that I would have had to force myself to go had I remembered on time. It is difficult to do it all when the Church does not provide mass and confession on the same day.And I don't know about you all, but here they all leave on "vacation" in the summer and have fewer services for almost 2 months and it's hard to honor this devotion when they don't offer Saturday mass in the summer. I'd like to see what others have to share on this too.
I have tried to do the Saturday confession and Mass but it just isn't always possible to get to confession.. It is my understanding that a week before or a week after still qualifies. I think the important thing is the effort we make to lovingly make reparation for the wounds inflicted on the Immaculate Heart and to pray for the conversion of Russia and all poor sinners and for peace in the world.
…these are all excellent answers. Thank you, all. I’ll look into it further, but these comments were really good, and put my mind at ease. Thanks again!
