All the volunteers are set up outside of St. Mary’s Basilica at 231 N. 3rd St. in Phoenix, right across from the Phoenix Convention Center, which is hosting an event called the Super Bowl Experience for fans.
“It’s really cool because you’re walking down the street and all of a sudden you see this wooden confessional screen, and there’s a priest sitting there, and you see people kneeling down and just repenting, and getting that healing. That mercy from God is really beautiful,” she said.
On Thursday, priests heard confessions from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. They will be hearing confessions in the same time frame on Friday. On Saturday, priests will be hearing confessions all day, from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Referring to the screen in the confessional, Coronel said: “We wanted to make sure that we gave anyone that approaches that sacrament the option for anonymity, and so far every one of them has preferred that, which is really great because people have a right to that anonymity in the sacrament.”
In addition to having water bottles and granola bars at the diocese’s booth outside the cathedral, there are signs that say “Can we pray for you?” and “Catholic priest available: Need confession? Have questions? Want to talk?”