FAITHFUL DECISION

Father David LeFort knew something was missing at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany even before he became rector there.

There was no proper confessional. People would confess their sins in plain sight, making sure to keep their voices muffled almost to a whisper, so others couldn’t hear amongst the hustle and bustle of the sprawling Gothic structure.

“They would wait and come to two chairs with a screen or a kneeler and they would either sit in a chair and confess their sins face-to-face or they would kneel in front of a screen, where my ear is on the other side of the screen,” Father LeFort said. “But everybody saw everything and there was no sound muffling … it was also in the sanctuary near the ambo where my lectors come in and go up and check the readings; they are walking right by us.”

Father LeFort saw an opportunity in the Re-Igniting Our Faith Campaign to change things. 

“People weren’t complaining so much, but rather lamenting with me that there was no confessional,” he said. “And then when Re-Igniting (started) (I said) this could be a powerhouse of renewed faith, enthusiasm, mercy, compassion  … so it was an ideal situation.”

The search for the confessional became the cornerstone of the campaign. Different ideas were floated: building a new confessional room (too expensive), have a confessional built (not as expensive, but not financially feasible) or find something, somewhere via the internet. Father LeFort enlisted James Agnew, who is in formation for the permanent diaconate, to help.

“I knew that it was going to be a search. I had done some research online but I knew it was going to be a project that I wouldn’t be able to follow through with in a timely fashion,” Father LeFort said. “Jim had worked on a few liturgical projects at the Cathedral and I had gotten to know him very simply, but praying one day he popped into my head as ‘I wonder if he would be interested.’ ”

Father LeFort and Agnew had found a confessional that M.S. Rau Antiques in New Orleans had purchased and restored from Holland and used it in the posters for their ROF campaign. As it turned out, that wooden confessional from around the 1860s that is split into two sections with a latticed partition, was the one and two months later was purchased.

“I said that is a nice traditional confessional, let’s put it on the poster,” Father LeFort said. “That one worked out to be very inexpensive for us. Just by our online searches, both of us hit this and both of us agreed that one is the one to really look at … This one fits in ...  it’s extreme coincidence, probably providence.”

When the confessional arrived, JLM Design installed new lighting and cushions and updated all the electrical. The confessional was installed on the Jefferson Street side of the Cathedral and was blessed on Sept. 30. The confessional has not just lit a fire for Father LeFort but for the faithful.

“One of the things that I find when I am hearing confessions of the faithful, they discover that I am joyful because they want to be reconciled,” he said.

“It comes through in my expression with them, my voice, my tenor and just the strong encouragement that I give them; they walk away lifted and so for me, if I can help people feel lifted that is a great joy for me.”