Looking for a confession time in Monmouth County? You can go to any of the county’s Catholic parishes, from Allentown out to the shore towns, and you don’t have to be a registered member. Most parishes hear confessions on Saturday afternoon before the vigil Mass. Quite a few also offer weekday mornings, weeknight evenings or an appointment.
See today’s confession times for every Monmouth County parish →
That page has the full schedule for each parish, along with Mass times, addresses and phone numbers. You can filter by town. If a time has changed, there’s a “Report a change” button so the listing gets fixed for the next person.
When confession is usually offered in Monmouth County
- Saturday afternoon: most common. Most parishes hear confessions sometime between 3:00 and 5:00 PM, usually ending shortly before the 4:00, 4:30 or 5:00 PM vigil Mass.
- Weekday mornings: some parishes hear confessions right after the morning Mass. They’re handy if you work nearby or go to daily Mass.
- Weeknight evenings: a few parishes set aside an hour on a Tuesday or Wednesday night.
- By appointment: many parishes will schedule a private confession if the regular times don’t work. Call the parish office.
Weekday confession in Monmouth County
If Saturday afternoons don’t work for you, these parishes had weekday times when we last checked them (October 2026):
- St. Michael Church, Long Branch: Monday through Saturday after the 8:00 AM Mass, plus Monday evening and Sunday options
- St. James Parish, Red Bank: Monday through Friday after the morning Mass
- St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:30 AM
- St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold: Tuesday 12:10–1:00 PM and 7:00–8:00 PM
- St. Dorothea Parish, Eatontown: Tuesday evening and Friday after the 12:15 PM Mass
- Church of the Precious Blood, Monmouth Beach: Tuesday and Friday after the 8:30 AM Mass
- St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown: Wednesday at 6:00 PM
- St. Mark Catholic Church, Sea Girt: Thursday after the 7:30 AM and 11:00 AM Masses
- Holy Cross Parish, Rumson: Friday at 9:30 AM
Saturday morning and early afternoon options
- St. Rose of Lima Parish, Freehold: Saturday 10:00 AM in the chapel
- Church of St. Ann, Keansburg: Saturday 1:00–2:00 PM
Schedules change, especially during Lent, Advent and the summer, so check the Monmouth County confession times page before you head out.
Every Catholic parish in Monmouth County, by town
Each parish below is listed with its confession times on our Monmouth County page.
- Allentown: St. John the Baptist Parish
- Asbury Park: Mother of Mercy Parish (confession is also offered in Spanish)
- Belmar: St. Rose Parish
- Bradley Beach: St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish
- Colts Neck: St. Mary Parish
- Eatontown: Church of Immaculate Conception; St. Dorothea Parish
- Fair Haven: Church of the Nativity Parish
- Farmingdale: St. Catherine of Siena Parish
- Freehold: St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral; St. Rose of Lima Parish
- Holmdel: Church of St. Catharine; St. Benedict Parish
- Keansburg: Church of St. Ann
- Keyport: Our Lady of Fatima Parish
- Lincroft: St. Leo the Great Parish
- Long Branch: Christ the King Parish; St. Michael Church
- Manasquan: St. Denis Parish
- Marlboro: St. Gabriel Parish
- Matawan: St. Clement Parish
- Middletown: St. Mary Parish
- Millstone Township: St. Joseph Church
- Monmouth Beach: Church of the Precious Blood Parish
- Neptune: Holy Innocents Parish
- Red Bank: St. James Parish
- Rumson: Holy Cross Parish
- Sea Girt: St. Mark Catholic Church
- Spring Lake: St. Catharine–St. Margaret Parish
- Tinton Falls: Church of St. Anselm
- Union Beach: Holy Family Parish
- West Long Branch: Our Lady of Hope Parish
Prepare with an examination of conscience
Before going to confession, take a few quiet minutes to think back over your life since your last confession. This is called an examination of conscience. It helps you remember what to confess and goes more smoothly than trying to recall everything in the confessional.
Our Examination of Conscience takes you through simple questions based on each of the Ten Commandments. You can read it on your phone in the pew while you wait in line. To understand what each commandment asks of us, read The Ten Commandments, which explains each one: how to live it well and the ways we can fall short.
First time in a while? Here’s what to expect
If it’s been years since your last confession, you’re far from alone, and priests are always glad to see someone come back. You don’t need to have everything memorized. Just tell the priest it’s been a while, and he’ll help you through it. Our How to Go to Confession guide covers each step, from what to say first to the Act of Contrition.
A few practical tips:
- Arrive early. Lines can be long on Saturdays, especially during Lent and before Christmas. A priest may stop hearing confessions when Mass is about to start.
- Face to face or behind a screen. Most Monmouth County parishes offer both. Choose whichever is more comfortable.
- Bring your examination. It’s fine to glance at notes on your phone or a slip of paper.
- Confession is completely confidential. A priest can never reveal what you say in confession.
Find a confession time near you
Whether you’re in Freehold, Red Bank, Middletown or down the shore, there’s a confession time close by this week.
View all Monmouth County confession times →
Visiting another part of central New Jersey? You can also find confession times in Mercer County, Burlington County and Ocean County.