Mitchie, I got to confession today

[chevyontheriver]

It's an uphill battle for me to go to confession. I barely managed once a year for a long time. Last time was six months ago and I finally managed again. I'm trying to up my game to at least four times a year. It was great once it was over. Now if I could get to the dentist ....

 

[Michie]

It's an uphill battle for me to go to confession. I barely managed once a year for a long time. Last time was six months ago and I finally managed again. I'm trying to up my game to at least four times a year. It was great once it was over. Now if I could get to the dentist ....

Lol! I still have not worked myself up to it. I have in (Catholicism) some embarrassing and grave things to confess. I work myself up to whatever.. Nothing new under the sun) then I cave. I'll be honest, I am scared to get myself committed again. I do not know If I can handle it. It seems like such a heavy load.

So any advise? You really feel better? You do not feel like you picked up a two ton rock again? I feel so bad for saying this because it makes me feel lazy, rotten, and ungrateful. But I'm scared. Are you a cradle Catholic?

And besides that, any advise? I am very happy for you btw. Ready to dive back in?

 

[pdudgeon]

It's an uphill battle for me to go to confession. I barely managed once a year for a long time. Last time was six months ago and I finally managed again. I'm trying to up my game to at least four times a year. It was great once it was over. Now if I could get to the dentist ....

that makes two of us.
confession isn't my favorite thing either, plus i never know what to say or how to explain things, i probably forget half of the things i should remember to confess, and most of the time I'm just glad to have it over with.
And I'm sure that Father is sitting there thinking "HUH? Will she ever stop talking???"

so for me, it's one of those "obedience" things...or one of those things that's supposed to be "good for you" type thing.
like oatmeal.
So who says "Oh boy, it's time for oatmeal!"

 

[chevyontheriver]

Lol! I still have not worked myself up to it. I have in (Catholicism) some embarrassing and grave things to confess. I work myself up to whatever.. Nothing new under the sun) then I cave. I'll be honest, I am scared to get myself committed again. I do not know If I can handle it. It seems like such a heavy load.

So any advise? You really feel better? You do not feel like you picked up a two ton rock again? I feel so bad for saying this because it makes me feel lazy, rotten, and ungrateful. But I'm scared. Are you a cradle Catholic?

And besides that, any advise? I am very happy for you btw. Ready to dive back in?

I just noticed I spelled your name wrong. Sorry. I have no idea how to fix that.

I am a cradle Catholic and years ago I had two bad experiences with confession. Hip priests told me what I was confessing were not sins. I did have an associate pastor about 20 years ago that I felt comfortable confessing to, but he's a pastor far away now. I managed usually to comply with the once a year rule when at my yearly retreat. But it was always pulling teeth. I always felt good when it was over, but SO apprehensive beforehand.

I feel like I have let go of a heavy weight, not picked up a new weight. Jesus' burden is light. It's me that has the problem getting up the courage to go to confession. Like you. But if I can do it, anyone can.

I printed out an 'Act of Contrition' before I went so I wouldn't stumble. I wrote out an outline of what I would be confessing. I knew well what to confess, but didn't want to forget out of nervousness.

It took about a week for me to get up the courage to go. I checked the hours well in advance. I almost chickened out. When I arrived I went to the adoration chapel, where I have been going weekly for over twenty years. That chapel is like home for me. I asked Jesus to help me do the confession, going over my notes. Then I went in to the church and found the line and got in line. Then I was stuck with it.

Father, he's a mere boy, but he was sage and kind. I felt pretty good afterwards. I went back to the adoration chapel to do the penance and to thank Jesus for getting me through it all.

Now can I do it again some time in Lent?

 

[Michie]

I just noticed I spelled your name wrong. Sorry. I have no idea how to fix that.

I am a cradle Catholic and years ago I had two bad experiences with confession. Hip priests told me what I was confessing were not sins. I did have an associate pastor about 20 years ago that I felt comfortable confessing to, but he's a pastor far away now. I managed usually to comply with the once a year rule when at my yearly retreat. But it was always pulling teeth. I always felt good when it was over, but SO apprehensive beforehand.

I feel like I have let go of a heavy weight, not picked up a new weight. Jesus' burden is light. It's me that has the problem getting up the courage to go to confession. Like you. But if I can do it, anyone can.

I printed out an 'Act of Contrition' before I went so I wouldn't stumble. I wrote out an outline of what I would be confessing. I knew well what to confess, but didn't want to forget out of nervousness.

It took about a week for me to get up the courage to go. I checked the hours well in advance. I almost chickened out. When I arrived I went to the adoration chapel, where I have been going weekly for over twenty years. That chapel is like home for me. I asked Jesus to help me do the confession, going over my notes. Then I went in to the church and found the line and got in line. Then I was stuck with it.

Father, he's a mere boy, but he was sage and kind. I felt pretty good afterwards. I went back to the adoration chapel to do the penance and to thank Jesus for getting me through it all.

Now can I do it again some time in Lent?

I don't know your confession but I think what is holding me back is that I actually took money out of my grocery budget and bought some medical marijuana for a friend that had cancer. Some sexual stuff... (Within marriage) thoughts about those I feel wronged by... you name it. I know they have heard it all before but still... you know? Then there are the obligations after confession in Church and having a clean slate...there are days I feel like I barely have the energy to shower let alone juggling everything else without Church obligations. I feel stuck because I just do not know if I can follow through. I do hope you feel like you have the energy to prevail and grow spiritually to draw you closer to the Lord. I have no second guesses as far as Jesus is concerned but the disipline of the RCC along with the spill your guts in confession and afterwards the relief that it is over then back to the lone ranger type/fend for yourself style I have found in the RCC makes me wonder if I should bother. I need to drag out Fulton Sheen's ' Life of Christ' again and just ask for some guidance. Scripture is just leaving me confused given my protestant background. I do hope you have set a foot outside the dark valley at this point and are seeing some light . You have done better than me. Keep me updated.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I don't know your confession but I think what is holding me back is that I actually took money out of my grocery budget and bought some medical marijuana for a friend that had cancer. Some sexual stuff... (Within marriage) thoughts about those I feel wronged by... you name it. I know they have heard it all before but still... you know? Then there are the obligations after confession in Church and having a clean slate...there are days I feel like I barely have the energy to shower let alone juggling everything else without Church obligations. I feel stuck because I just do not know if I can follow through. I do hope you feel like you have the energy to prevail and grow spiritually to draw you closer to the Lord. I have no second guesses as far as Jesus is concerned but the disipline of the RCC along with the spill your guts in confession and afterwards the relief that it is over then back to the lone ranger type/fend for yourself style I have found in the RCC makes me wonder if I should bother. I need to drag out Fulton Sheen's ' Life of Christ' again and just ask for some guidance. Scripture is just leaving me confused given my protestant background. I do hope you have set a foot outside the dark valley at this point and are seeing some light . You have done better than me. Keep me updated.

I am actually surprised at myself for not bailing out and staying home. Part of it might have been an ominous feeling about the future, the new presidency after a divisive campaign, a pope I feel disconnected from, my wife's health, a dry spell in terms of new work contracts. The future could go in so many ways. Maranatha I think, but I'm not really ready for that. I could be a martyr if they killed me quick, but I'm not sure I wouldn't take the comfortable way out like I do day to day. I want to live as an intentional Christian, but I've been pretty compromised. Jesus is my all, except for when I conveniently put Him aside. If there was a fumie around I'd have walked all over it. I'm much like Kichijiro in Shusako Endo's 'Silence', although my apostasies are all small things. But touching a toe to a fumie is a small thing. So too to take just a pinch of incense and toss it on the fire in tribute to the gods. I've confessed. God help me.

 

[Michie]

I am actually surprised at myself for not bailing out and staying home. Part of it might have been an ominous feeling about the future, the new presidency after a divisive campaign, a pope I feel disconnected from, my wife's health, a dry spell in terms of new work contracts. The future could go in so many ways. Maranatha I think, but I'm not really ready for that. I could be a martyr if they killed me quick, but I'm not sure I wouldn't take the comfortable way out like I do day to day. I want to live as an intentional Christian, but I've been pretty compromised. Jesus is my all, except for when I conveniently put Him aside. If there was a fumie around I'd have walked all over it. I'm much like Kichijiro in Shusako Endo's 'Silence', although my apostasies are all small things. But touching a toe to a fumie is a small thing. So too to take just a pinch of incense and toss it on the fire in tribute to the gods. I've confessed. God help me.

I think we are in he same place. Pray for me. I know I have to do it. Getting over the hump is tough though. Because I see another big hump!

 

[pdudgeon]

I think we are in the same place. Pray for me. I know I have to do it. Getting over the hump is tough though. Because I see another big hump!

the first step is the hardest.
what i found that helped me was to employ the buddie/tag team system beforehand, so that i didn't have to face the worry and anxiety of it
all by myself.

If i knew that someone was there with me at confession and they were rooting (or praying) for me to succeed, having resolved myself to go and confess became that much easier to do because of their kind and positive support.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I think we are in he same place. Pray for me. I know I have to do it. Getting over the hump is tough though. Because I see another big hump!

We are at least in a very similar place. I will indeed pray for you, as I have been doing. Please pray for me that I can do this again without waiting multiple months. Maybe that I can go again at the beginning of Lent and again towards the end. I have no doubt I will have plenty to confess.

I found a thought by pope Benedict that resonated with me about him preparing for death: "... the more intensely I feel how much I have done wrong." All I could add is about how much good I have neglected to do.

The smooth path is not the one that leads to Christ. It is expected that there will be bumps. You do know, as I did, what we have to do. Doesn't make it easy. But then in Romans 10 it says "The Word is near you" and again "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

Courage.

 

[Michie]

We are at least in a very similar place. I will indeed pray for you, as I have been doing. Please pray for me that I can do this again without waiting multiple months. Maybe that I can go again at the beginning of Lent and again towards the end. I have no doubt I will have plenty to confess.

I found a thought by pope Benedict that resonated with me about him preparing for death: "... the more intensely I feel how much I have done wrong." All I could add is about how much good I have neglected to do.

The smooth path is not the one that leads to Christ. It is expected that there will be bumps. You do know, as I did, what we have to do. Doesn't make it easy. But then in Romans 10 it says "The Word is near you" and again "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

Courage.

Will pray for you. And thank you. Please keep me updated and I'll do the same.

 

[chevyontheriver]

so for me, it's one of those "obedience" things...or one of those things that's supposed to be "good for you" type thing.
like oatmeal.
So who says "Oh boy, it's time for oatmeal!"

I like oatmeal if it has enough fruit on it.

Confession feels good when it's over, kind of like running a marathon (I imagine that. I've never run more than 21 miles in a day. But when I was running long distances it did feel good to stop. Of course you had to go through all that running to get to the point of stopping.)

 

[mea kulpa]

I go at least once a month sometimes every week. What i found is if you have not been for a long time it gets harder and harder to go.

Then when you do you have a laundry list as long as your arm and no one feels good about people seeing a large pile of scruffy clothes.

One or two items are much less embaressing. What is more regular confession allows your priest to get to know you and your struggles better and can offer better advice.

When you go regularly you also begin to understand sins that your prone to commiting and that brings with it its own shame when going to confession.

10weeks in a row having commited the same sin is an awful experience but i have found that after a while the graces of regular confession start to penetrate the tendency to these sins your prone to and you find them in your now much shorter laundry list less and less

Yes its hard admiting our faults it is hard sharing things we are ashamed of with a priest a priest who represents the purity of Christ

But it gets easier with regular practice

Priests are human too just as christ was

Priests have weaknesses too so they are very understanding and you always feel amazing after.

I used to go on a friday as close to a sunday as possible for me so that i could recieve the eucharist as clean as possible but the new priest is only availible on a thursday

How often do you take a bath to get rid of the grime of daily life?

Daily Confession would be an amazing way of keeping the grime of daily life off our souls but unfortunatly its not very practical and i think it would annoy the priest lol

 

[thecolorsblend]

I hate driving to Confession. The weight of my sins bears down upon me. And then there's the pressure of remembering the mortal sins. I've resorted to keeping notes in my phone on more than one occasion.

I hate actually confessing. Heck, just talking to Fr. is nerve-wracking and I forget where I am for second. Or what I'm supposed to say! "The Lord be with you", Fr. says... in English. "Et cum spiritu tuo... um, sorry! I mean, and with thy spirit! Oops! Sorry, and with your spirit!" It's a bit embarrassing to say for the second or third week in a row that I've committed the same mortal sin(s) again. But dang it, this time I'm repenting. Really! Honest! And I really, honestly am... but then one day I fall off the wagon. Wash, rinse, repeat

But then I hear Fr's warm, kind voice on the other side. It's sin and that's not small potatoes. But at the same time, it's who we are. It's an affliction common to all, even the saints. They committed many of the same sins but they also depended on the same sacraments. And look what they accomplished! Repent, be forgiven, do penance and try harder next time. We're all screwed up. But forgiveness is available, operators are standing by.

Fr. offers gentle words of encouragement and food for thought to help me avoid my sins better in the future.

I hate driving to Confession, I hate actually confessing but I love coming out of Confession free as a bird.

 

[frettr00]

When I was younger I struggled with sins I was embarrassed to bring up, but I no longer commit those grave sins. Confession is easier for me now that I no longer commit those sins. I've also been going to confession for so many years that I'm just used to it like going to mass regularly. In my experience it does eventually get easier.

 

[Ave Maria]

It's an uphill battle for me to go to confession. I barely managed once a year for a long time. Last time was six months ago and I finally managed again. I'm trying to up my game to at least four times a year. It was great once it was over. Now if I could get to the dentist ....

Hey there! I am glad you got to Confession but I would strongly recommend going to Confession at least once a month. Try not to worry too much. The priest has heard it all and I guarantee that your confession will be completely private.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Hey there! I am glad you got to Confession but I would strongly recommend going to Confession at least once a month. Try not to worry too much. The priest has heard it all and I guarantee that your confession will be completely private.

You know, I know that. I'm not afraid of the priest blabbing about it. And I haven't had a bad experience in several years. I am hoping I can up the frequency and that it becomes easier.

 

[thecolorsblend]

You know, I know that. I'm not afraid of the priest blabbing about it. And I haven't had a bad experience in several years. I am hoping I can up the frequency and that it becomes easier.

I think it will get easier. The process is very healthy as it aligns your conscience with the Church's teachings. There were sins I committed on a routine basis without hesitation just a year ago because I wasn't aware that they were sins. But since I know now, I avoid them like the plague. These are relatively small things, admittedly, rather than major struggles but it's still another step in my formation. We're all works in progress.

 

[pdudgeon]

I hate driving to Confession. The weight of my sins bears down upon me. And then there's the pressure of remembering the mortal sins. I've resorted to keeping notes in my phone on more than one occasion.

I hate actually confessing. Heck, just talking to Fr. is nerve-wracking and I forget where I am for second. Or what I'm supposed to say! "The Lord be with you", Fr. says... in English. "Et cum spiritu tuo... um, sorry! I mean, and with thy spirit! Oops! Sorry, and with your spirit!" It's a bit embarrassing to say for the second or third week in a row that I've committed the same mortal sin(s) again. But dang it, this time I'm repenting. Really! Honest! And I really, honestly am... but then one day I fall off the wagon. Wash, rinse, repeat

But then I hear Fr's warm, kind voice on the other side. It's sin and that's not small potatoes. But at the same time, it's who we are. It's an affliction common to all, even the saints. They committed many of the same sins but they also depended on the same sacraments. And look what they accomplished! Repent, be forgiven, do penance and try harder next time. We're all screwed up. But forgiveness is available, operators are standing by.

Fr. offers gentle words of encouragement and food for thought to help me avoid my sins better in the future.

I hate driving to Confession, I hate actually confessing but I love coming out of Confession free as a bird.

I'm still waiting to have that joyfull free as a bird experience after having confessed. there's a lot of guilt and shame and heart-wrenching grief.
but at least i know that when I'm done, there's nothing keeping me from the Eucharist, so that's something i guess.

 

[longhair75]

Michie,

I am sorry I took so long to get to this. I have been away from the internet for a bit.

Do not be afraid, it will be ok. I am no real authority but your medical marijuana purchase, while maybe illegal, was actually a work of mercy. I seem to remember Jesus being castigated for healing a man on the Sabbath. ( Mark 3: 1-6) His healing was technically illegal.....

My confession upon coming home to the Church was spread out over weeks. When I had finally got it all out it felt like I was a new man. Forgiveness was there for a rotten and unworthy sinner like me.

It is there for you also.

PS: I have, on more than one occasion, procured marijuana for cancer patients. Maybe I will someday be arrested for it. If it happens, I will still feel like it was an act of mercy which Our Lord will understand

 

[Ave Maria]

You know, I know that. I'm not afraid of the priest blabbing about it. And I haven't had a bad experience in several years. I am hoping I can up the frequency and that it becomes easier.

Yeah I understand what you mean. Please know that I am not judging you. I am trying to encourage you. I do hope that you are successful in upping the frequency of your Confessions.