Frequency of confession

SeraphimSarov · Sep 19, 2021

How often does everyone here confess? What sorts of sins would prompt the need for confession before communing again? I suppose this is all very individual and will vary by jurisdiction, but I'm trying to find balance after having spent time as a Roman Catholic where I was in confession constantly due to a particular addiction I have.

I know ultimately this is an AYP thing, but I mean... where are the boundaries for being scrupulous and being undiscerning of the Body and Blood of Christ? I guess that's really what I'm asking. (Parish anniversary today. Couldn't ask Fr. about it there, so I'm asking y'all here.)

Jay Sea · Sep 19, 2021

SeraphimSarov said:
How often does everyone here confess? What sorts of sins would prompt the need for confession before communing again? I suppose this is all very individual and will vary by jurisdiction, but I'm trying to find balance after having spent time as a Roman Catholic where I was in confession constantly due to a particular addiction I have.

I know ultimately this is an AYP thing, but I mean... where are the boundaries for being scrupulous and being undiscerning of the Body and Blood of Christ? I guess that's really what I'm asking. (Parish anniversary today. Couldn't ask Fr. about it there, so I'm asking y'all here.)

As a Catholic I taught that confession was to be spiritual guidance. Unfortunately I did not have that experience as it seemed to end up simply like going to a poor doctor ie. What ails you. Take these pills and come back in 2 weeks if pain persists. So I eventually found a good friend with whom I could share some of my problems and get loving helpful nonjudging guidance, And he was not even a Christian. He was wise and fair and did not criticise but left me to make my own decisions being there when I needed.
Priest like doctors can be too busy to be good guidance counsellors. Perhaps if you feel overwhelmed you can find a trustworthy friend or perhaps if your church has relationship councillors you could go there. I know that as having been such a councillor I would have been glad to help face to face.
In LOve
Jay Sea

ArmyMatt · Sep 19, 2021

SeraphimSarov said:
How often does everyone here confess? What sorts of sins would prompt the need for confession before communing again? I suppose this is all very individual and will vary by jurisdiction, but I'm trying to find balance after having spent time as a Roman Catholic where I was in confession constantly due to a particular addiction I have.

I know ultimately this is an AYP thing, but I mean... where are the boundaries for being scrupulous and being undiscerning of the Body and Blood of Christ? I guess that's really what I'm asking. (Parish anniversary today. Couldn't ask Fr. about it there, so I'm asking y'all here.)

this legit is AYP because the discernment is between you and him, and your obedience to what you establish is how the discernment takes place.

Lost4words · Sep 19, 2021

For me, as a Catholic, i go quite regularly i guess. At least once a month. Same old sins too. Its a never ending circle of sin/confession of which, i am trying to get a grip of. But, only with God's help can i succeed.

I thank God for giving me the sacrament of confession.

JSRG · Sep 19, 2021

While perhaps not an answer to the original question, I have my own question I am curious about. In Catholicism, the faithful are required to make a confession at least once per year. Does Orthodoxy have any such requirement?

SamanthaAnastasia · Sep 19, 2021

SeraphimSarov said:
How often does everyone here confess? What sorts of sins would prompt the need for confession before communing again? I suppose this is all very individual and will vary by jurisdiction, but I'm trying to find balance after having spent time as a Roman Catholic where I was in confession constantly due to a particular addiction I have.

I know ultimately this is an AYP thing, but I mean... where are the boundaries for being scrupulous and being undiscerning of the Body and Blood of Christ? I guess that's really what I'm asking. (Parish anniversary today. Couldn't ask Fr. about it there, so I'm asking y'all here.)

I always read that it was a personal thing? But at least 4 times a year? I’m very new though. But this is very much a ask your priest.

however, this article may be of some comfort until you speak to your priest:
philorthodox: Confession and Scrupulosity

Andrei D · Sep 19, 2021

There is no "limit" except for common sense and your priest's pastoral discretion. There is no pattern or form - our priests can hear Confession at any time, anywhere even, if needed. Not sure about other jurisdictions. In Romanian tradition, most people hold it that you go to Confession and take Communion 4 times a year, not less and not more. But that's in no way an official teaching. Some people may end up sometimes going to Confession once a week, sometimes less often, sometimes more often depending on what is happening in their lives or in their thoughts... I was told to never postpone Confession if there is a strong consistent desire for any reason or if there is a bad thought that doesn't go away.

We are always given the extreme example of some monasteries where the monks go to Confession every day...

More recently, one of the Romanian athonite Elders urged everyone to start going to Confession at least every 40 days in these times specifically, and people take heed.

Not sure if these random facts help in any way.

prodromos · Sep 20, 2021

You go as often as you need to. Those who have serious illness need to see their doctor often. Those who suffer from the more common ailments, probably less so, but it is something that is determined between you and your confessor.

Justin-H.S. · Sep 20, 2021

I try to go at least once a month. My wife confesses it seems like every 2-3 weeks. I should probably go as often as her, but I feel embarrassed having to confess the same things that often.

Hekler · Sep 21, 2021

Deleted.

E.C. · Sep 22, 2021

Generally speaking on a jurisdictional level I've observed the following:

-ROCOR says to go to Confession before receiving Communion. Usually that means confessing either at vigil or vespers the night before Liturgy or sometimes even the Sunday morning before Liturgy during Hours. There are some exceptions though where due to the size of the parish and number of priests the general practice seems to be confession either weekly or every other week.

-OCA general practice across the dioceses seems to be to confess at least once or twice a month. Again, generally either the night before at vespers/vigil or the morning of Liturgy during matins or hours. It just depends on if the parish has the priests to support it.

-Antiochians and Greeks don't appear to have a consistent confession practice, though of all the jurisdictions I've encountered, the Greeks seem to be the most lax with regards to confession. I've seen some Antiochians priests that were closer to OCA practice, and I've seen some who tried to be stricter than ROCOR.

Most priests I've met will almost always meet people privately or have office hours for confessions. Most parishes I've been to that have multiple priests will usually have one on the side hearing confessions while the other priest is celebrating the vespers, matins, or Liturgy. A large part of the parish's individual practice generally comes down to the bishop's guidance and if the parish has the priests to support more frequent confessions.

gurneyhalleck1 · Sep 22, 2021

I'm glad I'm not ROCOR with this every week setup. My priest expects us to confess at least before Christmas and before Holy Pascha, but also as needed. When I first became Orthodox, I had some terrible addictions and hang-ups that prompted me to go to Confession probably 20 times a year minimum. Now I'm at about 3-4 times a year as the Lord has been so kind to help me end those addictions and issues. I'm still a sinner and fail on many levels, but the frequency of having to confess has declined by God's grace.

SeraphimSarov · Sep 23, 2021

Well, I'm in ROCOR, but my priest does not want me confessing weekly. We had a long chat. Everyone's right; this really is a very individual thing, and the question betrayed my misunderstanding of what confession is for.

The Liturgist · Sep 26, 2021

My experience with high frequency confession in OCA and ROCOR parishes was always extremely positive. One ROCOR priest really helped me with grief following the death of my father. I also once had a really good confession with a Romanian hieromonk in the OCA, and a retired bishop in ROCOR was able to completely and permanently free me from a lifetime fear and horror of hearses, which had started when I was ten. It sounds ridiculous I know; I did not even attend a funeral with a hearse present until I was like 18 or 19 years old. Rather it was the mere idea of hearses that terrified me. When I was ten, the ambulances which looked like hearses, and the “Combination Cars” of prior decades, had been gone for about a decade, and not knowing or conceiving of the existence of hearses before a relative recited a creepy poem to me about a hearse passing by, I never saw one.

Vladyka pointed out that hearses were beautiful vehicles to take our loved ones to their place of repose, and that instantly ended the horror. I have always been interested in car design as a hobby - I considered it as a career at one point, even, but I am glad I did not go into it. So now I appreciate hearses and related vehicles as beautiful.

No one ever penanced me during confession.

The Liturgist · Sep 26, 2021

E.C. said:
Generally speaking on a jurisdictional level I've observed the following:

-ROCOR says to go to Confession before receiving Communion. Usually that means confessing either at vigil or vespers the night before Liturgy or sometimes even the Sunday morning before Liturgy during Hours. There are some exceptions though where due to the size of the parish and number of priests the general practice seems to be confession either weekly or every other week.

-OCA general practice across the dioceses seems to be to confess at least once or twice a month. Again, generally either the night before at vespers/vigil or the morning of Liturgy during matins or hours. It just depends on if the parish has the priests to support it.

-Antiochians and Greeks don't appear to have a consistent confession practice, though of all the jurisdictions I've encountered, the Greeks seem to be the most lax with regards to confession. I've seen some Antiochians priests that were closer to OCA practice, and I've seen some who tried to be stricter than ROCOR.

Most priests I've met will almost always meet people privately or have office hours for confessions. Most parishes I've been to that have multiple priests will usually have one on the side hearing confessions while the other priest is celebrating the vespers, matins, or Liturgy. A large part of the parish's individual practice generally comes down to the bishop's guidance and if the parish has the priests to support more frequent confessions.

In Eastern Orthodoxy, I have only ever been to confession in an OCA or ROCOR church, and always just before liturgy. And usually what I went to it for, I don’t mind sharing with you, was some anxiety or phobia or existential horror causing me to experience despair, which is of course a form of hamartia that Orthodox priests in my experience can fix, in my experience, any way.

Frequency of confession

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