Afraid of confession.

[Christy4Christ]

This is true about it being a much neglected Sacrement, I think too many of our members are listening to Protestants who say you don't need to confess to a Priest because confession is for God only...

So they skip the whole thing thinking "Hey ya know maybe they are right" In fact I have heard this before from the lips of a Catholic...

 

[ukok]

Also the reason I didn't have a Catholic icon was simply because I didn't see it in the list so chose Christian. Thanks for letting me know there is one.

That's ok anyway, Catholics are Christian too

 

[Metanoia02]

ukok,

Since I ahve you on the spot, how often do you plan on going to confession once you have been fully recieved?

 

[Christy4Christ]

Yes Catholics are Christians ofcourse! We are the first Christians

 

[ukok]

ukok,

Since I ahve you on the spot, how often do you plan on going to confession once you have been fully recieved?

Truth be told, Met, i'd need to go at least five times a day...

Seriously...whenever i am aware of the need to do so...funny really though...the children have to make their first confessions before i do! They are not too happy about this, but then they have been winding me up about me being the biggest ever baby to be baptised, so i'm getting my own back!

 

[nyj]

Confession is great!

I've Been Born Again!

 

[Metanoia02]

Truth be told, Met, i'd need to go at least five times a day...

Seriously...whenever i am aware of the need to do so...funny really though...the children have to make their first confessions before i do! They are not too happy about this, but then they have been winding me up about me being the biggest ever baby to be baptised, so i'm getting my own back!

I reason I ask is that when I converted no one ever asked me what my "plan" was. Consequently, I never went. Now that I have come to know the power of this sacrament, I try an encourage people to make a "plan". Set a schedule. I think once a month is a good place to start. I would encourage you to think about making such a plan. Don't do like I did and pretty much ignore it.

 

[nyj]

If sin is the act of voluntary separation from God, then confession is the act of voluntarily coming back into full communion with Him.

Aside from the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confession is the only sacrament that we can partake of continually which will bring us immediately close to God here on earth.

That's a pretty powerful thing, no?

 

[fingerprint]

Wow nyj, that site was pretty touching. Confession is a great thing and by no means something to fear or dread. You should look forward to going and be anxious to cleanse yourself. God already knows everything you've done anyway, he's just waiting for you to come and confess it. It is God's therapy session and it's not even $100 an hour

 

[Metanoia02]

If sin is the act of voluntary separation from God, then confession is the act of voluntarily coming back into full communion with Him.

Aside from the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confession is the only sacrament that we can partake of continually which will bring us immediately close to God here on earth.

That's a pretty powerful thing, no?

Sadly, it took me three years to figure that out!

 

[-Shar-]

Honey, didn't you go to Catholic school? What did they tell you about confession?

Yes, I went to a Catholic primary school and now a Catholic Secondary school. I can't exactly remember back to when I was 8...that's when we were told about confession. Now we don't really talk about that in Religion class anymore. We disscuss issues such as racism, homosexuality etc.

 

[-Shar-]

Shar- what town are you from? And what is the closest major town county?

I'm from a small village, don't want to post the name up here. But I am in Co. Clare.

 

[Christy4Christ]

I see, what about your parents? Do they ever talk to you about confession? I guess for a more in depth answer some of the more experienced Catholics here will have to answer you.

 

[ukok]

I reason I ask is that when I converted no one ever asked me what my "plan" was. Consequently, I never went. Now that I have come to know the power of this sacrament, I try an encourage people to make a "plan". Set a schedule. I think once a month is a good place to start. I would encourage you to think about making such a plan. Don't do like I did and pretty much ignore it.

Met, i understand.

I'm looking forward to it..but i must admit that one of the reasons that i am looking forward to embracing the Sacrament of Reconcilliation is that i will not have to confess all 35 years of sin, due to my baptism at Easter Vigil!

I was telling Fr. David last week about all you guys here, we were discussing this very topic and i said how i couldn't hardly believe it when my online friends said not to feel bad about finding out about not being baptised as it would mean that i wouldn't have to make first confession , before being received into the Catholic Faith. I can hardly bear to be reminded of past sins, let alone repeat them.

I think you have a point with the monthly confession thing, i'll think about what you have said.

 

[-Shar-]

I see, what about your parents? Do they ever talk to you about confession? I guess for a more in depth answer some of the more experienced Catholics here will have to answer you.

My parents never disscuss religion with me. My mother just said she wishes I had gone to confession yesterday, that was all. No one around here ever disscusses it, which is a shame really.

 

[ukok]

Shar, i'm so sorry..i forgot to say WELCOME to OBOB!

I pray that your time spent here will be contented and blessed.

We are a pretty diverse bunch here, but we are mostly harmless and there are a lot of folks here with a wealth of knowledge that will bend over backwards to explain things to you...if anything, sometimes, there is a mountain of information to wade through, rather than not enough!

Please don't feel that you have to be defensive here. OBOB is a safe haven for Catholics, and many non-Catholics love to spend time here also.

God Bless you.

 

[fingerprint]

Yes welcome welcome welcome! By the way, I'll be in your homeland May 3 - 21 visiting Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, etc.. I can't wait to go back and see the Book of Kells again.

 

[ukok]

fingerprint, Credo will be somewhere around there i think about that time...i can't get there but some were thinking about meeting up, y'know, the Brits and Credo if he could make it.

 

[-Shar-]

Thanks fingerprint and ukok.

I guess I just get defensive because sometimes people think less of my opinions because I'm younger. Thank you.

fingerprint, I hope you have a wonderful time when you come to Ireland. The Book of Kells really is something!

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

Shar-- I'm on page 4 of the responses- so forgive me if somebody already posted this--

During the Penetential Rite (Lord, Have Mercy, Christ, Have Mecry, etc) all venial sins are forgiven. Therefore we do not need to go to confession before every Mass, as our venial sins are forgiven as part of the Mass. This is different for mortal sins--- we must confess our mortal sins before receiving the Eucharist-- but we may still attend Mass, make an act of perfect contrition, and make a spiritual communion.

I promise you- the priest has heard much, much worse than dabbling in other religions!! The priests I've talked to about it say that the are very often given a special grace of "forgetting" the sins of a person once they've confessed.

Remember- that confession is not just about telling our sins to the priest-- we are telling them to Jesus- who already knows them! It is an act of humility and obedience as a sign of our great desire to be pleasing to Our Lord. Not only are our sins forgiven -- but God's grace is showered down upon us!!! This grace helps us to avoid sin, to fight against sin, and to be more ready to confess when we mess up again!!

Go and be made clean!!! Let your soul be all sparkly and white- clearly reflecting outward the love of Jesus!!!!