Confession

[FaithT]

Protestants say that the way to get to heaven is to repent and obey. To confess our sins directly to Jesus. And they don’t believe in Purgatory either. So, if we as Catholics confess directly to Jesus and not through a priest and we die, will we not go to heaven?

 

[FaithT]

It happened again….a double post. Please just respond to this one not the older post.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Protestants say that the way to get to heaven is to repent and obey. To confess our sins directly to Jesus. And they don’t believe in Purgatory either. So, if we as Catholics confess directly to Jesus and not through a priest and we die, will we not go to heaven?

If you have 'perfect contrition' for your sins you can be forgiven without confession. I would not bank on that for myself, so it's confession for me. And as much contrition for my sins as I can muster.

 

[FaithT]

If you have 'perfect contrition' for your sins you can be forgiven without confession. I would not bank on that for myself, so it's confession for me. And as much contrition for my sins as I can muster.

Ok.

 

[FaithT]

If you have 'perfect contrition' for your sins you can be forgiven without confession. I would not bank on that for myself, so it's confession for me. And as much contrition for my sins as I can muster.

It feels good in my soul when I unburden myself to a priest. It’s a perceptible way to have sins forgiven.

 

[RileyG]

It feels good in my soul when I unburden myself to a priest. It’s a perceptible way to have sins forgiven.

For mortal sins, yes, you must go to confession.

Venial sins are forgiven through MANY ways (Holy Communion, blessing yourself with holy water, saying the Confiteor, praying the Act of Contrition or Our Father, any sincere prayer, striking your breast, reception of ANY sacrament in the state of Grace, receiving a bishop's blessing, receiving the Pope's blessing, among many others) BUT it's most important you are sorry for them.

It's important to confess any venial sins if you don't have any mortal sins to confess. Many do a devotional confession, where they confess many venial sins.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Catholics do NOT believe works save you, it's the grace of God which saves you. Good work are basically stating you are already saved and you are working out your salvation with fear and trembling.

You CAN NOT earn your salvation. It's a free gift.

 

[FaithT]

For mortal sins, yes, you must go to confession.

Venial sins are forgiven through MANY ways (Holy Communion, blessing yourself with holy water, saying the Confiteor, praying the Act of Contrition or Our Father, any sincere prayer, striking your breast, reception of ANY sacrament in the state of Grace, receiving a bishop's blessing, receiving the Pope's blessing, among many others) BUT it's most important you are sorry for them.

It's important to confess any venial sins if you don't have any mortal sins to confess. Many do a devotional confession, where they confess many venial sins.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Catholics do NOT believe works save you, it's the grace of God which saves you. Good work are basically stating you are already saved and you are working out your salvation with fear and trembling.

You CAN NOT earn your salvation. It's a free gift.

Protestants think that we believe we’re saved by works. But what specifically are “works”?

 

[RileyG]

Protestants think that we believe we’re saved by works. But what specifically are “works”?

No. We are not saved by works. It' the grace of God that saves us.

Works...such as giving to the poor, volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, giving clothes to the naked etc. Helping those who are less fortunate.

No, they do not "save" us, but we must "work out" our salvation with fear and trembling.

 

[RileyG]

Protestants think that we believe we’re saved by works. But what specifically are “works”?

In other words, if we are already saved, which we are, (in our baptism, in the present, and when we finally meet God face to face) we must love one another as God loved us...but how we act doesn't save us.

In other words...be merciful as God is merciful and don't be a hypocrite.

I hope this makes sense?

 

[RileyG]

Regarding justification I hope this article makes sense:

justification

 

[RileyG]

Joint declaration between Catholic Church and Lutheran world federation regarding justification.

The Joint Declaration Between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation on the Doctrine of Justification | EWTN

EWTN is a global, Catholic Television, Catholic Radio, and Catholic News Network that provides catholic programming and news coverage from around the world.

www.ewtn.com

 

[FaithT]

The Lutheran church I went to will do confession but hardly anybody goes.

 

[RileyG]

The Lutheran church I went to will do confession but hardly anybody goes.

No surprise here. So do Anglicans/Episcopalians.

Unfortunately, Confession is considered a "Catholic thing" because it's mostly associated with us. Very few people know about the Orthodox Churches which have all (valid) the Sacraments.

 

[FaithT]

No surprise here. So do Anglicans/Episcopalians.

Unfortunately, Confession is considered a "Catholic thing" because it's mostly associated with us. Very few people know about the Orthodox Churches which have all (valid) the Sacraments.

I went to Confession tonight. It always makes me feel so good to go.

 

[RileyG]

I went to Confession tonight. It always makes me feel so good to go.

Glory to God! I went this morning and feel forgiven and 1000X lighter

 

[RileyG]

Fun fact: St. Catherine of Sweden (the daughter of St. Bridget of Sweden) went to confession daily for the last 25 years of her life.

(I'm not saying anyone should go to confession daily- because that might be abusing the Sacrament in some cases- just when your conscience tells you too and at least once a year)

 

[FaithT]

Glory to God! I went this morning and feel forgiven and 1000X lighter

Yeah, it’s a great feeling!

But our church remodeling will be done this week and so we’ve been having Mass in the school cafeteria and Confession in the school hallway. When I got there the priest was sitting in the Cafeteria talking to one of our deacons. we have to cut through the cafeteria to get to the school hall for Confession. So Father asked me if I was there for Confession and I said “yes”. So we walked together to the makeshift Confessional. He saw me and I wanted to be anonymous, behind the screen. Then during my Confession somebody came through the doors into the hall, probably our deacon, and heard part of my confession. Is it still confidential and is the priest and deacon bound by the seal,of Confession if the priest sees you, and if the deacon heard what I was talking about?

 

[concretecamper]

Protestants say that the way to get to heaven is to repent and obey. To confess our sins directly to Jesus. And they don’t believe in Purgatory either. So, if we as Catholics confess directly to Jesus and not through a priest and we die, will we not go to heaven?

James 5:16 Scripture tells us to confess your sin to each other. The priest as well as representing Christ also stands in as a representative of the Church's congregation.