A TRUE Confession is long due

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I need to go it has been a long time. Procrastination. Scared. I’ve done a lot of bad things. A lot of them. . Really bad things. My past is not one I am very happy about. I acted on ignorance, but it is still shameful. Don’t know where to begin. I’ve broken every commandment except MURDER. I’ve done all the 7 deadly sins countless times.Don’t know what to say anymore. I want to go. I feel the need to go. But the fear cripples me. What if they deny me? I dunno. Confirmation is coming May 4th. So I have to do it. I also want to do it, so I can partake in the Eucharist.

What is a big time sinner like me to do? I’m lost. I love God and the Catholic Church. I’ve tried to bring others into it. I’ve defended it. But I still don’t feel complete, I carry a big burden on my shoulders and in my soul. I’m in a place where it is hard to communicate due to language barriers.
 
Bless me father for I have sinned,
Put me down for all ten. 😃

Just kidding!
I was were you are a few weeks ago. Don’t be afraid.

Bless me, father for I have sinned. If it has been a long time, tell him. It has been____ since my last confession. Most are understanding and will help you get through confession. Talk freely about your sins. He may offer advice or ask for clarification. Be open. Say an act of contrition. You CAN use your own words. Lord, have mercy on me a sinner. Priest gives absolution and he may say a prayer before dismissing you. Say, Amen. Do your penance and feel refreshed.
 
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Dimmers:
I need to go it has been a long time. Procrastination. Scared. I’ve done a lot of bad things. A lot of them. . Really bad things. My past is not one I am very happy about. I acted on ignorance, but it is still shameful. Don’t know where to begin. I’ve broken every commandment except MURDER. I’ve done all the 7 deadly sins countless times.Don’t know what to say anymore. I want to go. I feel the need to go. But the fear cripples me. What if they deny me? I dunno. Confirmation is coming May 4th. So I have to do it. I also want to do it, so I can partake in the Eucharist.

What is a big time sinner like me to do? I’m lost. I love God and the Catholic Church. I’ve tried to bring others into it. I’ve defended it. But I still don’t feel complete, I carry a big burden on my shoulders and in my soul. I’m in a place where it is hard to communicate due to language barriers.
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Just get to confession, try your best, thats all that matters.

By the way, I love your sig, how’d you do it?
 
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Dimmers:
I need to go it has been a long time. Procrastination. Scared. I’ve done a lot of bad things. A lot of them. . Really bad things. My past is not one I am very happy about. I acted on ignorance, but it is still shameful. Don’t know where to begin. I’ve broken every commandment except MURDER. I’ve done all the 7 deadly sins countless times.Don’t know what to say anymore. I want to go. I feel the need to go. But the fear cripples me. What if they deny me? I dunno. Confirmation is coming May 4th. So I have to do it. I also want to do it, so I can partake in the Eucharist.

What is a big time sinner like me to do? I’m lost. I love God and the Catholic Church. I’ve tried to bring others into it. I’ve defended it. But I still don’t feel complete, I carry a big burden on my shoulders and in my soul. I’m in a place where it is hard to communicate due to language barriers.
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Dont be afraid, just go.

Here is a page that lists all nearby confession times at local churches:
masstimes.org/dotNet/default.aspx
 
Don’t be afraid. My dad went to his first confession in over 40 years last week and his confession took 3 1/2 hours…he led a wild life.

He told me that although he was absolutely terrified and felt that the Lord would never forgive a sinner like him he went anyway. After confession he felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Go for it.
 
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
Though they be red like crimson,
they shall be white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)

“You have cast all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 38:17)

You could start by saying:
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Dimmers:
I need to go it has been a long time. Procrastination. Scared. I’ve done a lot of bad things. A lot of them. . Really bad things. My past is not one I am very happy about. I acted on ignorance, but it is still shameful. Don’t know where to begin. I’ve broken every commandment except MURDER. I’ve done all the 7 deadly sins countless times.Don’t know what to say anymore. I want to go. I feel the need to go. But the fear cripples me. … I carry a big burden on my shoulders and in my soul. I’m in a place where it is hard to communicate due to language barriers.
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Just ask the priest to help you.

You could tell him that you need help to make what’s called a “General Confession”, that is, a confession of everything in your whole past life. The priest would be able to guide you.

(Note: A ‘general confession’ is individual and is different from a ‘general absolution’ which is used in emergencies)
 
Been there, done that. I remember going down an examination of conscience and feeling like I could answer “yes” to just about every question. I still put it off for a while - tried to see if there was a loophole somewhere. Maybe email confessions had become available while I was away from the church. But, no such luck.

Deep down, I knew it was pride keeping me away. And I did learn enough in Catholic school to know that pride was the worst of the deadly sins. One day, I saw a sign outside an evangelical church - something like “humble yourself and repent” and I knew that’s exactly what I had to do.

I made up my mind to go, and the night before, I was so excited - not afraid - that I couldn’t sleep. I knew I was going to meet with Jesus. The priest who was there in His place was wonderful. He didn’t say much, and he didn’t ask many questions, and he didn’t look shocked. I knew what I had to say, and he said what he had to say. The weight of the world lifted from my shoulders and I felt like someone had wrapped a warm blanket around me.

What is a bigtime sinner like you to do? You know the answer to that one. You are the lost sheep, and Jesus will leave the 99 found sheep to find you and carry you back to where you belong! He came to save sinners.

Do it! Deal with the language barrier as best you can, but don’t let it keep you away. The Holy Spirit is hard at work within you.
 
Get through it somehow. Years ago, I was in the same position. My sins were mainly of a sexual nature. It turns out that this very traditional priest, whom I went to in the first place because there was no way I had ever seen him or would ever see him again, did not accept “I have sinned many times against chastity.” He wanted specifics. In what way and how many times? Then he laid me out in lavender as a grievous sinner. That, of course, is why people are afraid to go to confession in the frirst place or if they go tell the priest they ate meat on Friday but fail to tell him that they also abuse their spouse. That is the reason that saintly people have regular confessors from whom they receive the sacrament every week while ordinary people like myself hesitate to go even once a year. Good luck.
 
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jbuck919:
Get through it somehow. Years ago, I was in the same position. My sins were mainly of a sexual nature. It turns out that this very traditional priest, whom I went to in the first place because there was no way I had ever seen him or would ever see him again, did not accept “I have sinned many times against chastity.” He wanted specifics. In what way and how many times? Then he laid me out in lavender as a grievous sinner. That, of course, is why people are afraid to go to confession in the frirst place or if they go tell the priest they ate meat on Friday but fail to tell him that they also abuse their spouse. That is the reason that saintly people have regular confessors from whom they receive the sacrament every week while ordinary people like myself hesitate to go even once a year. Good luck.
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Oh my! :bigyikes: I’m assuming that it was your first confession in a long time and that you told the priest as much. Some of his behaviour is just wrong in any event.

Not the questions (specifics are necessary - after all, he has to judge whether your sins are mortal or not and whether you may have problems/addiction that need extra counselling). But to tick you off about your sins! You’re right, it is the best way to scare people off regular confession.

I hope none of your confessions since have been like that - I AM a weekly confessor now and none of mine have been, I can assure you. Mind you I don’t have a regular SD at this stage - I’m a quite recent revert and haven’t met a priest yet who ‘clicks’ enough for me. And perhaps the ‘shorter and sweeter’ weekly confessions mean my sins don’t look so bad? :o Something for all of us to think about I guess.
 
Dimmers:

The only thing I can say is that I was in your situation as well…hadn’t gone to confession in many years…partly out of shame and fear of what the Priest would think or say. Like yourself, I have never killed anyone or anything of that nature, but like a lot of people I had a boatload of sins acquired over a lifetime. I sat down with a pen and paper and wrote down all the sins I could think of…not necessarily exact dates and times…but I reflected on them before I went to confession…I even went online for guidance, and was surprised to find out that I had been doing some things that were sins, that I didn’t even know were sins 😦 . As in receiving holy communion in a state of mortal sin. That is why now…if I don’t get to confession before mass…I won’t receive communion.

At my first confession (after many years) the priest at my church was very kind, and understanding…listening very patiently, and was not judgemental at all. We discussed how ALL people are sinners, and that we all struggle with sin…but through sincere penitence and confession we become closer to God. I walked away from that confession feeling good about myself…but knowing that this wasn’t a one shot deal…and that I would still continue to struggle with sin (like we all do unfortunately 😦 ).

I will confess (pun intended 😃 ) that I only really have one fear about going to confession now. My church has Saturday Mass at 4 pm and Sunday Mass at 10 am. Confession is offered before both masses from quarter past the hour to quarter to the hour. And I like to go right before Mass…many times before Mass however, our priest is running around trying to get things done in preparation for Mass…so that I almost feel like I am bothering him in asking for Reconcilliation. And also I like to go early so that the Church is empty (or nearly empty)…but by the time he is often free, the Church is pretty much filled up for Mass…and I am ashamed to admit…that in this circumstance, I am a bit embarassed to be seen coming out of the confessional. I know that this is stupid…but honestly, I have never seen another person coming out of the confessional (even though they should be)…so I feel like they are judging me when I walk out of there. Kind of like …“I wonder what REALLY bad thing(s) he did?”.

Like I said…I know its silly…but this is my only problem with confession. Even so, I still try to go every couple of weeks.

So to end this long rant 😛 …let me just say…don’t worry…just go to confession…get down on your knees…or sit in the chair (we have that option), and unburden yourself to Christ (via the Priest). You’ll feel much better…and your soul will thank you for it.

God Bless
 
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