Anglo-Catholic Confession

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farmerdan

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I grew up in an Atheist family. I was confirmed in the CofE at 10 yars old. When I started secondary school I regularly attended the school chapel for communion. This was led by an Anglican priest who had a stong influnece on my christian up-bringing. He has now been ordained as a Catholic Priest, and I always considered him to be an Anglo-Catholic.

During my 5 years at university I feel I have strayed from God. My girlfriend has brought me back but she attends a “happy clappy” evangelical church and everything about this church screams hypocracy to me. I have tried visited local Anglican churches in SW London but find them also to be heading towards the liberal happy clappy church.

I have my misgivings about certain Catholic beliefs, but am discussing these with my God Father (the only religious person in my family) who is a catholic. At the moment i still consider myself as an Anglo Catholic.

This is where my problem lies. I have recently commited several terrrible sins ( i would prefer not to go into them in my first post on this site) and want to confess them. Becuase of my sins I am having problems connecting with God. I also feel that confession through a priest is a good thing.

Although I was confirmed in the Anglican Church, and have not been through the adult Catholic conversion ceremony, would I be turned away from confession if I went to a Catholic Church? I am considering converting, if I can get over the remaning issues I have.

If I were to go to a Catholic Confession how would I start?

I am 23 years old so would it be “Forgive me father for I have sinned, It has been 23 years with no confession…” and then list my sins?

If not, what do I need to say, if I am allowed to confess to a Catholic priest that is.

Sorry for the long first post. I just want to regain my faith in God after many terrible things occuring in my family, and his faith in me after my sins and denials. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Yours,

Daniel Wright
 
farmerdan said:
I grew up in an Atheist family. I was confirmed in the CofE at 10 yars old. When I started secondary school I regularly attended the school chapel for communion. This was led by an Anglican priest who had a stong influnece on my christian up-bringing. He has now been ordained as a Catholic Priest, and I always considered him to be an Anglo-Catholic.

During my 5 years at university I feel I have strayed from God. My girlfriend has brought me back but she attends a “happy clappy” evangelical church and everything about this church screams hypocracy to me. I have tried visited local Anglican churches in SW London but find them also to be heading towards the liberal happy clappy church.

I have my misgivings about certain Catholic beliefs, but am discussing these with my God Father (the only religious person in my family) who is a catholic. At the moment i still consider myself as an Anglo Catholic.

This is where my problem lies. I have recently commited several terrrible sins ( i would prefer not to go into them in my first post on this site) and want to confess them. Becuase of my sins I am having problems connecting with God. I also feel that confession through a priest is a good thing.

Although I was confirmed in the Anglican Church, and have not been through the adult Catholic conversion ceremony, would I be turned away from confession if I went to a Catholic Church? I am considering converting, if I can get over the remaning issues I have.

If I were to go to a Catholic Confession how would I start?

I am 23 years old so would it be “Forgive me father for I have sinned, It has been 23 years with no confession…” and then list my sins?

If not, what do I need to say, if I am allowed to confess to a Catholic priest that is.

Sorry for the long first post. I just want to regain my faith in God after many terrible things occuring in my family, and his faith in me after my sins and denials. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Yours,

Daniel Wright
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Depends on the priest and who you ask. Technically, all that is necessary for valid confession is baptism and the proper belief and posture toward the sacrament, which you appear to have. My wife, baptized Catholic, went to her first confession and was refused because she never had a formal first confession, and needed to go to RCIA! I told her next time do not say it is your first confession, and she did so, being very pleased to avail herself of the sacrament. A traditional priest later told us this was appropriate, since she was a baptised adult who could make her own decisions. Since she understood the sacrament and believed in it, this was all that was necessary for a valid confession. All the other things are just nice formalities. The same went for her First Communion, which she received on our wedding day.

While I believe one should be Catholic to receive Catholic sacraments, this does not mean, in my opinion, it would be a bad thing to sneak one in before becoming Catholic. It certainly cannot hurt!
 
Daniel,

I wish you the best in your journey, and you’re in all our thoughts and prayers.

You do need to go through the RCIA program before making your first Confession. Confession itself will be one of the last steps before you’re received into the Church and Confirmed.

One of the effects of absolution is that we are reconciled to the Church. Think about that sentence for a moment, please. In order to be “reconciled”, one must first be a member of the Church–we can’t be restored to something unless we had it to begin with. A person can’t really celebrate the sacrament of Confession unless and until that person is truly ready to be fully united to the Church–otherwise, such a person is at the same time asking for absolution, yet still not accepting absolution (restoration and unity). Things are a little different in “danger of death” but that’s not relevant to this particular discussion.

Your own priest can guide you through this process. But since you’ve asked, when the time comes for you to make a confession to a priest, you’ll say “bless me, Father, for I have sinned, this is my first confession, and these are my sins…” (at least that’s the typical formula, which can vary, but the “this is my first confession” is the important part).

Keep in mind though, that this can’t happen until you’re ready to join the Church and be in full Communion. That day will come. In the meantime, continue to remember that a loving, infinitely merciful God is always ready to forgive us our sins; but in order for absolution itself (not forgiveness but absolution) to occur, one must first be in Communion with the Church.
 
While you are still discerning whether to convert, many Anglo-Catholics do confess in the same way as Catholics. Since it is not a mainstream Anglican practice, there are no routine confession times published, so you would need to make an individual appointment with an Anglo-Catholic priest.

As you are at least thinking about converting, you may not consider the Anglican priest able to grant you sacramental absolution, but you might find it beneficial to talk things over anyway (in any case, this is the most you would get from a Catholic confession… as FrDavid said, you can’t be reconciled to a Church you’re not a member of). There are plenty of Anglo-Catholics in SW London, Affirming Catholicism or Forward in Faith would be able to put you in touch with an Anglo-Catholic parish…clearly I hope that you will become Catholic, but I’m just offering some pointers for where you are at the moment 😃

Also, it might be useful for you to talk to someone as well as your godfather about the ‘misgivings’ you have with the Church. Most priests would be happy to talk over whatever issues you had, or you could start RCIA and join in with the discussions they have (there is no need to make a firm commitment at the outset to say that you want to be received into the Catholic Church, many people come along while they’re still unsure).

Praying for you to be able to discern what God wants for you and to give you the courage to follow that path.
 
Many thanks for your replies and prayers, they are coming in helpful
 
Call a priest and ask for some of his time. Be straight forward with him. Anglo-Catholics are entering a very exciting time. May God Bless you in your journey.
 
I’m very interested in your faith journey. I, too, am an Anglo-Catholic and I am now in the process of coming home to the Catholic Church. With the new provision for Anglicans and an Anglican liturgy being authorized for use in converting congregations it is a very exciting time in the life of the Church.

God bless you in your journey!👍
 
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