Answer about Confession quick please!

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PiousTemplar

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How in depth do I go with sins I can remember? I really don’t feel confortable at all going into some certain sins that I really, really regret. Am I able to just confess the general topic? Random Example: Lusting and watching inappropriate things instead of say, ‘watching pawn’ Please answer, I’m so scared… I really don’t want to get into detail until I’m confirmed and much for comfortable with an anomynous priest!
 
You should be exact, without giving “gory” details. You need to be able to provide enough detail, so that the priest might be able to determine your culpability, the seriousness of the offense and how best to provide you help. That being said, I think your saying “Impure thoughts while looking at impure videos … etc” might be satisfactory as I sure the priest might be able to determine what it is you mean.

But really, it’s scarier in our head than it really is. Go with peace in your heart knowing that you’re going to fix everything that was wrong. Confess and leave in peace, knowing that even though we fall, we are always loved and always called back.

Don’t worry. Father is there to help you, to listen, to forgive in the name of the Lord, not to judge you. For he is a sinner just like you.

Take heart in the sacrament.
:hug3:
 
I see no problem with using the term “Lusting” and the number of times manifested.

In fact, when I made my confession after a 35 year absence from the Church, this is the form I used. I looked at my sinful life, and saw that much of it fit into the various catagories of the “Seven Deadly Sins”. As I examined my life, it also became obvious to me how one led to another and to another. (and much of it began with lust and, of course, selfish pride)
Anyway it seemed silly, after 35 years, to try and go through specific sins and numbers so I examined how one vice (deadly sin) led to the next and how others, while not direct, fed into the main ones…I also mentioned some of the negative (in my case severely negative) effects these sins had on others in my life.
I wrote all of this out, took the page and read it to father in confession so that I would not stumble or leave anything out.
It was the best confession I ever made and I felt completely resored afterward!!

I share this because I see that you are in RCIA and so perhaps, if you are trying to cover a lot of ground, such an approach might serve you well also.

Peace
James
 
Thanks James.
I went to my First confession this evening, and attended benediction. Most amazing experience ever.
 
PiousTemplar said:
How in depth do I go with sins I can remember? I really don’t feel confortable at all going into some certain sins that I really, really regret. Am I able to just confess the general topic? Random Example: Lusting and watching inappropriate things instead of say, ‘watching pawn’ Please answer, I’m so scared… I really don’t want to get into detail until I’m confirmed and much for comfortable with an anomynous priest!
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Pornography is part of lust, but is more than just an inappropriate video. It needs to be confessed specifically. Have courage, you are not alone.
 
PiousTemplar said:
How in depth do I go with sins I can remember? I really don’t feel confortable at all going into some certain sins that I really, really regret. Am I able to just confess the general topic? t!
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comfort level is not even an issue for confession, as that is not the purpose of confession. In fact, if we are not made uncomfortable by our contrition and act of confession, that probably indicates neither our contrition, nor honesty and sincerity, are very active. You say the common English name of the sin and how many times or how frequently you do it.

Would you go to the doctor and say you have vague pains in a region of the body you are not comfortable calling by name? How then could she diagnose and treat you? The same with confession. If you yourself cannot name your sin and confess it, how do you expect the priest to treat your spiritual ills?

Get rid of the demon of my comfort level and embrace the sacrament in the fullness of God’s grace and mercy, don’t shortchange yourself.
 
puzzleannie said:
Would you go to the doctor and say you have vague pains in a region of the body you are not comfortable calling by name? How then could she diagnose and treat you? The same with confession. If you yourself cannot name your sin and confess it, how do you expect the priest to treat your spiritual ills?

Get rid of the demon of my comfort level and embrace the sacrament in the fullness of God’s grace and mercy, don’t shortchange yourself.
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Well said!
 
puzzleannie said:
comfort level is not even an issue for confession, as that is not the purpose of confession. In fact, if we are not made uncomfortable by our contrition and act of confession, that probably indicates neither our contrition, nor honesty and sincerity, are very active. You say the common English name of the sin and how many times or how frequently you do it.

Would you go to the doctor and say you have vague pains in a region of the body you are not comfortable calling by name? How then could she diagnose and treat you? The same with confession. If you yourself cannot name your sin and confess it, how do you expect the priest to treat your spiritual ills?

Get rid of the demon of my comfort level and embrace the sacrament in the fullness of God’s grace and mercy, don’t shortchange yourself.
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Well said Annie…👍

And just to clarify in relation to the my adivce above. In using the method I described, I definitely DID get out of my “comfort zone” and faced some hard issues head on…

Peace
James
 
Excellent advice has been given here. My only thought: I assume you are baptized? If not, in baptism, you are forgiven all your sins.
 
For mortal sins one is obliged to confess them in number and in kind (and if something changes the sin…like it it was your brother you murdered).

(and of course we need to make a full confession of our mortal sins…but…if one forgets a mortal sin…no worries …but one is obliged to confess it the next confession after we remember…(hiding mortal sins deliberately is another matter…such would invalidate things…and then we have to confess that and the hidden mortal sin and the others…but as long as we are honestly seeking to confess our mortal sins…we need not worry…and hopefully we will have none to confess)

As to kind…it can not be “generic” but the actual species…like murder 2x, adultery 3x …

This will help from Jimmy Akin the senior apologist at CA

jimmyakin.org/2007/03/specific_confes.html

Confession is wonderful! Jesus is truly the Good Shepherd
 
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