Asking questions in confession

[Butaperson]

So I tried to create an examination of conscience the other day, but I realized that there are so many things that I’m not sure about the sinful nature of that I don’t feel good excluding them as “doubtful” sins. They are not in past, they’re things that I have to make a decision on every day and I have no idea if I’m making the right decision.

I understand the idea of asking 1 or 2 questions to your confessor, but I have about 12 of them, and I’ve discovered in the past that asking generalized questions does nothing to help me; I need to provide details or else I start worrying about all the ways in which the answer given does not apply to my specific situation. So it will take a long time to work through them. The church that I want to go to does not seem to accept appointments for confession (there is nothing in the website or bulletin or anything about making appointments). I would go to a church that does accept appointments, but there are only two other churches in my area and I don’t think either of them will really work out for this particular venture.

Is this appropriate to do? I’m feeling really, really lost and confused on a lot of issues; I’ve tried asking about a number of them on here, but mostly it’s been unhelpful. I am not really sure what else to do, because I’ve accepted by now that I am entirely incapable of answering any of these on my own. If you think I shouldn’t do that, what should I do? I am waiting on a driver’s license so that I can visit different churches, but for right now, this one seems to be my only viable option.

 

[Gertabelle]

Call the parish you want to attend. They may not list this option in the bulletin or on their website, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make appointments. If you have that many questions, they’d probably appreciate you making an appointment.

God bless you!

Gertie

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Exactly. The absence of a clear declaration anywhere that confession can be done by appointment doesn’t mean it can’t. The only way to find out is to call the parish office and ask.

Hope it works out for you. God bless!

 

[JRKH]

Call the parish you want to attend. They may not list this option in the bulletin or on their website, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make appointments. If you have that many questions, they’d probably appreciate you making an appointment.

God bless you!

Gertie

Just to add to this, what it sounds like you need is “spiritual direction” - of which confession can be a part. So if and when you talk to your priest, it can in this context rather than simply making an appointment for confession.

Peace
James

 

[JRKH]

So I tried to create an examination of conscience the other day, but I realized that there are so many things that I’m not sure about the sinful nature of that I don’t feel good excluding them as “doubtful” sins. They are not in past, they’re things that I have to make a decision on every day and I have no idea if I’m making the right decision.

I understand the idea of asking 1 or 2 questions to your confessor, but I have about 12 of them, and I’ve discovered in the past that asking generalized questions does nothing to help me; I need to provide details or else I start worrying about all the ways in which the answer given does not apply to my specific situation. So it will take a long time to work through them. The church that I want to go to does not seem to accept appointments for confession (there is nothing in the website or bulletin or anything about making appointments). I would go to a church that does accept appointments, but there are only two other churches in my area and I don’t think either of them will really work out for this particular venture.

Is this appropriate to do? I’m feeling really, really lost and confused on a lot of issues; I’ve tried asking about a number of them on here, but mostly it’s been unhelpful. I am not really sure what else to do, because I’ve accepted by now that I am entirely incapable of answering any of these on my own. If you think I shouldn’t do that, what should I do? I am waiting on a driver’s license so that I can visit different churches, but for right now, this one seems to be my only viable option.

My first piece of advice is to be patient with yourself. Your status says that you are new to Catholicism, and since you are waiting on a driver’s license, it appears that you are young. People can spend their entire lives trying to answer all the questions they can have.
So be patient with yourself.

I do wonder why you feel the need to create your own examination of conscience when there are so many available already.

Do you think that you tend towards scrupulosity?

Peace
James