Bit scared over here

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Fae76

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Hi all,

I’m originally from Germany and have lived in Sweden for a few years now. I’ve grown up Catholic, but lost my way when I moved out from home and started studying. I think a big part of it was to lose my home parish and never finding another one to replace it.

Turns out, that’s even harder in Sweden. Now that I’ve moved to a slightly bigger town, there at least is a Catholic church I could get to on Sundays (impossible before).

I’ve started missing the Church for a long time now. I’m lonely, and I think it’s because I’ve been far from God. I have been thinking about going to confession for a long time. I didn’t want to really go to the priest here in town for the first time, so I thought about asking my mother to fix an appointment with our priest in Germany when I go visit them next year.

Last weekend, I suddenly felt the urge that I couldn’t wait that long. I just want this to be done with. There’s so much stuff I’m carrying around, and it feels like it’s heavier every day. So I searched through the CC Sweden website and found a number of monasteries who offer rooms ect to stay. I emailed one at 3 in the morning on Sunday and had an answer by 9. Then I called them today and talked to a very sweet nun (who turned out to be German too and has been in Sweden for about the same time as I have).

She said I can come this weekend, and that they have a “live in priest” (LOL) who could take my confession. She was really sweet and laughed when I told her that the confession could take some time, what with the last one being about 17 years ago! She said she would warn the priest to make sure he had the time 😛

Anyway. I’m going on Friday afternoon, so I will have Friday and Saturday to think about everything. I’m so excited about this, but at the same time, very scared. This examination of conscience will be hours and hours of not-fun. I’m afraid I’ll go in there with pages and pages of sins. Ugh! I can’t wait for them to be gone.

Thank you for reading - I just felt I’d like the support of people who understand 🙂
 
God bless you! :clapping:

That’s God for you…He wants you back to him as quickly as possible. I’m so happy to hear you’re taking the time to do a good, thoughtful confession. It takes some humility especially after the length of time away, but you’ll feel so much better afterward. You’ll be glad you did. Your soul will be fixed up, too. 😉
 
What a truly wonderful, inspiring story. I admire your remarkable courage to do this. I’m sure the priest will be very happy too. One of the lost sheep is returning home! I also think you are wise to do this now and not wait until next year. Soon it will be over with and you will feel so much better. Congratulations, welcome back, and let us know how it went!
 
Fae76 said:
Hi all,

I’m originally from Germany and have lived in Sweden for a few years now. I’ve grown up Catholic, but lost my way when I moved out from home and started studying. I think a big part of it was to lose my home parish and never finding another one to replace it.

Turns out, that’s even harder in Sweden. Now that I’ve moved to a slightly bigger town, there at least is a Catholic church I could get to on Sundays (impossible before).

I’ve started missing the Church for a long time now. I’m lonely, and I think it’s because I’ve been far from God. I have been thinking about going to confession for a long time. I didn’t want to really go to the priest here in town for the first time, so I thought about asking my mother to fix an appointment with our priest in Germany when I go visit them next year.

Last weekend, I suddenly felt the urge that I couldn’t wait that long. I just want this to be done with. There’s so much stuff I’m carrying around, and it feels like it’s heavier every day. So I searched through the CC Sweden website and found a number of monasteries who offer rooms ect to stay. I emailed one at 3 in the morning on Sunday and had an answer by 9. Then I called them today and talked to a very sweet nun (who turned out to be German too and has been in Sweden for about the same time as I have).

She said I can come this weekend, and that they have a “live in priest” (LOL) who could take my confession. She was really sweet and laughed when I told her that the confession could take some time, what with the last one being about 17 years ago! She said she would warn the priest to make sure he had the time 😛

Anyway. I’m going on Friday afternoon, so I will have Friday and Saturday to think about everything. I’m so excited about this, but at the same time, very scared. This examination of conscience will be hours and hours of not-fun. I’m afraid I’ll go in there with pages and pages of sins. Ugh! I can’t wait for them to be gone.

Thank you for reading - I just felt I’d like the support of people who understand 🙂
Click to expand...
:clapping::extrahappy::dancing:👍
 
I completely understand. I converted about 2 years ago and my husband had been away from the sacraments for about 10 years. You will feel so wonderful afterwords. I also worked for several days with my confession (as mine was over 27 years of sin). Both he and I came away crying tears of great joy! I am glad to hear you are not waiting…it is better to get rid of all that sin and start with a beautifully clean slate! Good luck and God Bless!!! You will find so much to be clearer and easier afterwords…without all that sin bogging you down.
 
Hurray! You’re going to get all that sin off your back! The sooner, the better!

Maureen
 
Hope that this was a time of healing for you.

I live in the US and my family and I will be visiting Stockholm this summer. Was checking out churches to visit and was surprised by how few Catholics are in Sweden and how it seems that there has been a history of discrimination which continued for so long. My husbands family who live over there does not go to church except of course the Lutheran Church on special occasions.
 
Perhaps being a little scared is a good thing. It is a beautiful sign of your humility and desire to be penitent. Your’s is a truly inspiring story. Welcome home!

Edit: Here is a link to a good pamphlet with a guide to confession, an examination of conscience and a traditional act of contrition.
 
Fae76 said:
I’m afraid I’ll go in there with pages and pages of sins.
Click to expand...
There aren’t *that *many sins! Just write each one once, and then make a note of how many times you committed each one:

Blasphemy x 8
Lie x 2
Detraction x 2
etc.

Let the priest ask you for specifics if he wants to, and answer him as best you can.

(BTW, my compliments on your English, which is far better than most native speakers…)
 
Fae76 said:
Hi all,

I’m originally from Germany and have lived in Sweden for a few years now. I’ve grown up Catholic, but lost my way when I moved out from home and started studying. I think a big part of it was to lose my home parish and never finding another one to replace it.

Turns out, that’s even harder in Sweden. Now that I’ve moved to a slightly bigger town, there at least is a Catholic church I could get to on Sundays (impossible before).

I’ve started missing the Church for a long time now. I’m lonely, and I think it’s because I’ve been far from God. I have been thinking about going to confession for a long time. I didn’t want to really go to the priest here in town for the first time, so I thought about asking my mother to fix an appointment with our priest in Germany when I go visit them next year.

Last weekend, I suddenly felt the urge that I couldn’t wait that long. I just want this to be done with. There’s so much stuff I’m carrying around, and it feels like it’s heavier every day. So I searched through the CC Sweden website and found a number of monasteries who offer rooms ect to stay. I emailed one at 3 in the morning on Sunday and had an answer by 9. Then I called them today and talked to a very sweet nun (who turned out to be German too and has been in Sweden for about the same time as I have).

She said I can come this weekend, and that they have a “live in priest” (LOL) who could take my confession. She was really sweet and laughed when I told her that the confession could take some time, what with the last one being about 17 years ago! She said she would warn the priest to make sure he had the time 😛

Anyway. I’m going on Friday afternoon, so I will have Friday and Saturday to think about everything. I’m so excited about this, but at the same time, very scared. This examination of conscience will be hours and hours of not-fun. I’m afraid I’ll go in there with pages and pages of sins. Ugh! I can’t wait for them to be gone.

Thank you for reading - I just felt I’d like the support of people who understand 🙂
Click to expand...
I’m so happy you’re going to confession. I’m sure it’s scary but just think how beneficial it will be for you and how GREAT you’re going to feel afterwards! I applaud your stamina and you are in my prayers.
God bless you.
Silyosha
 
Fae76 said:
She said I can come this weekend, and that they have a “live in priest” (LOL) who could take my confession.
Click to expand...
I hope you’re open to a face-to-face confession. You may not have a confessional around. But, hey, a confession is a confession and may many graces be bestowed upon you. You will be able to receive the Body and Blood of Christ right after that, hopefully.
 
When I returned to the Church I did a confession that spanned my 22 year absence.

Needless to say that some sins were “and numerous occasions when I…”

I could hardly remember the number. No doubt I also forgot some sins too; I went for the biggies 🙂 (and there were plenty of those…)

But I don’t think one needs to be scrupulous. The Lord will just be thrilled to see you there after 17 years since the last confession… He’ll understand that your heart is in the right place. Just do your best to remember what you can and He will take care of the rest.
 
God bless you! It will be wonderful being back in God’s good graces!
 
Thank you so very much everyone for your support and prayers.

The monastery was wonderful. The nuns were about the happiest people I’ve ever met, always laughing. They were selling small pieces of chocolate and sweets from a little cart called the “Temptation Cart” 😛

The confession went very well. I knew me and the priest (a Franciscan) would be ok as soon as I saw him come in in his robe, wearing a very modern backpack. That just looked priceless. He was not judgemental and had a great deal of life experience, so I really had the feeling he had heard worse stuff before. I wanted to have a face to face confession and that was also what he recommended, and the entire thing turned out to be a lot of spiritual guidance in 1.5 hours.

I attended mass for the first time in years and years the day after and it was beautiful. I almost cried.

I’ve been in contact with my local parish ever since and have been attending mass regularly. The priest was here the day before yesterday to bless my apartment, and we ended up talking for about two hours.

The Catholic Church in Sweden is not really doing well - only about 1% of the population here are Catholics. I think there are about 40 parishes in the entire country, so I’m glad I have a church to go to at all. He said that the number of Catholics practicing is going up because of immgrants from Poland and Croatia - but the problem is that it’s apparently very common for immigrants to be active for a few years and then stay away, so those rising numbers are only due to more people coming into the country, while the active Catholics often become inactive.

One reason/symptom - I asked if there are any groups I can participate in, to feel at home more quickly. There is NOTHING. No choir, no volunteering. They have a basic catechism group for people wanting to convert once every other week. Other than that it’s literally mass and nothing else. I’m so not used to that. I wonder if one should start up something, but then I wouldn’t know what would meet people’s interest, also not sure if it would be prudent to do so as I’m so new in the parish.

Anyway - I’m glad I CAN go to mass, so I’m not whining or anythng. I’ve never felt this happy and emotional about going to mass. It’s like God is so much more on my mind during the day, I find myself humming a hymn or saying a short prayer all the time, which didn’t happen before. 🙂
 
Fae76 said:
Thank you so very much everyone for your support and prayers.

The monastery was wonderful. The nuns were about the happiest people I’ve ever met, always laughing. They were selling small pieces of chocolate and sweets from a little cart called the “Temptation Cart” 😛

The confession went very well. I knew me and the priest (a Franciscan) would be ok as soon as I saw him come in in his robe, wearing a very modern backpack. That just looked priceless. He was not judgemental and had a great deal of life experience, so I really had the feeling he had heard worse stuff before. I wanted to have a face to face confession and that was also what he recommended, and the entire thing turned out to be a lot of spiritual guidance in 1.5 hours.

I attended mass for the first time in years and years the day after and it was beautiful. I almost cried.

I’ve been in contact with my local parish ever since and have been attending mass regularly. The priest was here the day before yesterday to bless my apartment, and we ended up talking for about two hours.
Click to expand...
What wonderful news! May God be praised for His mercy and goodness.

A few more stories like yours and the Church in Sweden will start to grow and thrive again.
 
I sit here with happy tears in my eyes for you.

Here I am in Canada, with a huge amount of parishes to choose from and so many of us choose to not attend Mass or take advantage of the programs available to us. I do attend Mass, but life always seems to get in the way of the many programs I could take advantage of.
If what the priest said is true, it looks like something social might be an idea to keep the new immigrants interested in sticking around. I have no imagination, so can’t suggest any programs.

Just keep coming here when you feel like you’re slipping, that’s what I do. I don’t post very often, but I do get much refreshment from reading here.

Bless you for refreshing my faith!
 
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