Can I go to Confession?

[miamalli]

I was baptized Catholic when I was 8 but never received first Holy Communion and was never confirmed. I have missed the time to attend RCIA classes for this year and they are not available again until September in preparation for next Lent. I feel this overwhelming need to go to confession but it seems as though I cannot partake of this sacrament until immediately before confirmation once I’ve gone through RCIA classes. I would appreciate any response as to whether I have to wait until then or if I can go to confession because I have been baptized in the Church.

 

[Maria1212]

I recommend speaking with a priest directly. He can give you guidance on making your first confession. I don`t see why you would need to wait until next year but your parish priest will have the most accurate information.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[EasterJoy]

Yes, talk to a priest, particularly if you believe yourself to be guilty of a mortal sin, but even if you simply feel a need for pastoral guidance in order to make a fruitful repentance and avoid sin in the future. Even if he has you wait to make an actual confession, he’ll surely help you out. Besides, you will have done all that desire alone allows you to do. God will not hold you responsible to have done more.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I was baptized Catholic when I was 8 but never received first Holy Communion and was never confirmed. I have missed the time to attend RCIA classes for this year and they are not available again until September in preparation for next Lent. I feel this overwhelming need to go to confession but it seems as though I cannot partake of this sacrament until immediately before confirmation once I’ve gone through RCIA classes. I would appreciate any response as to whether I have to wait until then or if I can go to confession because I have been baptized in the Church.

Your first step is to talk with your parish pastor.

 

[Janet1983]

I was baptized Catholic when I was 8 but never received first Holy Communion and was never confirmed. I have missed the time to attend RCIA classes for this year and they are not available again until September in preparation for next Lent. I feel this overwhelming need to go to confession but it seems as though I cannot partake of this sacrament until immediately before confirmation once I’ve gone through RCIA classes. I would appreciate any response as to whether I have to wait until then or if I can go to confession because I have been baptized in the Church.

You are baptized, right? That makes you a member of the Catholic Church and you can go to confession if you wish.
Before my First Holy Communion I went too and I hadn’t been to Confirmation either.
Why should you have to wait with that?

 

[srlucado]

I was baptized Catholic when I was 8 but never received first Holy Communion and was never confirmed. I have missed the time to attend RCIA classes for this year and they are not available again until September in preparation for next Lent. I feel this overwhelming need to go to confession but it seems as though I cannot partake of this sacrament until immediately before confirmation once I’ve gone through RCIA classes. I would appreciate any response as to whether I have to wait until then or if I can go to confession because I have been baptized in the Church.

I was in the same boat as you. Don’t worry, you don’t need to go through the entire RCIA program.

Talk to the pastor; he’ll point you in the right direction.

(Are you interested in being confirmed?)

 

[Bookcat]

Yes…but approach a priest and explain things to him first …for this would be your first confession. (I assume here that one believe the Catholic Faith as well…and is not in a situation like an invalid marriage or living with ones girlfriend/boyfriend…for then there would be more to it that needs be changed…)

 

[1ke]

I was baptized Catholic when I was 8 but never received first Holy Communion and was never confirmed. I have missed the time to attend RCIA classes for this year and they are not available again until September in preparation for next Lent. I feel this overwhelming need to go to confession but it seems as though I cannot partake of this sacrament until immediately before confirmation once I’ve gone through RCIA classes. I would appreciate any response as to whether I have to wait until then or if I can go to confession because I have been baptized in the Church.

You are a Catholic. RCIA is for the unbaptized and for those baptized in non-Catholic ecclesial communities.

You should make an appointment with your priest. If you don’t have any impediments (like invalid marriage, etc) you should be able to go through Reconciliation and begin receiving the Eucharist.

In many parishes and dioceses they have adult confirmation classes for those who are Catholic but never completed their sacraments of initiation. They typically are in the spring. The Bishop confirms Catholics, unless your priest gets permission to do so.

So, start by making an appointment with your priest-- not the RCIA director.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

You are baptized, right? That makes you a member of the Catholic Church and you can go to confession if you wish.
Before my First Holy Communion I went too and I hadn’t been to Confirmation either.
Why should you have to wait with that?

Because she is considered a Baptized but un-catechized Catholic, and RCIA specifically addresses this situation.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

You are a Catholic. RCIA is for the unbaptized and for those baptized in non-Catholic ecclesial communities.

You should make an appointment with your priest. If you don’t have any impediments (like invalid marriage, etc) you should be able to go through Reconciliation and begin receiving the Eucharist.

In many parishes and dioceses they have adult confirmation classes for those who are Catholic but never completed their sacraments of initiation. They typically are in the spring. The Bishop confirms Catholics, unless your priest gets permission to do so.

So, start by making an appointment with your priest-- not the RCIA director.

There is a difference between a Catholic who is not Confirmed and a person who was Baptized as an infant in the Catholic Faih but never raised in the faith, never received First Communion or Confirmation. RCIA IS possibly correct for them.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

She was baptized Catholic at age 8, not as an infant. If she understands church teaching on sin I think she could approach the sacrament of reconciliation. If she does, she should tell the priest her situation before making her confession. She probably would later need instruction and/or RCIA to receive her first communion and confirmation. She should be guided by the priest. She probably would not be required to go through RCIA before making her first confession.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

She was baptized Catholic at age 8, not as an infant. If she understands church teaching on sin I think she could approach the sacrament of reconciliation. If she does, she should tell the priest her situation before making her confession. She probably would later need instruction and/or RCIA to receive her first communion and confirmation. She should be guided by the priest. She probably would not be required to go through RCIA before making her first confession.

If she was only Baptized (at age 8) and not Confirmed and received First Holy Communion, at the same time as the Baptism, then she was Baptized using the Rite of Baptism for Infants.

 

[Ignatius]

Confirmation is not a prerequeste for confession. You can go to confession, but you need to explain the situation to the priest.

 

[Apryl]

You are baptized, right? That makes you a member of the Catholic Church and you can go to confession if you wish.
Before my First Holy Communion I went too and I hadn’t been to Confirmation either.
Why should you have to wait with that?

And another reason why I LOVE CAF… because of this Forum, we can help when one offers ‘advice’ such as this and correct the advisor, and correctly direct the advisee.

I remember years ago, a woman commented that she hadn’t been to church because she had remarried. I ‘advised’ her that she could just come to my church and get Communion

I hadn’t a CLUE what I was talking about. Thank God she just nodded and smiled at my invitation.

 

[Janet1983]

And another reason why I LOVE CAF… because of this Forum, we can help when one offers ‘advice’ such as this and correct the advisor, and correctly direct the advisee.

I remember years ago, a woman commented that she hadn’t been to church because she had remarried. I ‘advised’ her that she could just come to my church and get Communion

I hadn’t a CLUE what I was talking about. Thank God she just nodded and smiled at my invitation.

Well the thing is this: She has been baptized and therefore the Sacrament would objectively be valid. She could go and gather information on the sacrament in sources like the catechism (here and the following pages) and she could ask her priest for information so that she does not receive the sacrament unworthily. Her not being confirmed yet is not a reason to not allow her to go to confession.

 

[miamalli]

After reading these posts, one thing seems to be clear. I need to speak with the priest. I kind of thought that would be the answer. There are serious mortal sins for which I need to confess. I do have a question though. What is an invalid marriage? Is it simply any marriage not done in the Catholic church? My husband and I have been married since 1997. We got married before a JP.

 

[Ignatius]

After reading these posts, one thing seems to be clear. I need to speak with the priest. I kind of thought that would be the answer. There are serious mortal sins for which I need to confess. I do have a question though. What is an invalid marriage? Is it simply any marriage not done in the Catholic church? My husband and I have been married since 1997. We got married before a JP.

You will want to have the priest bless your marriage (after confession, of course). It can be a very simple ceremony.

 

[Seatuck]

After reading these posts, one thing seems to be clear. I need to speak with the priest. I kind of thought that would be the answer. There are serious mortal sins for which I need to confess. I do have a question though. What is an invalid marriage? Is it simply any marriage not done in the Catholic church? My husband and I have been married since 1997. We got married before a JP.

Catholics are bound by the guidance of the Catholic Church on marriage. We cannot simply take ourselves to the JOP. So yes, your marriage is considered invalid. You will need a Convalidation . Call up the church and make an appointment with the priest to discuss all your concerns… Don’t be surprised if it takes a while before the priest is available. It’s a busy time of year.

In the meantime begin attending Mass every Sunday, stay in your seat for communion and start studying the Catholic Faith.

You can buy the Catechism of the Catholic Church (it is also online for free) and a book like Catholicism for Dummies ( a really good book not insulting at all) to start filling in your missing education .

Welcome.