Confess without confession help!

[HelpingStranger]

I have committed a mortal sin and there is no Confessions on between now and Sunday mass. I’m worried now and feeling a lot of catholic guilt. Can I knock on the priests door and confess face to face or do I have to go without receiving the Eucharist? Please help

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

If your Confession will be short, you could try to find the priest before he says Mass and confess to him then.

 

[St_Francis]

Call and see if you can make an appointment. If the circumstances at the parish allow, he may suggest before or after daily Mass; otherwise a time when he can make it.

 

[Catholic1954]

I have committed a mortal sin and there is no Confessions on between now and Sunday mass. I’m worried now and feeling a lot of catholic guilt. Can I knock on the priests door and confess face to face or do I have to go without receiving the Eucharist? Please help

If you can find a priest before hand who can help you out, then go for it. Otherwise, you should refrain from receiving communion until you can get this taken care of. Try calling the parish office or rectory, maybe the priest can meet you somewhere before Mass begins.

 

[PacoG]

Most priests list their hours in the confessional with the blessed phrase “or by appointment.”

When I was a kid, we had a pastor who would hear confessions any time and anywhere. If you asked him to, he would hear your confession in the middle of HEB. They don’t make priests like him anymore. Truly a herald of God’s grace.

 

[PJM]

=HelpingStranger;13437881]I have committed a mortal sin and there is no Confessions on between now and Sunday mass. I’m worried now and feeling a lot of catholic guilt. Can I knock on the priests door and confess face to face or do I have to go without receiving the Eucharist? Please help [/QUOTIE]

I’m too late to assist you

BUT either get to confession or do not receive Holy Communion until you can get to Confession [John 20:19-23 And 1 John 5:16-17]. Make doing so an urgent priority in your life.

Christ is anxious to have you back in His Fold.

God Bless you,
Patrick

 

[buc_fan33]

Most priests list their hours in the confessional with the blessed phrase “or by appointment.”

When I was a kid, we had a pastor who would hear confessions any time and anywhere. If you asked him to, he would hear your confession in the middle of HEB. They don’t make priests like him anymore. Truly a herald of God’s grace.

What do you mean by this? That priests won’t hear people’s confessions anymore? I’m a priest, and I’ve never, ever, had a brother priest turn me away from the sacrament when I came to him in need of it. Likewise, I’ve never turned anyone away who reasonably asked for it.

 

[twf]

What do you mean by this? That priests won’t hear people’s confessions anymore? I’m a priest, and I’ve never, ever, had a brother priest turn me away from the sacrament when I came to him in need of it. Likewise, I’ve never turned anyone away who reasonably asked for it.

I concur Father. At my local cathedral, the priests taking turns hear confessions 3 times a day, 6 days a week. Sometimes one or more priests is in there for a long haul well into mass. Another parish offers scheduled confession daily and literally before and after each of the 7 masses (so basically 14 times) on Sundays…if not celebrating mass, they’re sitting in a confessional.

 

[utah_rose]

What do you mean by this? That priests won’t hear people’s confessions anymore? I’m a priest, and I’ve never, ever, had a brother priest turn me away from the sacrament when I came to him in need of it. Likewise, I’ve never turned anyone away who reasonably asked for it.

I’m glad you’re like that Father because in 2002 during Holy Week I had a strong urge to come back to the Church after 20 years. I do know that priests are terribly busy, but I tried all week. Finally on Holy Saturdsy went to my parish with two priests and neither would hear my Confession because they were two busy. Finally, thank the Lord, I called a neighboring parish and the pastor there, a Monsignor, did take time to hear it.

I’ve forgiven the priests, but I wonder how many other Catholics or reverts have run into this problem? We had wonderful parishes in the 50s where it seemed Confession was always available, but then again there was no shortage of priests either.

 

[chimo]

I have committed a mortal sin and there is no Confessions on between now and Sunday mass. I’m worried now and feeling a lot of catholic guilt. Can I knock on the priests door and confess face to face or do I have to go without receiving the Eucharist? Please help

I am not properly equip to understand the normal practice when a Catholic person commits a mortal sin but would not an act of contrition be suffice enough for someone who cannot go to the Sacrament of Confession before the next Holy Communion if that person is unable to attend to Confession. Would not this act of contrition with some added prayers be sufficient enough before you will be able to go to the next Sacrament of Confession? Will not God accept this? Your intention means more to Him than let us say your actual practice. This is what St. Maria Faustina found out and had written in her Diary.

 

[twf]

I am not properly equip to understand the normal practice when a Catholic person commits a mortal sin but would not an act of contrition be suffice enough for someone who cannot go to the Sacrament of Confession before the next Holy Communion if that person is unable to attend to Confession. Would not this act of contrition with some added prayers be sufficient enough before you will be able to go to the next Sacrament of Confession? Will not God accept this? Your intention means more to Him than let us say your actual practice. This is what St. Maria Faustina found out and had written in her Diary.

A perfect act of contrition, with firm resolve to go to confession as soon as possible, does bring about the forgiveness of mortal sin, but as a matter of obedience Catholics are still bound to refrain from communion until they have been sacramentally absolved. I believe canon law makes an exception for grave circumstances. I won’t pretend to guess what those May be- let’s leave that to a priest or canon lawyer.

 

[Elizium23]

A popular misconception is that we are obligated to receive Holy Communion at every Mass we attend. This is not so. You are only obligated to receive once a year, with the Easter Duty. So make a Spiritual Communion, confess at your nearest opportunity, and be at peace.

 

[chimo]

A perfect act of contrition, with firm resolve to go to confession as soon as possible, does bring about the forgiveness of mortal sin, but as a matter of obedience Catholics are still bound to refrain from communion until they have been sacramentally absolved. I believe canon law makes an exception for grave circumstances. I won’t pretend to guess what those May be- let’s leave that to a priest or canon lawyer.

Thank you twf. This understanding is very helpful.

 

[ccmcmg]

Thank you twf. This understanding is very helpful.

And perfect contrition is very difficult to come by, actually.

 

[Brendan_64]

I have committed a mortal sin and there is no Confessions on between now and Sunday mass. I’m worried now and feeling a lot of catholic guilt. Can I knock on the priests door and confess face to face or do I have to go without receiving the Eucharist? Please help

You do not have to receive the Eucharist at every Mass you go to.

The important issue here is not that you will be unable to receive Communion at Mass, but the fact that you have (if you have) committed a mortal sin and a mortal sin effectively kills your soul and completely separates it from God. That is far more concerning than the prospect of not being able to receive Communion at the next Mass you attend. What if you were to die in that state?

Go knock on a priest’s door, my understanding is that, unless he has a very urgent and grave reason, he cannot refuse to hear your Confession.

But do not receive Communion until after you have gone to Confession.

As has been said already, a perfect act of contrition is not simply a case of simply confessing privately to God, it is actually quite a difficult thing to achieve. It would seem, from what you have written, that your over-riding concern is that you may not be able to receive Communion because of the state of your soul, and if that is your main concern then it would not be a perfect act of contrition.

Go and knock on the priest’s door and ask if he will hear your Confession. If he is very busy then ask him if you can come back a bit later that day. Rest assured, whatever you have to confess he will have heard it before, and will probably have heard a lot worse.

 

[peter26]

I’m now in a similar position to the OP. I was out of town today when I could have otherwise gone to confession and will now be away for a couple of days. I’ll be going to Mass tomorrow in an unfamiliar church where I don’t know the priest. Is it considered acceptable to ask the priest either before or after Mass to hear a very quick confession? I wouldn’t hesitate with my own parish priest, but he’s specifically told me this is okay, and I won’t be able to see him until at least Tuesday now (Monday is his day off). Do people ask priests before or after Mass?

 

[Brendan_64]

Do people ask priests before or after Mass?

Bear in mind that the priest may be very busy just before Mass, and after Mass may have to rush off to say Mass elsewhere. Perhaps try to see him well before he says Mass, not just 15 minutes before Mass starts.

But don’t receive Communion thinking that it will be OK if you go to Confession later, make a spiritual Communion instead. We don’t receive to receive Communion every time we go to Mass. The most important thing about Mass is to be there to witness the Holy Sacrifice.

 

[chimo]

And perfect contrition is very difficult to come by, actually.

I think one of the signs of perfect contrition will be the tears one may go through. I remember once reading about St. Therese’s adoption to pray for a certain sinner and this sinner received grace from God to change him. This man did not go to Confession but the contrition he went through was enough for God to accept him. Perhaps we need to rely more on God than ourselves. God will equip us better if we just be open more to His graces.

 

[CJsmommy]

Are there other Catholic parishes in your area? You don’t have to confess just in your own parish.

 

[peter26]

Are there other Catholic parishes in your area? You don’t have to confess just in your own parish.

My problem was that I was traveling on Saturday when all the confession times are scheduled. But it worked out okay in the end. I had to stay in the pew Sunday, but back home I was able to confess after Mass at my regular parish on Tuesday. Then Father very kindly gave me communion.