Confessing of sins

[GratefulLeper]

Hello all- I’m a young Catholic and have developed a good habit of going to Confession once a week. It not only feels great on my soul to have a clean conscience, but also with that clean conscience I feel I can serve God in a better way. However, I recently moved and Confession every week sometimes is not possible due to my schedule. Now I know that receiving the Eucharist wipes away a person’s venial sins but sometimes when I know I need to go to Confession and can’t go I don’t quite feel at peace (note, we are not talking about mortal sins here). I don’t think this is scrupulosity per se, but perhaps just an overzealous desire to keep a clean conscience. I also know it’s not good to be over focused on one’s sins because that takes the focus off Christ. Any good suggestions or practical advice would be very much welcomed. Thank you in advance and have a blessed New Year’s and Christmas season.

 

[cena]

Hello all- I’m a young Catholic and have developed a good habit of going to Confession once a week. It not only feels great on my soul to have a clean conscience, but also with that clean conscience I feel I can serve God in a better way. However, I recently moved and Confession every week sometimes is not possible due to my schedule. Now I know that receiving the Eucharist wipes away a person’s venial sins but sometimes when I know I need to go to Confession and can’t go I don’t quite feel at peace (note, we are not talking about mortal sins here). I don’t think this is scrupulosity per se, but perhaps just an overzealous desire to keep a clean conscience. I also know it’s not good to be over focused on one’s sins because that takes the focus off Christ. Any good suggestions or practical advice would be very much welcomed. Thank you in advance and have a blessed New Year’s and Christmas season.

If you have no mortal sins you can receive the Eucharist.

St. Therese of Liseux said some stuff about how the devil wants us to feel guilty and not receive the Eucharist, when that is what Christ wants. I would advise you look into more stuff she said about this.

 

[GratefulLeper]

If you have no mortal sins you can receive the Eucharist.

St. Therese of Liseux said some stuff about how the devil wants us to feel guilty and not receive the Eucharist, when that is what Christ wants. I would advise you look into more stuff she said about this.

Thank you and I will look into St. Therese’s thoughts on this matter. However, when having no mortal sins I do receive the Eucharist and I know receiving wipes away my venial sins. My question I guess is more centered on how to think or act when I am aware of venial sin and I can’t get to Eucharist or Confession. Thanks.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

Thank you and I will look into St. Therese’s thoughts on this matter. However, when having no mortal sins I do receive the Eucharist and I know receiving wipes away my venial sins. My question I guess is more centered on how to think or act when I am aware of venial sin and I can’t get to Eucharist or Confession. Thanks.

Repent and quit sinning, and go on as if nothing happened at all, as far as how you act and think until Eucharist of Confession.

 

[Sandraaustin]

I’m the same way, even when I only have venial sins, I like to know I’m in a state of grace. I say a good Act of Contrition then perform a penance of my own choosing, usually fasting or doing some chore I dislike. The Bible says even the righteous man falls seven times a day. Maybe more focus on trusting Jesus will help you know that you are forgiven. Jesus knows your heart.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Take a look at the Catechism. There are many ways of doing penance that may be helpful to you. Perhaps if you have noticed a lack of love toward others you could do something to make up for that, whether it’s offering to help your parents with chores around the house, spending time playing with a younger sibling, or helping an older neighbor with yard work or shopping – things that will benefit someone else and enlarge your capacity for love at the same time.

 

[Bookcat]

My question I guess is more centered on how to think or act when I am aware of venial sin and I can’t get to Eucharist or Confession. Thanks.

We struggle with such “daily sins” …well ~* daily.* Those venial sins that happen daily.

One need not (not good to wait) -wait Confession to seek forgiveness (though let us go often!). Though it is very recommended that one goes to confession frequently (see the Catechism and all good that this brings).

Venial sins are forgiven in many ways -acts of perfect or even imperfect contrition, prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, the Mass, Holy Communion, the prayerful use holy water, other sacramentals, little short prayers during the day, acts of love etc

I will add a related section of the Catechism:

From the Catechism:

1436 Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. “It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins.”

1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.

vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

Saint Augustine noted in 395 to his catechumens to live their Baptism - but in doing so they would not live without venial sins - for life is never without such - and that daily prayer was instituted to blot them out.

Let us pray the Our Father as St. Augustine spoke of being prayed for such daily venial sins …“forgive us our trespasses…” He noted that for such sins we were given prayer - and especially noted the Lords Prayer.

Indeed in the early Church such was often prayed three times a day. A wonderful practice that my family follows.

CCC The first communities prayed the Lord’s Prayer three times a day, in place of the “Eighteen Benedictions” customary in Jewish piety. scborromeo.org/ccc/p4s2a1.htm

 

[Bookcat]

I’m the same way, even when I only have venial sins

Venial sins are compatible with the State of Grace (but yes let us repent quickly).

It is mortal sin that removes us from such.

 

[Bookcat]

My question I guess is more centered on how to think or act when I am aware of venial sin and I can’t get to Eucharist or Confession. Thanks.

We struggle with such “daily sins” …well ~* daily.* Those venial sins that happen daily.

One need not (not good to wait) -wait Confession to seek forgiveness (though let us go often!). Though it is very recommended that one goes to confession frequently (see the Catechism and all good that this brings).

Venial sins are forgiven in many ways -acts of perfect or even imperfect contrition, prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, the Mass, Holy Communion, the prayerful use holy water, other sacramentals, little short prayers during the day, acts of love etc

I will add a related section of the Catechism:

From the Catechism:

1436 Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. “It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins.”

1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.

vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

Saint Augustine noted in 395 to his catechumens to live their Baptism - but in doing so they would not live without venial sins - for life is never without such - and that daily prayer was instituted to blot them out.

Let us pray the Our Father as St. Augustine spoke of being prayed for such daily venial sins …“forgive us our trespasses…” He noted that for such sins we were given prayer - and especially noted the Lords Prayer.

Indeed in the early Church such was often prayed three times a day. A wonderful practice that my family follows.

CCC The first communities prayed the Lord’s Prayer three times a day, in place of the “Eighteen Benedictions” customary in Jewish piety. scborromeo.org/ccc/p4s2a1.htm

 

[GratefulLeper]

This has been very, very helpful! Thank you all so much. I also think an over focus on sins could be a reverse form of pride. Pride would be the attitude of “I could never commit that sin or be like that person” but pride could also be “How could I have done that?!”

 

[PraiseChrist]

Hello all- I’m a young Catholic and have developed a good habit of going to Confession once a week. It not only feels great on my soul to have a clean conscience, but also with that clean conscience I feel I can serve God in a better way. However, I recently moved and Confession every week sometimes is not possible due to my schedule. Now I know that receiving the Eucharist wipes away a person’s venial sins but sometimes when I know I need to go to Confession and can’t go I don’t quite feel at peace (note, we are not talking about mortal sins here). I don’t think this is scrupulosity per se, but perhaps just an overzealous desire to keep a clean conscience. I also know it’s not good to be over focused on one’s sins because that takes the focus off Christ. Any good suggestions or practical advice would be very much welcomed. Thank you in advance and have a blessed New Year’s and Christmas season.

My hat off to you! I think I heard something about St. John Paul the Great going to weekly confession. It’s a blessing to have that kind of opportunity to go to weekly confession. As long as you meet the requirements (in addition to being in a state of grace), trust in the actual Body of Christ. It may just be an OCD that you have, don’t worry. Just try your best to get to weekly confession. If you don’t have the opportunity, don’t be too worried about it. Prayers and fasting could also get venial sins forgiven. Please pray for me, and God bless!