Confession Anxiety

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Tomorrow is the advent penance service at my church. I am not one of those people who is really good about going to confession often, but I definitely do my best to make it before Christmas and Easter, at least. I think it’s probably been about a year since my last confession (eek) and I always get nervous before confessing.

Here’s the real issue…I know which priest I want to confess to but there are things I need to confess that have been weighing on my heart for quite awhile that I genuinely do not want to say out loud to ANY priest (or any person, for that matter). Some of it is very uncomfortable to talk about and admit to. I know I have the option of confessing to a priest that doesn’t know me, but I’m actually more uncomfortable when it’s a stranger, and it feels really impersonal. It is not my intention to not confess my sins because they make me uncomfortable, but what if I get to the priest and find that I am truly unable to bring myself to say it? Can I admit that I’m having trouble saying what I want to confess? What sort of response might I get?

I do very much want to go to confession and I do want to get things off my chest, but I know how nervous I get when I go to confession and thinking about what I want to confess is giving me serious anxiety–I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to tell the priest what’s on my mind.

I’m asking you to pray for me for my anxiety to be eased-I’m also open to comments and suggestions if you have them.

Thanks,
Neens
 
Praying that you make a good confession tomorrow with as little anxiety as possible. Praying that should you have difficulty being able to express your sins that you tell this to the priest so he’ll be able to help you confess those sins that won’t come out easily. May you pray to the Holy Spirit to help you make a good confession before you go to the priest for confession, and may the Holy Spirit help you to confess those sins you are having difficulty confessing. May God give you courage and true sorrow for all your sins. Amen.
 
St. Gerard, Patron of a Good Confession,
who gave courage to souls whom fear and shame had overcome;
who gave sorrow to their hearts,
resolution to their wills,
truth to their faltering lips;
help CrazySingerIAm and us all to make a good Confession.

Enable us to know our sins,
to be truly sorry for them,
and to be firmly resolved,
with God’s grace, never to sin again.

Help us to confess our sins humbly and sincerely,
to confess them in the spirit of faith,
as confessing them to Our Lord Himself.

Stand by us in this Confession, O gentle Saint,
an angel of God sent to free us from sin.

Amen.
 
CrazySingerIAm said:
Tomorrow is the advent penance service at my church. I am not one of those people who is really good about going to confession often, but I definitely do my best to make it before Christmas and Easter, at least. I think it’s probably been about a year since my last confession (eek) and I always get nervous before confessing.

Here’s the real issue…I know which priest I want to confess to but there are things I need to confess that have been weighing on my heart for quite awhile that I genuinely do not want to say out loud to ANY priest (or any person, for that matter). Some of it is very uncomfortable to talk about and admit to. I know I have the option of confessing to a priest that doesn’t know me, but I’m actually more uncomfortable when it’s a stranger, and it feels really impersonal. It is not my intention to not confess my sins because they make me uncomfortable, but what if I get to the priest and find that I am truly unable to bring myself to say it? Can I admit that I’m having trouble saying what I want to confess? What sort of response might I get?

I do very much want to go to confession and I do want to get things off my chest, but I know how nervous I get when I go to confession and thinking about what I want to confess is giving me serious anxiety–I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to tell the priest what’s on my mind.

I’m asking you to pray for me for my anxiety to be eased-I’m also open to comments and suggestions if you have them.

Thanks,
Neens
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Neens, one of the things that we need in Confession is humility. The more something bothers us, the more it needs to be weeded from our heart and soul. Like a bad tooth. The more it aches, the more you need to see the dentist and let him deal with it.

Offer your anxiety up to Our Lord on the Cross through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. VERY powerful! God bless! 🙂
 
Neems,
Prayer before confession is very important. You ask God for the grace to make a good confession.
Once in the confessional,
Forget yourself, forget the priest.
Concentrate on Our Lord. He already knows your sins anyway, but He wants you to say it out loud to the priest; this way,you humble yourself.
Remember, we all have sinned! Even the priest is not without sin so you need not feel self conscious,besides, I highly doubt there is a sin out there he has not heard of already!
The more frequently you confess, the less anxiety you feel.
I used to feel like you but I think I have more or less overcome it now.
God Bless!
 
This brings back memories! Many years ago I felt the same as you do. I didn’t want to go to confession, but I knew I had to. I had so many mortal sins weighing on my soul and I was so embarrassed to talk about them. I was a young college student who was committing every type of lustful sin you can think of.

You know what, visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament if you can. Tell Him your sins and then ask him for the grace to make a good confession. It took many years of jumping around from confessional to confessional because I was so embarrassed. After some time I came to realize I needed to see the same priest over and over even if I committed the same sin because he would be able to help me, because he new my situation.

I go to confession at the very least every two weeks and most of the time weekly. Once you realize how much God has given us and how much we waste and offend you can’t help but search for His mercy. Her is the thing to remember and it took me along time to get this, it isn’t the priest, he is only the instrument. Jesus is waiting for you in the sacrament of confession. He has open arms and wants to give you a great big HUG! Go to Him.

Reading your post it is clear to me that this is the beginning of a journey for you. The Holy Spirit is tugging on your heart! He will not stop! You are God’s and He is calling you closer to Himself! I will pray for you!

Peace,
 
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end
Amen!
 
Thank you, all, for your prayers. They definitely helped. The funny thing is, I actually didn’t get a chance to read anyone’s reply before going to confession, but I know the prayers helped–I could feel it.

I was amazed that I was able to confess everything, even the hardest things, without much trouble. A huge weight has been lifted and I feel much better.

Question for y’all…do you ever have trouble really accepting God’s forgiveness and being able to forgive yourself? I do, and I told this to the priest yesterday, and he said to just let God forgive me–accept it. It’s hard to do…what do you do when you experience this?
 
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