Confession before Baptismal

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brightest_Star
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Brightest_Star

Guest
I am currently taking RCIA classes, and reading a condensed handbook version of the Catechisms of the Catholic Church.

In the book, it says that baptism cleanses the soul of original sin and mortal sin.
It also says that a person must be baptised in order to recieve penance.

Yet in class, the teacher said that before we can be baptised we must go to confession, as that as adults, Baptism will be followed immediately by Confirmation and then we are eligable for Holy Communion.

My question to him was; how can we go to confession when we haven’t been Baptised?

He couldn’t answer that one, I wonder if someone here can.

Do I need to go to confession before being baptised?
 
Your RCIA instructor is seriously mistaken. Baptism is the necessary condition for all other sacraments, including Reconciliation. Of all the nonsense I have heard from RCIA instructors, this is the most egregious. I shudder to think what other errors this person may be propagating.
AMDG
jsa
 
No…the sacrament of baptism is the door to the other sacraments, and no sacrament can be validly received beforehand. One of the primary effects of baptism is the total forgiveness and wiping out of all sins committed before the reception of the sacrament.
 
Where you baptized before in a Protestant group? In other words is there doubt that maybe you were so you are receiving ‘conditional baptism’??

If not perhaps they were meaning those who where in such a situation.

In which case the person would be conditionally baptized first …and then go to confession (older works then refer then to a “conditional absolution” with that confession–all privately. Then public confimation.
 
You must be baptized before you can receive any other Sacraments.
 
The Catholic church recognizes most christian baptisms, and as another poster pointed out, if there is question as to the validity of a prior baptism, one may receive a “conditional” baptism. In cases where folks being received into the church have already been baptized christians (but not Catholic), they will not be rebaptized but will be required to give a “general” confession before receiving the sacraments. Your teacher seems really confused and that’s really rather disturbing.
 
Brightest_Star said:
I am currently taking RCIA classes, and reading a condensed handbook version of the Catechisms of the Catholic Church.

In the book, it says that baptism cleanses the soul of original sin and mortal sin.
It also says that a person must be baptised in order to recieve penance.

Yet in class, the teacher said that before we can be baptised we must go to confession, as that as adults, Baptism will be followed immediately by Confirmation and then we are eligable for Holy Communion.

My question to him was; how can we go to confession when we haven’t been Baptised?

He couldn’t answer that one, I wonder if someone here can.

Do I need to go to confession before being baptised?
Click to expand...
Go talk to your priest about this. He will answer your question and then hopefully correct the RCIA teacher.
 
Hopefully, this was just a miscommunication: perhaps the RCIA team member was talking about candidates (who have already been baptized, and therefore, are recommended to go to confession prior to being confirmed), and s/he just got confused by your question?

If not, then perhaps it’s just an innocent confusion: as I mentioned (and as you already know), catechumens are preparing for baptism, so it’s not necessary (or possible!) for them to go to the sacrament of reconciliation. On the other hand, it’s a good idea for those who already are able to go to the sacrament of reconciliation (i.e., candidates) to do so prior to their confirmation.

I agree with the other poster who suggested that you go to the pastor. He’ll give you the correct explanation, and hopefully, it’ll create the opportunity to clear up the matter with the RCIA team…

Prayers for you as you approach full communion with the Church!
 
CopyKat said:
The Catholic church recognizes most christian baptisms, and as another poster pointed out, if there is question as to the validity of a prior baptism, one may receive a “conditional” baptism. In cases where folks being received into the church have already been baptized christians (but not Catholic), they will not be rebaptized but will be required to give a “general” confession before receiving the sacraments. Your teacher seems really confused and that’s really rather disturbing.
Click to expand...
I went through the RCIA program and was already a baptised Methodist (valid baptism).
The day before Easter Sunday I had to make a Confession and it was a long one as I converted when I was 44. I even have a Certificate of Reconciliation for that first Confession. On the Easter Sunday I was formally accepted into the Church. Confirmation took place 6 months later.
 
thistle said:
I went through the RCIA program and was already a baptised Methodist (valid baptism).
The day before Easter Sunday I had to make a Confession and it was a long one as I converted when I was 44. I even have a Certificate of Reconciliation for that first Confession. On the Easter Sunday I was formally accepted into the Church. Confirmation took place 6 months later.
Click to expand...
Interesting…what year was this?
 
Brightest_Star said:
I amYet in class, the teacher said that before we can be baptised we must go to confession, as that as adults, Baptism will be followed immediately by Confirmation and then we are eligable for Holy Communion.

My question to him was; how can we go to confession when we haven’t been Baptised?

He couldn’t answer that one, I wonder if someone here can.

Do I need to go to confession before being baptised?
Click to expand...
first make sure the teacher was not talking to those in your class who are already baptized, and are preparing only for Confirmation and first Communion.

If indeed he said you must go to confession before Baptism he is just plain wrong. Tell him to ask the priest to explain it to him.
thistle said:
I went through the RCIA program and was already a baptised Methodist (valid baptism).
The day before Easter Sunday I had to make a Confession and it was a long one as I converted when I was 44. I even have a Certificate of Reconciliation for that first Confession. On the Easter Sunday I was formally accepted into the Church. Confirmation took place 6 months later.
Click to expand...
of course, that is what is supposed to happen, but OP asked about an unbaptized person

the confusion is understandable when the status of people in the RCIA class differs, that is why I think OP needs to ask again what was actually said, and who the catechist was addressing.
 
CopyKat said:
The Catholic church recognizes most christian baptisms, and as another poster pointed out, if there is question as to the validity of a prior baptism, one may receive a “conditional” baptism. In cases where folks being received into the church have already been baptized christians (but not Catholic), they will not be rebaptized but will be required to give a “general” confession before receiving the sacraments. Your teacher seems really confused and that’s really rather disturbing.
Click to expand...
A conditional baptism will be followed by Confession, but even then the Confession must follow the conditional baptism. [It took us a while to get that straight.]
 
Yes Baptism before confession if you are unbaptised. I have suggested that some of my candidates go to a communal celebration (not 3rd rite) so they can get the idea of what is involved for the future but to ask for confession before baptism is to deny the all-encompassing forgiveness of baptism.
 
Thank you everyone for so many excellent replies!

Turns out you were all right; as a person never baptised I will not have to go to confession first.
Yet there are others in my class who have been baptised, and certain processes are different for them.

We also have an engaged couple where the man is converting and they come from a different parish, so different rules for them too.

It gets a bit confusing sometimes.

I should say, in defense of the RCIA teacher, he was a substitute for that week. Normally our teacher is well prepared and has the whole class well researched and planned out - but she was ill that week and sent her husband with her notes, and (he stressed) LOTS of instructions.

So I’m sure he did his best but just got caught unawares during the free question period. haha

PS: anp1215 that picture made me laugh out loud. Love Picard!
 
Brightest_Star said:
Thank you everyone for so many excellent replies!

Turns out you were all right; as a person never baptised I will not have to go to confession first.
Yet there are others in my class who have been baptised, and certain processes are different for them.

We also have an engaged couple where the man is converting and they come from a different parish, so different rules for them too.

It gets a bit confusing sometimes.

I should say, in defense of the RCIA teacher, he was a substitute for that week. Normally our teacher is well prepared and has the whole class well researched and planned out - but she was ill that week and sent her husband with her notes, and (he stressed) LOTS of instructions.

So I’m sure he did his best but just got caught unawares during the free question period. haha

PS: anp1215 that picture made me laugh out loud. Love Picard!
Click to expand...
hahaha

when are you coming into the Church?
 
We used to continue the program until Pentecost; I think they are continuing it for a longer period now. We urge those who were baptized at the Vigil to go to confession sometime during the continuation. That gives a chance to discuss any questions or problems they have.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top