Confession before confirmation?

[Frosty_Gurl]

I have read many responses on CAF regarding confession before confirmation. Many people have responded stating that a person who has not been baptized does not need to go to confession before the Easter Vigil because baptism wipes away all sin…and that a person who has already been baptized in another religion but is wanting full communion with the church needs to go to confession approximately 1-2 weeks prior to confirmation and first Eucharist.

I hope that is correct???

What about my situation???

I am a baptized Catholic who has already received first communion/confession and am seeking confirmation. I tried to attend confession at least once a month for my venial sins. To my knowledge, I have not committed any mortal sin. My last confession was about 6 weeks ago. I am trying to fight off scrupulosity, so I am now trying to only attend confession about once every two months or so…or sooner if I am in a state of mortal sin.

I work every other Saturday (reconciliation days) and tomorrow is my last Saturday off before the Easter Vigil. As I have stated, I am not in Mortal Sin, but I know that I have committed small venial sins…or is it my scrupulosity???

Anyway, do I need to plan on going to confession tomorrow, even though I really have no mortal sin to confess??? Or is it Ok to be confirmed without first attending confession??

Thanks for your help and God Bless…

 

[Hesychios]

I don’t see why you couldn’t go in and discuss the state of your soul.

The problem is that people have lost the sense that one’s confessor can be one’s spiritual director. We can all use a little guidance. You are not alone.

Confession isn’t just for garbage day, it can be a good time for counseling if you have a good relationship with the priest. Try to find a priest who can be your regular confessor, and go see him on a schedule, face to face. Ask him for spiritual guidance, ask him to bless your efforts.

He will probably appreciate it too, he will know he is making a real difference in someone’s life.

 

[Marc_Aupiais]

Go once a week if you want to: if you are not in known mortal sin: it is not the fearful scrupulosity: just seal: zeal is Godly: just find a priest who values Zeal: I think Jean D’Ark (Joan of Ark), and many others went daily! Saints oft went daily: weekly would be fine.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

You may go to confession if you like, but you are not obligated to, as long as you are not in the state of mortal sin. (I assume you have already been to confession in the Catholic Church.)

If your regular confessor has (because of your scrupulosity) instructed you not to go to confession more often than once in two months, obey him (or get his permission if you want to confess sooner).

If you don’t have one regular confessor, you should get one, and only confess to him, making sure he is aware of your scrupulosity.

Welcome to you as you complete your initiation into the Catholic Church.

 

[Marc_Aupiais]

You may go to confession if you like, but you are not obligated to, as long as you are not in the state of mortal sin. (I assume you have already been to confession in the Catholic Church.)

If your regular confessor has (because of your scrupulosity) instructed you not to go to confession more often than once in two months, obey him (or get his permission if you want to confess sooner).

If you don’t have one regular confessor, you should get one, and only confess to him, making sure he is aware of your scrupulosity.

The only obligation is once a year, and when in mortal sin, but it helps to go weekly etc.

Remember: the priest may have misjudged you if he says no sooner: you are not scared of going to hell for venial sins: you are not scrupulous. He may need to know this: that it is for love of God you go, not fear: considering they are venial sins. The surest way to grow in faith is regular confession, and the Eucharist!

God bless,

Marc

 

[LilyM]

Go once a week if you want to: if you are not in known mortal sin: it is not the fearful scrupulosity: just seal: zeal is Godly: just find a priest who values Zeal: I think Jean D’Ark (Joan of Ark), and many others went daily! Saints oft went daily: weekly would be fine.

Quite the opposite for poor old Joan - she went once a year, just before her yearly Communion. She said as much in her trial (transcripts of which survive).

Of course Blessed Mother Teresa and the late JP2 went more than weekly (I doubt daily, unless they saw the priest for spiritual direction and not confession). And I doubt St Pius X, the advocate of daily Communion, would have not gone very frequently as well.

 

[Marc_Aupiais]

Quite the opposite for poor old Joan - she went once a year, just before her yearly Communion. She said as much in her trial (transcripts of which survive).

Of course Blessed Mother Teresa and the late JP2 went more than weekly (I doubt daily, unless they saw the priest for spiritual direction and not confession). And I doubt St Pius X, the advocate of daily Communion, would have not gone very frequently as well.

Maybe I am confusing her with another saint.

I know that in her normal life:

"“I had a daughter born in lawful wedlock who grew up amid the fields and pastures. I had her baptized and confirmed and brought her up in the fear of God. I taught her respect for the traditions of the Church as much as I was able to do given her age and simplicity of her condition. I succeeded so well that she spent much of her time in church and after having gone to confession she received the sacrament of the Eucharist every month. Because the people suffered so much, she had a great compassion for them in her heart and despite her youth she would fast and pray for them with great devotion and fervor. She never thought, spoke or did anything against the faith. Certain enemies had her arraigned in a religious trial. Despite her disclaimers and appeals, both tacit and expressed, and without any help given to her defense, she was put through a perfidious, violent, iniquitous and sinful trial. The judges condemned her falsely, damnably and criminally, and put her to death in a cruel manner by fire. For the damnation of their souls and in notorious, infamous and irreparable loss to me, Isabelle, and mine… I demand that her name be restored.”

Joan’s mother, overcome with grief, had to be escorted to the sacristy of the cathedral and thus began Joan’s Trial of Nullification."
stjoan-center.com/Trials/null03.html

I was under the impression that while in the military, she did it daily: I may be wrong. As to her trail: she was often coerced, and seemed to lie! I do not consider her testimony there to be absolutely sound and unafflicted by those seeking to discredit her!

 

[LilyM]

Maybe I am confusing her with another saint.

I know that in her normal life:

"“I had a daughter born in lawful wedlock who grew up amid the fields and pastures. I had her baptized and confirmed and brought her up in the fear of God. I taught her respect for the traditions of the Church as much as I was able to do given her age and simplicity of her condition. I succeeded so well that she spent much of her time in church and after having gone to confession she received the sacrament of the Eucharist every month. Because the people suffered so much, she had a great compassion for them in her heart and despite her youth she would fast and pray for them with great devotion and fervor. She never thought, spoke or did anything against the faith. Certain enemies had her arraigned in a religious trial. Despite her disclaimers and appeals, both tacit and expressed, and without any help given to her defense, she was put through a perfidious, violent, iniquitous and sinful trial. The judges condemned her falsely, damnably and criminally, and put her to death in a cruel manner by fire. For the damnation of their souls and in notorious, infamous and irreparable loss to me, Isabelle, and mine… I demand that her name be restored.”

Joan’s mother, overcome with grief, had to be escorted to the sacristy of the cathedral and thus began Joan’s Trial of Nullification."
stjoan-center.com/Trials/null03.html

I was under the impression that while in the military, she did it daily: I may be wrong. As to her trail: she was often coerced, and seemed to lie! I do not consider her testimony there to be absolutely sound and unafflicted by those seeking to discredit her!

She prayed much, always - and may have received it more frequently when she went into battle, which is an extraordinary case.

Joan’s own words from her trial - ‘Once a year I confessed my sins to our parish-priest, or, when he was unable (unable to see her once a year ), to another with his permission. And I received the sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter time’

I can give you the details of the book if you’re interested - it’s all her own words from the trial transcripts and other accounts of her.

Her only lie at her trial that I am aware of was her false confession to witchcraft and the other charges, which she recanted in any event. Details of her frequency of confession are unlikely to have been fabricated - there was no reason to do so - and I’d trust her own estimate rather than her mother’s.

 

[Marc_Aupiais]

She prayed much, always - and may have received it more frequently when she went into battle, which is an extraordinary case.

Joan’s own words from her trial - ‘Once a year I confessed my sins to our parish-priest, or, when he was unable (unable to see her once a year ), to another with his permission. And I received the sacrament of the Eucharist at Easter time’

I can give you the details of the book if you’re interested - it’s all her own words from the trial transcripts and other accounts of her.

Her only lie at her trial that I am aware of was her false confession to witchcraft and the other charges, which she recanted in any event. Details of her frequency of confession are unlikely to have been fabricated - there was no reason to do so - and I’d trust her own estimate rather than her mother’s.

Except that her mother is backed up by other witnesses: perhaps she is referring to the fact she at least did the minimum: her mother was attempting to get the trial nullified.
But this is of note, can I have the context of what she said, and what she was asked. Marc

 

[LilyM]

Except that her mother is backed up by other witnesses: perhaps she is referring to the fact she at least did the minimum: her mother was attempting to get the trial nullified.
But this is of note, can I have the context of what she said, and what she was asked. Marc

From her second examination stjoan-center.com/Trials/sec02.html

“Q: In your youth, did you learn any trade ?”

“A: Yes, I learnt to spin and to sew; in sewing and spinning I fear no woman in Rouen. For dread of the Burgundians, I left my father’s house and went to the town of Neufchateau,(1)…( There is no certain date for this event. By some it is placed between the first and second visits to Vaucouleurs, in 1428; by others, earlier, at the time of the Picard ravages of the neighborhood in the September of 1426.) in Lorraine, to the house of a woman named La Rousse, where I sojourned about fifteen days. When I was at home with my father, I employed myself with the ordinary cares of the house. I did not go to the fields with the sheep and the other animals.** Every year I confessed myself to my own Cure, and, when he was prevented, to another Priest with his permission.** Sometimes, also, two or three times, I confessed to the Mendicant Friars; this was at Neufchateau. At Easter I received the Sacrament of the Eucharist.”

Now here’s the interesting bit, the next question and answer:

“Q: Have you received the Sacrament of the Eucharist at any other Feast but Easter?”

"A: Pass that by [Passez outré] … "

In other words she refused to answer - most curious.

She said her voices forbade her to reveal some information in court, I know - was this quesition one of those times?

Or had she actually been to confession more frequently and without her priest’s permission, and was worried she’d get in trouble? The thot plickens indeed …

 

[Marc_Aupiais]

From her second examination stjoan-center.com/Trials/sec02.html

“Q: In your youth, did you learn any trade ?”

“A: Yes, I learnt to spin and to sew; in sewing and spinning I fear no woman in Rouen. For dread of the Burgundians, I left my father’s house and went to the town of Neufchateau,(1)…( There is no certain date for this event. By some it is placed between the first and second visits to Vaucouleurs, in 1428; by others, earlier, at the time of the Picard ravages of the neighborhood in the September of 1426.) in Lorraine, to the house of a woman named La Rousse, where I sojourned about fifteen days. When I was at home with my father, I employed myself with the ordinary cares of the house. I did not go to the fields with the sheep and the other animals.** Every year I confessed myself to my own Cure, and, when he was prevented, to another Priest with his permission.** Sometimes, also, two or three times, I confessed to the Mendicant Friars; this was at Neufchateau. At Easter I received the Sacrament of the Eucharist.”

Now here’s the interesting bit, the next question and answer:

“Q: Have you received the Sacrament of the Eucharist at any other Feast but Easter?”

"A: Pass that by [Passez outré] … "

In other words she refused to answer - most curious.

She said her voices forbade her to reveal some information in court, I know - was this quesition one of those times?

Or had she actually been to confession more frequently and without her priest’s permission, and was worried she’d get in trouble? The thot plickens indeed …

Indeed, it thickens!