Confession: Does it have to be to a Priest?

[angelofmusic]

I know I seriously need to confess my sins for forgiveness and I accept that. In fact, I thought I was ok with just praying to God as I lie in bed at night and ask His forgiveness for my sins, mortal and venial.I’d do this about 3 times a week, often accompanied by some Hail Marys, Our Fathers, Glory Bes,e.t.c. or even a full rosary (or two if I’m praying for special intentions!!) along with my Thanksgiving for the good he brings to my life. I always thought that was just fine. Confession doesn’t really exist in our church and even my mother and grandma who are both very Catholic people, didn’t go to Confession for years. I didn’t think the talking to the priest bit was necessary if you prefered talking with God.
But since coming on this forum, I’m worried that this might be unacceptable. To be forgiven for my mortal sins do I have to actually go and talk to the priest. I much prefer talking directly with God…is what I’m doing ok??? Will I still be forgiven??

 

[PatienceAndLove]

You need to go to Confession.
IF your Church doesn’t offer it, or offers it rarely, find a nearby Church that offers it and GO!

 

[Joyful_1]

I second that. It is *very *important that you go to confession to a priest. If you have mortal sin, wait to take communion until after you go. This is the teaching of the Church.

God Bless
Joyful_1

 

[LilyM]

If need be, call and ask the priest for an appointment - you can request anonymity, in which case he should be willing to meet you in the confessional at a convenient time.

It certainly is necessary for mortal sins. There’s a reason why Christ gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins, part of it being that it gives you extra graces to avoid sin in the future, the other being that you can receive the Eucharist with a clean conscience, which also helps. So do go.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Welcome to the Forums!
I see from your Profile that you are Catholic. If you have made your First Confession, then yes you are bound to confess all mortal sins in the Sacrament of Confession. To confess your mortal sins to God alone and privately is not sufficient for a Catholic.
If you perchance have not made your First Confession (and perhaps First Communion and Confirmation) then make an appointment with Father and discuss this with him, plus your concerns about your sins and confessing them. Father will guide you.
One of the prime obligations of our priests is to be the shepherd of the souls placed in his care which is usually his parish; hence, we can approach him for an appointment on any matter that may be of concern and/or confusion to us.

Blessings - Barb

 

[water]

If you are nervous because you have to go to confession. Don’t be. Priests have heard all kinds of sins people had committed.

 

[Andruschak]

To be forgiven for my mortal sins do I have to actually go and talk to the priest. I much prefer talking directly with God…is what I’m doing ok??? Will I still be forgiven??

The Seal Of Confession is absolute. I know that the idea of confessing to a human being can be daunting at first. As a convert, I did my first confession about a year ago. I was still in RCIA as a candidate, but explained to the priest that dumping 62 years worth of sin was going to take sometime and effort.

He made an appointment, and included the time. I did it face to face, even though offered a screen. It took at least an hour. I somehow, someway, even managed to confess my sexual activities with children. When it was all over, and as the Priest gave the absolution, I knew he was acting as a Priest of God. “Whose sins you forgive, THEY ARE FORGIVEN.” Only a Priest has that Authority.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

angelofmusic

I know I seriously need to confess my sins for forgiveness and I accept that. In fact, I thought I was ok with just praying to God as I lie in bed at night and ask His forgiveness for my sins, mortal and venial.I’d do this about 3 times a week, often accompanied by some Hail Marys, Our Fathers, Glory Bes,e.t.c. or even a full rosary (or two if I’m praying for special intentions!!) along with my Thanksgiving for the good he brings to my life. I always thought that was just fine.

As soon as you turn to God and ask for forgiveness of your sins, you are forgiven. Only God forgives sins!

However, you must also be reconciled to the Church, because sin damages the body of Christ, which is the Church. You can not receive Holy Communion, until you are reconciled, because “communion,” comes from the word community. When we commit mortal sin, we do so, outside of the Church, and are not in union with her. So, it is important to go to Confession.

Also, though the sacrament of Penance, we receive grace from God, which helps us to become spiritually strong, so that we can avoid sin in the future.

So, yes, when you repent to God, your sins are forgiven, mortal and venial. But, you must be reconciled to the Church.

Look at confession as a gift, not as a burden.

One last point, by going to confession, and you should try to find a good confessor, and when you do, stick with him, he will give you counseling and advice. It may be your sins were not mortal sins in the first place and you’re guilt has been for nothing. So, get to confession, ASAP, you’ll be glad you did !

Jim

 

[acadian]

Yes. It has to be to a priest - the “other Christ”.

I was away from confession for many years, and during the time I was gone, computers and the internet came into their own. When I returned to the church and KNEW that I really needed to go to confession, you can bet I did my research to see if email confessions had been approved while I was gone. I was rather disappointed to find out that you still had to show up in person. It would have been SO much easier and more comfortable just to put it all down in an email and hit “send”.

But, alas, the church said that one had to be present to receive the sacrament, so I finally picked a priest, picked a day on the calendar and showed up. It wasn’t easy and comfortable, but it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. It was a cold, December afternoon, and probably took me less than 5 minutes, but it was so awesome to leave those things in the confessional.

Go.

 

[mangy_dog]

I know I seriously need to confess my sins for forgiveness and I accept that. In fact, I thought I was ok with just praying to God as I lie in bed at night and ask His forgiveness for my sins, mortal and venial.I’d do this about 3 times a week, often accompanied by some Hail Marys, Our Fathers, Glory Bes,e.t.c. or even a full rosary (or two if I’m praying for special intentions!!) along with my Thanksgiving for the good he brings to my life. I always thought that was just fine. Confession doesn’t really exist in our church and even my mother and grandma who are both very Catholic people, didn’t go to Confession for years. I didn’t think the talking to the priest bit was necessary if you prefered talking with God.
But since coming on this forum, I’m worried that this might be unacceptable. To be forgiven for my mortal sins do I have to actually go and talk to the priest. I much prefer talking directly with God…is what I’m doing ok??? Will I still be forgiven??

Hello Angelo,

What you are feeling is the accumulated effects of guilt brought about by sins. Confession is an inexhaustable source of grace. Grace is what our souls need to fight the good fight. We don’t have the priestly powers of absolution. We have a hard enough time forgiving ourselves let alone absolving ourselves.
It’s really a square deal - we keep our priests holy when we go to confession, we recieve absolution and grace. When you do find a priest at a nearby church, make sure that you go as often as possible and not just once or twice a year. Personally, I try to go to confession every week. I’m not always successful but it is always my goal to go every week.
Once you find a priest, don’t be to eager to switch to another priest. Confession and Communion go hand in hand. Don’t allow Lucifer or your own concupiscence or worldly influences dissuade you from the sacraments. Especially the renewable sacraments: Penance, Communion and Blessing of the sick and dying.
Recieve the Lord’s grace while it is still in the world to be recieved.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

angelofmusic

As soon as you turn to God and ask for forgiveness of your sins, you are forgiven. Only God forgives sins!

However, you must also be reconciled to the Church, because sin damages the body of Christ, which is the Church. You can not receive Holy Communion, until you are reconciled, because “communion,” comes from the word community. When we commit mortal sin, we do so, outside of the Church, and are not in union with her. So, it is important to go to Confession.

Also, though the sacrament of Penance, we receive grace from God, which helps us to become spiritually strong, so that we can avoid sin in the future.

So, yes, when you repent to God, your sins are forgiven, mortal and venial. But, you must be reconciled to the Church.

Look at confession as a gift, not as a burden.

One last point, by going to confession, and you should try to find a good confessor, and when you do, stick with him, he will give you counseling and advice. It may be your sins were not mortal sins in the first place and you’re guilt has been for nothing. So, get to confession, ASAP, you’ll be glad you did !

Jim

I may have misunderstood you above. For a baptized Catholic with full understanding, while God forgives sin at the moment of sorrow, it remains necessary and conditional for a baptized Catholic to attend the Sacrament of Penance in cases of mortal sin, which is actual reconciliation with God and His Church. We need remember too that a Sacrament is what it signifies and it is Christ in the Sacrament of Penance who is forgiving - not any human agency. The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Christ is God.

newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm

Whoever in fact repents of his sin out of love for God must be willing to comply with the Divine ordinance regarding penance, i.e., he would confess if a confessor were accessible, and he realizes that he is obliged to confess when he has the opportunity. But it does not follow that the penitent is at liberty to choose between two modes of obtaining forgiveness, one by an act of contrition independently of the sacrament, the other by confession and absolution.

Hence it is clear that not even heartfelt sorrow based on the highest motives, can, in the present order of salvation, dispense with the power of the keys, i.e., with the Sacrament of Penance.

Penance, therefore, is not an institution the use of which was left to the option of each sinner so that he might, if he preferred, hold aloof from the Church and secure forgiveness by some other means, e.g., by acknowledging his sin in the privacy of his own mind. As already stated, the power granted by Christ to the Apostles is twofold, to forgive and to retain, in such a way that what they forgive God forgives and what they retain God retains.

It would indeed have been strangely inconsistent if Christ in conferring this twofold power on the Apostles had intended to provide some other means of forgiveness such as confessing to God alone".

 

[JimR-OCDS]

BarbaraTherese

I may have misunderstood you above.

My fault.

For a baptized Catholic with full understanding, while God forgives sin at the moment of sorrow, it remains necessary and conditional for a baptized Catholic to attend the Sacrament of Penance in cases of mortal sin, which is actual reconciliation with God and His Church. We need remember too that a Sacrament is what it signifies and it is Christ in the Sacrament of Penance who is forgiving - not any human agency. The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Christ is God.

What I was attempting to say. Bold my emphasis.

I may have misunderstood from Angelofmusic, but from what I understood, she thought that if she asked God for forgiveness, she would not be forgiven if she didn’t make it to Confession and died beforehand. She feared that she would been doomed to hell. Such is not the case.

A priest, who knew Padre Pio, told a story on my retreat last year, of a woman, who had gone to Padre Pio to talk with him. She was in distress, because her son had committed suicide, by jumping off a bridge. She was distressed because her son was not a good Catholic, and had lived a sinful life. She feared that her son was in hell, for eternity. Padre Pio told her, that her son realised as soon as he jumped, he made a mistake. In a second before his death, he ask God for his forgiveness. God had forgiven her son and he was in heaven with him.

The the priest threw a little humor into the story by saying, "the lesson here, if you’re going to jump off a bridge, make sure its a high one, so you have time to repent before you hit.

Jim

 

[catharina]

I may have misunderstood you above. For a baptized Catholic with full understanding, while God forgives sin at the moment of sorrow, it remains necessary and conditional for a baptized Catholic to attend the Sacrament of Penance in cases of mortal sin, which is actual reconciliation with God and His Church. We need remember too that a Sacrament is what it signifies and it is Christ in the Sacrament of Penance who is forgiving - not any human agency. The Catholic Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Christ is God.

newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm

Barbara Therese - adding to your words with even further clarification, as a 62 yr-old cradle Catholic, I’ve always heard through Catholic teaching that one must bring any mortal sin to confession with a priest before one is free to receive the Eucharist. The point being that while only God can forgive sin, It is we who must bring true and full contrition to our confessions. Since it is nearly impossible for anyone with a habit of serious sin to attain that ‘special grace’ of true contrition, we are to rely on the confessional and the priest for forgiveness of any and all serious sin. True and full contrition for sin is not thought to be commonly available since it is the singular action of our detestation of sin as an offense against Almighty God and it carries no hint of fear of punishment for ourselves. One who acts in matters of serious sin is usually one without such contition. Hence, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Hope I’ve said that plainly enough.

 

[ElizabethPH]

I know I seriously need to confess my sins for forgiveness and I accept that. In fact, I thought I was ok with just praying to God as I lie in bed at night and ask His forgiveness for my sins, mortal and venial.I’d do this about 3 times a week, often accompanied by some Hail Marys, Our Fathers, Glory Bes,e.t.c. or even a full rosary (or two if I’m praying for special intentions!!) along with my Thanksgiving for the good he brings to my life. I always thought that was just fine. Confession doesn’t really exist in our church and even my mother and grandma who are both very Catholic people, didn’t go to Confession for years. I didn’t think the talking to the priest bit was necessary if you prefered talking with God.
But since coming on this forum, I’m worried that this might be unacceptable. To be forgiven for my mortal sins do I have to actually go and talk to the priest. I much prefer talking directly with God…is what I’m doing ok??? Will I still be forgiven??

CCC303: The acts of the penitent…They are: a careful *examination of conscience; contrition *(or repentance), which is perfect when it is motivated by love of God and imperfect if it rests on other motives and which includes the determination not to sin again; confession, which consists in the telling of one’s sins to the priest; and satisfaction or the carrying out of certain acts of penance which the confessor imposes upon the penitent to repair the damage caused by sin.

CCC305: Each of the faithful who has reached the age of discretion is bound to confess his or her mortal sins at least once a year and always before Holy Communion.

CCC307: Christ has entrusted the ministry of Reconciliation to his apostles, to the bishops who are their successors and to the priests who are the collaborators of the bishops, all of whom become thereby instruments of the mercy and justice of God. They exercise their power of forgiving in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

BarbaraTherese

My fault.

What I was attempting to say. Bold my emphasis.

I may have misunderstood from Angelofmusic, but from what I understood, she thought that if she asked God for forgiveness, she would not be forgiven if she didn’t make it to Confession and died beforehand. She feared that she would been doomed to hell. Such is not the case.

A priest, who knew Padre Pio, told a story on my retreat last year, of a woman, who had gone to Padre Pio to talk with him. She was in distress, because her son had committed suicide, by jumping off a bridge. She was distressed because her son was not a good Catholic, and had lived a sinful life. She feared that her son was in hell, for eternity. Padre Pio told her, that her son realised as soon as he jumped, he made a mistake. In a second before his death, he ask God for his forgiveness. God had forgiven her son and he was in heaven with him.

The the priest threw a little humor into the story by saying, "the lesson here, if you’re going to jump off a bridge, make sure its a high one, so you have time to repent before you hit.

Jim

Thanks Jim …I did feel probably there was a misunderstanding. I agree with all your comments above.

The the priest threw a little humor into the story by saying, "the lesson here, if you’re going to jump off a bridge, make sure its a high one, so you have time to repent before you hit.

Blessings and regards…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Barbara Therese - adding to your words with even further clarification, as a 62 yr-old cradle Catholic, I’ve always heard through Catholic teaching that one must bring any mortal sin to confession with a priest before one is free to receive the Eucharist. The point being that while only God can forgive sin, It is we who must bring true and full contrition to our confessions. Since it is nearly impossible for anyone with a habit of serious sin to attain that ‘special grace’ of true contrition, we are to rely on the confessional and the priest for forgiveness of any and all serious sin. True and full contrition for sin is not thought to be commonly available since it is the singular action of our detestation of sin as an offense against Almighty God and it carries no hint of fear of punishment for ourselves. One who acts in matters of serious sin is usually one without such contition. Hence, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Hope I’ve said that plainly enough.

Hi Catharina…indeed perfect contrition is rare probably. While God forgives at the moment of our sorrow, for a baptized Catholic of full understanding that forgiveness does presuppose that in the case of mortal sin we intend to go to Confession and at the first opportunity we do go.
As the quotation from New Advent I gave stated, Christ has given us the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and not a choice between private sorrow OR the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm
Penance, therefore, is not an institution the use of which was left to the option of each sinner so that he might, if he preferred, hold aloof from the Church and secure forgiveness by some other means, e.g., by acknowledging his sin in the privacy of his own mind. As already stated, the power granted by Christ to the Apostles is twofold, to forgive and to retain, in such a way that what they forgive God forgives and what they retain God retains.

 

[Burning4Christ]

In 1 tim 2:5-7 says “for there is One God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time.”

You see, Christ died for our sins as I’m sure all on this forum know. According to the apostle Paul, Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. It makes little sense to confess sins and ask for absolution from another sinner, for it says in Gods word that non are righteous, not even one. God is the only one who can provide absolution, confess your sins in prayer and ask God for forgiveness and Strength to not do them again.

I love you all, my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, Be blessed

Brendan M.

 

[ElizabethPH]

In 1 tim 2:5-7 says “for there is One God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time.”

You see, Christ died for our sins as I’m sure all on this forum know. According to the apostle Paul, Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. It makes little sense to confess sins and ask for absolution from another sinner, for it says in Gods word that non are righteous, not even one. God is the only one who can provide absolution, confess your sins in prayer and ask God for forgiveness and Strength to not do them again.

I love you all, my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, Be blessed

Brendan M.

from haydock’s commentary Ver. 5-6. One mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus: who gave himself a redemption for all. Take all these words together, and we may easily understand in what sense the apostle calls our Saviour Christ, the one or only mediator; that is, he is the only mediator, who at the same time is our Redeemer; the only mediator who could mediate betwixt God, the person offended by sin, and men the offenders; the only mediator who reconciled God to mankind by his incarnation and death, by the infinite price of his blood, by his own merits, independently of the merits of any other. All Catholics allow that the dignity and office of mediator in this sense belongs only to our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, made man to save us. The sense then of this place is, that as there is but one God, who created all, so there is but one mediator, who redeemed all. But yet the name of mediator is not so appropriated to Christ, but that in an inferior and different sense the Angels and saints in heaven, and even men on earth, who pray to God for the salvation of others, may be called mediators, intercessors, or advocates; and we may apply ourselves to them to pray, intercede, and mediate for us, without any injury to Christ, since we acknowledge that all their intercession and mediation is always grounded on the merits of Christ, our Redeemer.

As for confessing sins see
Jn20:23
Jn20:22
2Cor5:17-20
as well as
James 5:13-15 and Jam5:16
and try
Mt 18:18

 

[LatinOnlyPlease]

“Confession A little book for the Reluctant” by Msgr Louis Gaston de Segur This is a small booklet available from TAN it only costs a dollar or two…I highly recommend it, and if someone can’t find it and wants it I’ll be happy to send you one, gratis Dominus Vobiscum

 

[Praise_Jesus]

Praise be Jesus Christ and Mary! Now and forever! Amen.

Ok, I know I have to confess my sins to a Priest. Is it still a valid confession if I call upon St. Padre Pio to hear my confessions? I usually call upon him, he is my patron saint. I asked him to come hear my confessions. Often time I feel that he is there and I confess my sins. He is a priest, and once a priest is always a priest. I also know that he has the gift of bi location so I know he could be in heaven and be with me at the same time. Now if I truly believe he absolved me of my sins do I still need to go to another priest?

Christus Vinci, Christus Regnant, Christus Imperat!
Jimmy