Confession: Does it have to be to a Priest?

[catharina]

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

If you wanted your children baptized in the Church, you would NOT depend on Padre Pio arriving - invisibly - to perform the Baptisms. If your mother needed to recieve the Last Rites (the Sacrament of the Sick), you would not be free to call upon the deceased St. Padre Pio to do so. Do you understand?

 

[ElizabethPH]

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

Yes

 

[bridgid]

I was attending Catechism at what I call a "contemporary Roman Catholic Church.” Beings that it was the first Catholic Church I ever went to I feel that it helped ease me in to the catholic faith. I wasn’t able to attend very many meetings because I’m in the military and work as a night shift corpsman in the NICU. But one that I did attend the topic of discussion was confession in order to take communion. This church said that one didn’t need to confess simply because we are all sinners and during the first breaking of the bread Jesus him self didn’t discriminate as to not commune with the sinners at His table.

Matthew 26

25And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.

26And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body.

27And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this.

28For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins.

29And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.

Granted im not catholic yet but it seems that the things that are of sinful nature about me are between me and God for only He can be the one to truly for give my sins. may be its because telling my issues to any one but God seems foreign to me… it almost seem like it would be like gossip. plus if i were to go to confession i would most likely be there for hours gabbing about this that and the other thing all of which would have some thing to do with the sin at hand and im sure that the priest and i would some how get side tract and end up talking about the sour milk i drank two days ago and how even that could have been the Lords way of punishing me for forgetting to clean out my cats litter box or possibly the fact that im on birth control. Some how i doubt that neglecting my ***** cats would be considered a sin but if im guilty than im in sin. any whoo they told us that the only way one couldn’t be in communion with them is if one wasn’t catholic with i don’t necessarily agree with either cause even Jesus wasn’t catholic he was Jewish. maybe this is the full extent of my ignorance but hey I’ve heard a lot of sides to a lot of stories. and wouldn’t a spouse get mad if their significant other confided in a priest who is a total stranger is stead of telling the spouse right out? but i guess im leaning to much unto my own understanding where for i should be trusting in the Lord… hummm but then again is talking to a priest taking to God? Why do i need a middle man who is but just that a man?
John 14:6: Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.
So why should I seek the counsel of man when I can seek the counsel of the Lord Him self… may be I should consider it sort of like the military chain of command but even there I’ve found that I skip people and go straight to the source. Am I to pray to man or to God… who am I to praise for the wonders of the world man or God? If I am well it is because of the Lord not because of man. God inspires man to create great things no the other way around. So why would I go to man to gain Wisdom of the things of God?
1 Corinthians 2:10: But to us God hath revealed them, by this Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
God answers all of my questions as I diligently seek him. I’m not saying that I cannot gain knowledge from man but it is not man that I’m gaining knowledge from. It is the Lord. This is what I’ve learned through out my walk with the Lord, that I cannot serve man… I must serve the Lord… in all ways always…
I’m sure yall will correct me if yall feel I’m wrong…
Blessed Be and much clown love
Bridged…

 

[ElizabethPH]

I was attending Catechism at what I call a "contemporary Roman Catholic Church.” Beings that it was the first Catholic Church I ever went to I feel that it helped ease me in to the catholic faith. I wasn’t able to attend very many meetings because I’m in the military and work as a night shift corpsman in the NICU. But one that I did attend the topic of discussion was confession in order to take communion. This church said that one didn’t need to confess simply because we are all sinners and during the first breaking of the bread Jesus him self didn’t discriminate as to not commune with the sinners at His table

Granted im not catholic yet but it seems that the things that are of sinful nature about me are between me and God for only He can be the one to truly for give my sins. may be its because telling my issues to any one but God seems foreign to me… it almost seem like it would be like gossip. plus if i were to go to confession i would most likely be there for hours gabbing about this that and the other thing all of which would have some thing to do with the sin at hand and im sure that the priest and i would some how get side tract and end up talking about the sour milk…

You can’t just be Catholic and not believe in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There are lots of threads on confession throughout these forums. I hope you read them That parish telling you, you don’t have to go to confession is wrong; that is not what the Church teaches. We confess our sins to a priest because Jesus gave to His Apostles the authority to forgive sins. Mat 18:18 Jn.20:21-23 The Apostles passed this authority on to their successors, the Bishops, who in turn extend this authority to the Priests. Confession never turns into a gossip fest. Confession is structured to where the priest will/might comment or council or ask for clarification but not always. You are not confessing your sins to a priest but to Christ through the priest. Your first confession most likely will be lengthy and one that will no doubt be a huge burden lifted from your soul. The graces received by going to confession are abundant and will leave you most undoubtedly feeling that, and most prepared to receive Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

And this article might be helpful: catholic.com/library/Forgiveness_of_Sins.asp

 

[Lukelion]

Scott Hahn has a very good book that clarified confession for me. It is called
Lord Have Mercy, The Healing Power Of Confession

 

[mercygate]

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

I would phrase that differently.

If you are nervous about going to confession, that’s OK. Sure, Priests HAVE heard all kinds of sins, but it’s one thing to know that and another to 'fess up for yourself.

If you are nervous, just offer that up as part of your penance.

There is a line in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure where a young girl, pregnant out of wedlock, says: “I do repent me, as it is an evil, And take the shame with joy.”

Great attitude. “Take the shame with joy” – at being able to approach the boundless mercy of our Lord.

 

[mercygate]

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.

Dear Burning,

Your heart is in the right place but you haven’t a clue about the Mediation of Christ as Catholics view this. Christ is the one mediator because of his unique Person as true God and true Man. The mediation is a profound theological reality and not a function done by a third-party arbitrator. Christ’s evangel is the reconciliation of sinful man to God through his Incarnation, passion, death, and resurrection.

In John 20, on Easter night, (i.e., the very day of the Resurrection), He breathed on the Apostles and conferred upon them the ability to forgive and retain sins. His evangel is entirely about releasing man from the chains of sin, and he committed the immediate power to do that to His Apostles (and by extension to those who came after them in communion with them).

The Greek is clear, despite a frequently heard quibble from non-Catholics that the Apostles were given the power to “preach” forgiveness. Nah. It is clear as gin: Whose sins y’all forgive are forgiven. You can’t know what may be forgiven or retained unless you (and the person himself) knows what the problem is. Ergo: confession.

You should try it. Lot’s of non-Catholics are starting to take James 5:16 seriously. Of course, they lack the power of the Keys and they lack the seal, but they still get a lot of good out of it.

 

[mercygate]

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??

Angel, I once had a very difficult confession to make. Really ugly. Very embarrassing. Humiliating. Nasty, nasty, nasty. But I knew that confession was the gate back to the Father. I asked Jesus to make that confession for me. And He did. He is always more ready to forgive than we are to repent.

 

[mikeledes]

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.

You are very nice. God bless you.

God Bless,
Michael

 

[LilyM]

Yes

Did you read the post correctly? The poster thinks confessing to the spirit of St Padre Pio is a substitute for confessing to a physically live and breathing priest which it most certainly isn’t by any stretch of the imagination.

Physically living human beings need physically living priests, not spirits, to perform the Sacraments for them. Otherwise there’s no need even of the spirit of St Padre Pio, as Jesus would always perform the sacraments His own self for us with no intermediaries. HE appointed the intermediaries and that’s why we need to use them!

Angel, I once had a very difficult confession to make. Really ugly. Very embarrassing. Humiliating. Nasty, nasty, nasty. But I knew that confession was the gate back to the Father. I asked Jesus to make that confession for me. And He did. He is always more ready to forgive than we are to repent.

Again, I hope you didn’t mean for Jesus to make the confession INSTEAD of you, and that you did personally confess to a priest. I know you probably did, but given the poor erring people who think confessing personally to another human being is unnecessary, it’s best to clarify.

 

[mercygate]

Did you read the post correctly? The poster thinks confessing to the spirit of St Padre Pio is a substitute for confessing to a physically live and breathing priest which it most certainly isn’t by any stretch of the imagination.

Physically living human beings need physically living priests, not spirits, to perform the Sacraments for them. Otherwise there’s no need even of the spirit of St Padre Pio, as Jesus would always perform the sacraments His own self for us with no intermediaries. HE appointed the intermediaries and that’s why we need to use them!

Again, I hope you didn’t mean for Jesus to make the confession INSTEAD of you, and that you did personally confess to a priest. I know you probably did, but given the poor erring people who think confessing personally to another human being is unnecessary, it’s best to clarify.

O good grief! I HOPE I did not give the impression that confessing to the air is the same thing as REAL confession.

What I meant when I said that “I asked Jesus” to make my confession for me was that I had prayed: “Jesus: If this confession is going to be what it NEEDS to be, you’re going to have to do it for me!” Translation: Jesus: give me the clarity of vision, and the integrity to SEE my sins as you see them, and to CONFESS them fully, honestly, modestly and without squirming TO THE PRIEST.

So if you took my “yes” quoted above as meaning it’s OK to CONFESS to St Pio, the answer is NO. It is a dandy thing to ask St. Pio to interced for you when you prepare your confession, but ya gotta do the deed yourself and it has to be with a real, live Catholic Priest. Period.

Glad you challenged me on that; I would not want to have any misunderstanding on this question floating around out there.

 

[ElizabethPH]

Did you read the post correctly? The poster thinks confessing to the spirit of St Padre Pio is a substitute for confessing to a physically live and breathing priest which it most certainly isn’t by any stretch of the imagination.

Physically living human beings need physically living priests, not spirits, to perform the Sacraments for them. Otherwise there’s no need even of the spirit of St Padre Pio, as Jesus would always perform the sacraments His own self for us with no intermediaries. HE appointed the intermediaries and that’s why we need to use them!

Again, I hope you didn’t mean for Jesus to make the confession INSTEAD of you, and that you did personally confess to a priest. I know you probably did, but given the poor erring people who think confessing personally to another human being is unnecessary, it’s best to clarify.

Yes Lily I believe I understood his post and was answering his question that he stated at the end of his post: **’“Now if I truly believe he absolved me of my sins do I still need to go to another priest?” ** I was saying YES he needs to go to a priest. I’m sorry for not clarifying that.

 

[geekborj]

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??

God is more that great! I can only hope for the mercy of God that you are doing OK. You MIGHT be forgiven if you are truly contrite and truly repent. But in our human soul, this leaves us DOUBT. Thus this is just a hope and there is a possibility of being NOT. So, God gave us SURE grace through Confession (Sacrament of Penance) to give us a confident proof that we are indeed forgiven. Your contrite heart is already a ticket to this SURE forgiveness, i say go!

 

[geekborj]

Angel, I once had a very difficult confession to make. Really ugly. Very embarrassing. Humiliating. Nasty, nasty, nasty. But I knew that confession was the gate back to the Father. I asked Jesus to make that confession for me. And He did. He is always more ready to forgive than we are to repent.

Glory be to God! Just like what He said to be humble before Him so He will raise us up! Let us all be like branches connected to the Tree of Life. Confession “grafts” us back to the Main Branch so that we may have life eternally. Humiliate yourself before Him, be ugly before Him, show how nasty you are and just like me, indeed, He is always ready to forgive a contrite heart.

 

[bridgid]

You can’t just be Catholic and not believe in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There are lots of threads on confession throughout these forums. I hope you read them That parish telling you, you don’t have to go to confession is wrong; that is not what the Church teaches. We confess our sins to a priest because Jesus gave to His Apostles the authority to forgive sins. Mat 18:18 Jn.20:21-23 The Apostles passed this authority on to their successors, the Bishops, who in turn extend this authority to the Priests. Confession never turns into a gossip fest. Confession is structured to where the priest will/might comment or council or ask for clarification but not always. You are not confessing your sins to a priest but to Christ through the priest. Your first confession most likely will be lengthy and one that will no doubt be a huge burden lifted from your soul. The graces received by going to confession are abundant and will leave you most undoubtedly feeling that, and most prepared to receive Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

And this article might be helpful: catholic.com/library/Forgiveness_of_Sins.asp

so dose this mean i cant pray directly to God any more and still have my sins forgiven? what if i got deployed where there were no catholic priests or any priests for that matter say they where all muslam or pagan. who then do i confess to in my hour of death. or if im in a state that has little when it comes to catholisism, or if im POW-MIA… or stuck isolated in a desert and left for dead… who then may i confess if only to a priest. i do not mean to be a pain… im just courious and want to be right in the things of God. i some times get the feeling that it seems i must please man for man to feel i pleaseing God… i want to feel im pleasing God for God not for man…
i feel im always wrong unless i talk directly to God… im constantly in prayer with Him and continuously seek Him always… and i see His mericals and His answers to my Questions… will a get the same by confiding/confessing/and/or asking of a preist? this is all just majorly perplixing and contradictory to me… But of course im not yet Catholic yet… and really im finding it hard to find answers to my questions… all of my life ive heard God in my heart even when i didnt want to listen… i fear dont hear Him when i seek the things of catholisism. like no matter what i do Hes not pleased with me anymore and and i dont feel His presents as i always have. how can i talk to a preist as if he were God? i miss my relationship with the Lord… i ask Him where He is and i feel alone as if He dosent answere… may be instead of seeking catholisism i sould just go back to seeking Him…
Blessed be and much clown love
Bridgid…

 

[mercygate]

so dose this mean i cant pray directly to God any more and still have my sins forgiven? what if i got deployed where there were no catholic priests or any priests for that matter say they where all muslam or pagan. who then do i confess to in my hour of death. or if im in a state that has little when it comes to catholisism, or if im POW-MIA… or stuck isolated in a desert and left for dead… who then may i confess if only to a priest. i do not mean to be a pain… im just courious and want to be right in the things of God. i some times get the feeling that it seems i must please man for man to feel i pleaseing God… i want to feel im pleasing God for God not for man…
i feel im always wrong unless i talk directly to God… im constantly in prayer with Him and continuously seek Him always… and i see His mericals and His answers to my Questions… will a get the same by confiding/confessing/and/or asking of a preist? this is all just majorly perplixing and contradictory to me… But of course im not yet Catholic yet… and really im finding it hard to find answers to my questions… all of my life ive heard God in my heart even when i didnt want to listen… i fear dont hear Him when i seek the things of catholisism. like no matter what i do Hes not pleased with me anymore and and i dont feel His presents as i always have. how can i talk to a preist as if he were God? i miss my relationship with the Lord… i ask Him where He is and i feel alone as if He dosent answere… may be instead of seeking catholisism i sould just go back to seeking Him…
Blessed be and much clown love
Bridgid…

I hear your heart.

But the Catholic Church is old and wise. She does not require what cannot be done. All of the extreme conditions you describe, where a priest is unavailable are cases in which God is merciful. After all, forgiveness belongs to Him.

But all of those extreme conditions are just that: extreme. It would be very unwise to live your normal, daily life based on a pattern that applies in an emergency. It would be unwise to make the exception become the rule.

The answer to your question about whether it will be the “same” confiding to a priest is both yes and no. In some ways it feels a LOT better. And God is there in that encounter more “real-lyl” than he is when you pray alone because confession was His plan for our spiritual good. God does NOT leave the room!

As for not feeling God’s presence now, I speculate (without knowing you at all) that maybe your search for Catholicism might be part of a response to a wider sense of distance from God. These “presences” and “distances” are a normal part of life in faith.

Don’t stumble over the practices of the Catholic faith. When you have a question – like the one you raise here – ask it of your priest. ASK a question. Don’t just assume that all these “rules” are nothing more than a bunch of things piled up to close off your relationship with Christ. The “rules” are the railroad tracks that keep you pointed in the right direction. But ALWAYS ask WHY the rules are there. There is nothing worse than following blindly and resenting something you do not understand.

Godspeed.

 

[bridgid]

I hear your heart.

But the Catholic Church is old and wise. She does not require what cannot be done. All of the extreme conditions you describe, where a priest is unavailable are cases in which God is merciful. After all, forgiveness belongs to Him.

But all of those extreme conditions are just that: extreme. It would be very unwise to live your normal, daily life based on a pattern that applies in an emergency. It would be unwise to make the exception become the rule.

The answer to your question about whether it will be the “same” confiding to a priest is both yes and no. In some ways it feels a LOT better. And God is there in that encounter more “real-lyl” than he is when you pray alone because confession was His plan for our spiritual good. God does NOT leave the room!

As for not feeling God’s presence now, I speculate (without knowing you at all) that maybe your search for Catholicism might be part of a response to a wider sense of distance from God. These “presences” and “distances” are a normal part of life in faith.

Don’t stumble over the practices of the Catholic faith. When you have a question – like the one you raise here – ask it of your priest. ASK a question. Don’t just assume that all these “rules” are nothing more than a bunch of things piled up to close off your relationship with Christ. The “rules” are the railroad tracks that keep you pointed in the right direction. But ALWAYS ask WHY the rules are there. There is nothing worse than following blindly and resenting something you do not understand.

Godspeed.

i praise the lord for sending you to answer my question with empathy and compassion and fior telling me why. some times feel that when i ask a question im a burden. i dont mean to be. i want to know these things so that when i have the five childern my fiance and i plann to have i dont look like an idiot an out of the loop about the truth about God. i would ask a priest but it always seems like they are to busy with the bigger things of God. i look to the Lords word a lot… i just wanted to say thank the Lord for you and may He continue to bless you with the understanding of His ways.
blessed be and much clown love
Bridgit…

 

[mercygate]

i praise the lord for sending you to answer my question with empathy and compassion and fior telling me why. some times feel that when i ask a question im a burden. i dont mean to be. i want to know these things so that when i have the five childern my fiance and i plann to have i dont look like an idiot an out of the loop about the truth about God. i would ask a priest but it always seems like they are to busy with the bigger things of God. i look to the Lords word a lot… i just wanted to say thank the Lord for you and may He continue to bless you with the understanding of His ways.
blessed be and much clown love
Bridgit…

There are a couple of handy books you might want to get. I like Catholicism for Dummies. Honest – it’s really a good book. There is also the *Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. *It’s a Q&A format book, not very big, that walks you through the basics at an adult level. For examination of conscience there is a handy booklet called “A Contemporary Adult Guide to Conscience”. It casts light on “grown up” matters in a sensitive way (no: I don’t mean “adult” the way the magazine shop means “adult”!

Thank you for your kind words. I can be a hard-nose when it comes to doctrine. But the Sacrament of Mercy has been a HUGE grace in my life. My confessor is a saint. And the Lord has worked miracles for me through Confession.

Let me keep you tucked in my prayers in a special way. You are on a great adventure.

 

[Albmore]

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??

No you must not go to a Priest. The bible tells us to confess our sins to one another, not to a preist. Also with the 5 hail Mary’s ect. Jesus himself told us not to say prayers in repetition as the Pharisies did wanting to be heard with their many words but to go into our prayer closet alone and confess them unto the Lord. That is if you wish to believe what the bible says or not.

 

[mercygate]

No you must not go to a Priest. The bible tells us to confess our sins to one another, not to a preist.

You seem quite sure of yourself. Tell us, how does a Priest not qualify as “another” to whom one might confess?

Also with the 5 hail Mary’s ect. Jesus himself told us not to say prayers in repetition as the Pharisies did wanting to be heard with their many words but to go into our prayer closet alone and confess them unto the Lord. That is if you wish to believe what the bible says or not.

We not only believe what the Bible says, but we also get our quotations right. Jesus said not to make VAIN repetitions “as the heathen do” – not “the Pharisees” – and Jesus did not denounce ALL repetition. If Psalm 136 is in your Bible, then you accuse Jesus of “vain repetition” because as a good Jew, He prayed the Psalms. There is a WHOLE lot of repetition in Ps. 136.

Jesus’ counsel to go into one’s “closet” to pray is not a specific reference to confession – and I don’t see how it applies here anyway. Do you pray in church? Or do you save it exclusively for your “closet?”

Your counsel here, “you must not confess to a priest” shows a complete lack of awareness of what the Catholic Church believes about confession, WHY we do it as we do, WHERE the Scriptural warrants are found, what the conditions are under which it is effective, or HOW the power of forgiveness of sins is transmitted to the Priest from Christ through HIS Church.