Confession for baptized?

[BrownR]

I was curious as to why confession is required for those in RCIA who are baptized and intend on joining the Church on Easter? What is the theological or doctrinal reasoning for this exactly? Can one join the Church if they didn’t go to confession? Thanks.

I realize why the Sacrament is necessary for all Catholics, I’m just specifically curious as to why the baptized are called to confess before Holy Week and Easter when they join. Couldn’t they join the Church and go to confession the day after?

 

[jmcrae]

I was curious as to why confession is required for those in RCIA who are baptized and intend on joining the Church on Easter? What is the theological or doctrinal reasoning for this exactly? Can one join the Church if they didn’t go to confession? Thanks.

They go to Confession to purify themselves so that they can receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion in the state of grace.

I realize why the Sacrament is necessary for all Catholics, I’m just specifically curious as to why the baptized are called to confess before Holy Week and Easter when they join. Couldn’t they join the Church and go to confession the day after?

Because they have never been, before, and it is likely that they have some sins on their conscience that they need to confess before they will be in a worthy state to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion.

Keep in mind, we can’t receive the graces of the Sacraments if we are in a state of sin at the time that we receive them.

 

[BrownR]

Ok, here’s a hypothetical in that case:

So, what if someone gave a confession 2 weeks before communion, and committed a mortal sin during that time. They then were remorseful and contrite, prayed for forgiveness but didn’t have an opportunity to confess again before receiving communion. Does that prevent them from joining the Church?

 

[jmcrae]

Ok, here’s a hypothetical in that case:

So, what if someone gave a confession 2 weeks before communion, and committed a mortal sin during that time. They then were remorseful and contrite, prayed for forgiveness but didn’t have an opportunity to confess again before receiving communion. Does that prevent them from joining the Church?

What that person would need to do is arrange to make a good Confession before receiving First Holy Communion.

(One of the reasons that the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults recommends making Confession available to the Candidates during the day on Easter Vigil is precisely because of this scenario, which is probably fairly common - bad habits don’t break themselves, after all - and two weeks can be a long time, for some people.)

If the person was too shy to arrange to go to Confession, and if Reconciliation was not made available to him on the Saturday, then he could still enter the Church, but he would not receive the graces of the Sacraments until he had made a good Confession, at his earliest possible convenience.

 

[Pug]

Feelings here.

Okay, I know I’m going to sound like an idiot here, but surely a baptized person can go some time without a mortal sin. Isn’t it possible that a converting Protestant who was baptized as an adult can wend his way to the Easter Vigil without having done a mortal sin since that time?

Of course, grace is required. I’m not denying anything here. Just it seems offensive to think he has to have sinned mortally, like somehow it is impossible to keep the commandments (for a baptized person cooperating with grace).

I’m not saying that you’re saying that, just that is sometimes how it makes me feel when I hear the policy about confession before the Vigil. I wonder if those who are converting (I know, we oughtn’t call them that, but that is the word that will be understood by most readers) struggle with this in any way.

To reiterate, this is a feeling post. I’m trying to say how it makes me feel sometimes.

 

[MelanieAnne]

A baptized candidate can choose to go to confession early during the RCIA process if they wish. It’s their choice. They will still need a confession closer to the day of confirmation. Adult candidates come in all ages & some may have a lot to talk about. If they wish to make their first confession as much as a year before confirmation, they are welcome to do so. If they choose to wait, that’s OK too. This is, at least, the information provided in answer to that question at my local parish.

Melanie

 

[BrownR]

Interesting. I guess I was just specifically curious as to whether someone could technically enter the Church with an “unabsolved mortal sin”, or if confession was mandated for all candidates because they were specifically forbidden from entering the Church with the stain of any mortal sin on their soul. It sounds as if this is not the case, but certainly the desire of the Church for all entering candidates. I wasn’t able to find any references or official explanations that the Church gives for this specific requirement, hence my curiosity.

Thanks for the comments so far.

 

[puzzleannie]

I was curious as to why confession is required for those in RCIA who are baptized and intend on joining the Church on Easter? What is the theological or doctrinal reasoning for this exactly? Can one join the Church if they didn’t go to confession? Thanks.

I realize why the Sacrament is necessary for all Catholics, I’m just specifically curious as to why the baptized are called to confess before Holy Week and Easter when they join. Couldn’t they join the Church and go to confession the day after?

because confession is required before first communion, and confession, for the baptized, is required before we can validly receive any of the other sacraments. It is a requirement of canon law. The reason it is required is that one must be in a state of sanctifying grace to receive the other sacraments. It would be a very rare adult, one close to sainthood, who had no mortal sins to confess before completing the initiation sacraments.

 

[John_Lilburne]

I was curious as to why confession is required for those in RCIA who are baptized and intend on joining the Church on Easter? What is the theological or doctrinal reasoning for this exactly? Can one join the Church if they didn’t go to confession? …

According to the liturgical book “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”:
“395 If the profession of faith and reception take place within Mass, the candidate, according to his or her own conscience, should make a confession of sins beforehand, first informing the confessor that he or she is about to be received into full communion. Any confessor who is lawfully approved may hear the candidate’s confession.”

So the confession is not an absolute requirement. If the candidate, according to their conscience, believes they have not commited serious sins (or have been absolved of them, perhaps by baptism) then they would not need to go to confession. Of course it would seem like an appropriate time, they should be know about it, and it should be offered to them.

 

[JimG]

We require first confession before first communion even for children.

 

[rwoehmke]

In 15 years of working with Candidates in RCIA, I have yet to hear anyone who was not "tickled pink"by the opportunity to go to confession. In fact some have said it was the “high point” of their preparation to be received into the Church. They seem to apprteciate the value more than some cradle Catholics I know.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I was curious as to why confession is required for those in RCIA who are baptized and intend on joining the Church on Easter? What is the theological or doctrinal reasoning for this exactly? Can one join the Church if they didn’t go to confession? Thanks.

I realize why the Sacrament is necessary for all Catholics, I’m just specifically curious as to why the baptized are called to confess before Holy Week and Easter when they join. Couldn’t they join the Church and go to confession the day after?

Because no one can receive a Sacrament of the living, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Communion, Ordination with unconfessed Mortal sins on their soul. If a Baptized person has never gone to Confession before, it is unlikely that they have never sinned since their Baptism.

They could go through the motions of joining, attempting to fool God, but would receive no spiritual benefit.

 

[jmcrae]

To reiterate, this is a feeling post. I’m trying to say how it makes me feel sometimes.

It would be worse if they were told that they had the option, and out of fear (because the idea of First Confession can be quite terrifying, for a lot people) they decided to fool themselves into thinking that their sins weren’t mortal - and approached the Sacraments sacreligiously.

That’s why we don’t really give them a choice in the matter.

If they have no mortal sins to confess, it won’t harm them to sit and chat with the priest and get to know the routine of how to go to Confession, while confessing their venial sins. And if they do have mortal sins to confess, then of course they will receive the graces of the Absolution.

Of course, both of them will receive the Plenary Indulgence for First Holy Communion, when they go to receive it on the Easter Vigil.

 

[puzzleannie]

According to the liturgical book “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”:
"So the confession is not an absolute requirement. If the candidate, according to their conscience, believes they have not commited serious sins (or have been absolved of them, .

confession before first communion is an absolute requirement, see the relevant laws posted many times in the discussion of this topic for first communicants.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

We require first confession before first communion even for children.

Children must be catechized and given the opportunity to make a Confession before receiving Holy Communion. “First Confession” however is never recorded in the Sacramental records. First confession should never be a large public parish event, but a personal matter with the parent and child.

Same applies to Adults being received they should be catechized about sin, the Sacrament and given the opportunity.

 

[JimG]

Children must be catechized and given the opportunity to make a Confession before receiving Holy Communion. “First Confession” however is never recorded in the Sacramental records. First confession should never be a large public parish event, but a personal matter with the parent and child.

You are of course correct. No confession ever goes into the parish records. I sometimes think though, that it may be a pedagogical mistake not to make first confession at least a “group” event. Some children, as well as adults, may be thinking, “you mean I have to do this all by myself? Where’s the support of the group I have been with all along?” Being part of the group eases their fears.

 

[Joan_M]

You are of course correct. No confession ever goes into the parish records. I sometimes think though, that it may be a pedagogical mistake not to make first confession at least a “group” event. Some children, as well as adults, may be thinking, “you mean I have to do this all by myself? Where’s the support of the group I have been with all along?” Being part of the group eases their fears.

I presume that the group would simply be in the church together and, perhaps, listen to an examination of conscience together while waiting for their individual confession - all by themselves

Many parishes and Catholic schools will do this. I believe this is how my children experienced confession the first time.

 

[Pug]

It would be worse if they were told that they had the option, and out of fear (because the idea of First Confession can be quite terrifying, for a lot people) they decided to fool themselves into thinking that their sins weren’t mortal - and approached the Sacraments sacreligiously.

That’s why we don’t really give them a choice in the matter.

This is true. Thanks. I suppose I know this, but sometimes you just need to hear someone else say it to remind you.:yup:

 

[BrownR]

Well, after reading all the posts regarding the matter, I was paranoid enough to seek out penance on Saturday just to be conservative on the matter. Ironically, it was kind of tough to find someone who was receiving confessions on Saturday. It’s also interesting to see different priest’s opinions/attitudes about various sins as well as how often one should go to confession. The first priest encouraged me to go once every few months or once a year, whereas the second one encouraged me to go once a month. He said that personally he had a real problem with the “once or twice” a year philosophy. I’m very fond of the first priest though and respect anything he has to say, so I realize that there is an element of interpretation and relativism within spiritual advice from a priest. Ironically though, I actually felt more comfortable doing the second penance which was to pray a decade of the rosary. My first penance had been to spend 10 minutes or so outside in the Spring weather doing some spiritual reflection.

Pug, while I can respect your opinion, I have a real problem with your pretentious and judgmental attitude. Who are you to judge the “sinfulness” of a person who is entering the Church for the first time? What gave you the right to any sense of moral sagacity into their own personal life? Because judging is precisely what you are doing in sharing your “feelings” on the matter. Who are you to know anything about their life and the challenges or struggles that they might face on a daily or weekly basis, or the life of sin that they might come from? Perhaps their own definition of “mortal sin” just so happens to be ironically a tad bit more conservative than your own? Regardless, I would have a real problem with you or anyone being anything less than supportive and encouraging to a person getting ready to enter the RCC for the first time and wanting to do the “right thing” irrespective of whether they want to confess for the 2nd time or the 11th time before Easter Vigil. Do the candidates and elect in your local parish a favor by keeping those self righteous opinions to yourself. I think new members of the Catholic Church, if anything, should be encouraged to confess more, not less, regardless of what tradition they come from. After all, there seems to be an utter paucity of frequency with Catholics today taking part in confession on a regular basis if the statistics are to be believed. Surely Catholics aren’t merely growing more “holy” by the year?

 

[Pug]

Pug, while I can respect your opinion, I have a real problem with your pretentious and judgmental attitude. Who are you to judge the “sinfulness” of a person who is entering the Church for the first time?

Perhaps you misunderstood me, but I’m not sure, so perhaps I misunderstand myself. I can have no idea what is in their heart, and I didn’t think I said that I did. I do not know what is in their life. I simply cannot.

I think it is great to encourage confession, and I do encourage it. If a candidate expressed a need to go again even right before the Vigil, I would respond by encouraging them to approach the priest, or by offering to get a priest into a box for them. For some people, confession is best quite often. For example, a person struggling with self-abuse might benefit. I have zero issue with this. That is what the sacrament is there for. I do not think Catholics are in less need of this healing sacrament than they were before. It could help so many people, and is designed for us.

The thing I dislike is when it is implied that there is some way to guarantee that *every *baptized person will do a mortal sin in a certain amount of time, say, two years, no matter how God might have aided the person, so that they can point to such a person and say he needs to go to confession on account of mortal sin. Nobody on the thread implied it, and the policies surely do not imply it, but sometimes certain things get my back up on the local level. I’m not sure why. That is why I spoke up here because I felt reasonably confident jmcrae would offer an enlightening comment (and so it was).

I hope that makes it clearer. Even if it doesn’t, I apologize for messing up your thread. Looking back, I see how what worried me is the opposite of what you were asking about, so my post was confusing in that context.