Confession for Catechumenates

[cardonius]

Hello. I am considering going joining the Catholic Church. I have a question about confessions for catechumens.

From what I can tell, catechumens, do not have to go to confession before baptism, correct? This is because only baptized people can receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

I’m just worried about having to remember all my sins. Frankly, I have tried to forget most of my sins because I fear if I keep freshly remembering them, I will be paralyzed by guilt and regret. I try to learn from them, and then move on and not dwell on them. Although I’m sure that this a problem that many people who have not gone to confession in many years face.

 

[Phemie]

Hello. I am considering going joining the Catholic Church. I have a question about confessions for catechumens.

From what I can tell, catechumens, do not have to go to confession before baptism, correct? This is because only baptized people can receive the sacrament of reconciliation.

I’m just worried about having to remember all my sins. Frankly, I have tried to forget most of my sins because I fear if I keep freshly remembering them, I will be paralyzed by guilt and regret. I try to learn from them, and then move on and not dwell on them. Although I’m sure that this a problem that many people who have not gone to confession in many years face.

If you are a catechumen, no, you will not have to go to confession before your baptism since Baptism will wash away all your sins. That means that the only sins you will have to confess at your first confession will be those you have committed since your baptism.

So before you are baptized, remember your sins, regret them and then know that as soon as you feel that water, your sins are being washed away with it.

 

[Dorothy]

If a person has already been baptized and it is known to be a valid Baptism, then the Sacrament of Reconciliation would be required.

In that case the person should just do their best to remember their sins, make a sincere confession, and all is well.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience.”

So if you do not remember the grave sins, then obviously you cannot confess them. But reconciliation is achieved by confessing the ones you do remember.