Confession for unconfirmed

[DL82]

I am still in the very early stages of RCIA, i.e. not going to be confirmed this Easter.

All the same, I would like to make confession. I used to go to ‘confession’ as an Anglican, and found it helpful. I’d like to know, first of all, that all the sins I confessed to my Anglican priest have been re-confessed to a valid Catholic priest and absolved, and also have some things on my conscience that I need to receive absolution for.

I know that candidates for confirmation are given confession before they are received. Does that mean any baptised Christian who is serious about becoming Catholic can confess?

I really don’t want to leave it a whole other year without attending confession at least once.

It’s difficult being in this limbo, I can’t go back and receive the sacraments in the Anglican church because their orders are not valid, but I can’t yet receive the true sacrament in the Catholic Church. At least if I still had confession as a link to the Church it would be some consolation.

 

[Gene_Church]

I know it is very difficult to wait. I have a son being received into the Church this Easter, a blessing for me, and for him.

As to confession, yes, you would need to reconfess your sins to a Catholic priest, since, as the Anglican orders are not valid, neither can an Anglican priest act in persona Christi.

Discuss these concerns with the priest handling your RCIA program for guidance as to your ability to confess. It may be decided that you are at a point where confession is a possibility.

 

[MelanieAnne]

In our parish, the RCIA program instructors have stated that baptized candidates are eligible to confess prior to confirmation. I suggest you ask about this at your next meeting.

Melanie