Confession frequency

  • Thread starter Thread starter Elena_26
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

Elena_26

Guest
I am new to this forum, so I don’t know if anyone has asked about this before.
I know what the official rule of the church is about confession (at least once year…). Also making sure that you are taking communion in a state of grace, which means that you would probably be going more than once 😃
However, I have close friends that have been told by a priest that they should not go so often. She was going once a week, and then once a month.
I have also heard that certain priests teach that one should go at least once a month. Then you have the other extreme, which say that it is too often once a month.
I have come to realize that going on a regular schedule keeps me on my toes.
My question is: how often do you go to confession and how do you feel about going to confession?
 
Whenever I become conscious of mortal sin, I go… which happens to be about once a month, on the average for this year.

I am loathe to know that I need to go, or rather I am angry at myself for sinning and no longer being in a state of grace. But I must go, I want to go. I want God’s absolution. I want to be clean of heart to receive Him in the Eucharist. I need His absolution. I will never be worthy to sit at His table, but He gave us this ministry that we might come to know Him better.

Peace,
Phil
 
As soon as possible if I’ve committed a mortal sin and about once a month if only venial ones.
 
I try to go to confession every two weeks, mostly because I am weak and need the grace. Remember that confession not only confers absolution from sins but also gives us the grace to avoid future sins. For instance, if we mention to the priest that we are besieged by certain temptations, we receive a special grace in the confessional to persevere the next time that temptation comes along.

I always recommend getting the advice of a priest. If you are getting conflicting views, then I would say “going on a regular schedule keeps me on my toes” is a good plan for you since that is a self awareness that you need the confessional’s grace (as we all do) to keep you from falling into mortal sin.

God bless!
 
I also prefer to confess on a time schedule rather than a sin schedule. Every 2 weeks is the target, for a few reasons.
  1. Even though I know venial sins are forgiven in ways other than Confession, I still feel them piling up if I go too long. When that happens, I’m more likely to be impatient and angry and sin all the more.
  2. I’m not always sure if some of my sins are mortal or venial, so Confession takes care of them either way. Why worry about it? Just repent and confess 'em, and get on with life.
  3. Confession is a powerful way to focus God’s grace on your sins and eliminate them. Venial sins are still sins and an offense to God. Confession is a great way to holiness as you (hopefully) work on smaller and smaller sins over time.
  4. Frequent confession is necessary for plenary indulgences. I’m may not be holy enough for my indulgenced acts to be plenary, but I’m sure going to try.
  5. I was Protestant most of my life and there was never a way to be sure that I had God’s forgiveness. I kept confessing the same old sins to God, because He couldn’t tell me to forget them. Hearing the words of absolution is such a tangible, powerful, and real way to know that God has forgiven a sin and really given me a fresh start. I feel sorry for all those non-Catholics who can’t experience that (and all those Catholics who won’t).
There are reasons that a person might be discouraged from frequent Confession - scrupulosity or despair over God’s forgiveness, for example. Barring such a situation, there’s no reason that a person should not be encouraged to confess frequently. There is, in fact, a long history of papal and conciliar encouragement for the faithful to avail themselves of this wonder sacrament often.
 
I go as often as I need to, but at least once a week. I have found that confessing venial sins have been a great help in my spiritual life as well.

God bless.
 
Elena_26 said:
I However, I have close friends that have been told by a priest that they should not go so often. She was going once a week, and then once a month. ?
Click to expand...
that is between the individual penitent and the priest.he gave advice that applies to that person in his particular situation at this time. you follow the advice given by your priest relevent to your condition at this particular time. In general confession of all mortal sins is required once a year. You go to confession as often as you bathe or do laundry–when you need to.
 
I try to go at least once a week. I wish I could go more but my work schedule wont permit it.
 
Some people are helped by going often, but others are harmed. There is no one right answer to how often one ought to go.
 
Bluegoat said:
Some people are helped by going often, but others are harmed. There is no one right answer to how often one ought to go.
Click to expand...
Harmed by receiving a sacrament? I think you are referring to scrupulosity? … which is merely a character flaw.
 
ESMDHokie77 said:
Harmed by receiving a sacrament? I think you are referring to scrupulosity? … which is merely a character flaw.
Click to expand...
That would be one example. People can be harmed by receiving a Sacrament inappropriately, yes. Ifgoing to confession on, say, a daily basis caused us to focus on our sin to the point that we lose focus on God, for example, that would be detrimental to our spiritual life in general.

Another example might be someone who was convinced that receiving the Eucharist as much as possible was of benefit, to the point that he just went to as many Masses per day as possible, forgetting to take Christ back into the world, maybe not even staying for the whole Mass in order to get to the next one. THe individual is forgetting what God incarnate means and is for, and is just trying to collect spiritual points - reducing the Eucharist to a kind of magic cookie - which is indeed a terrible thing. That is an extreme example obviously, but not unheard of.

Sacraments actually have a purpose beyond just conferring Grace in some generalized sense - they serve a particular human need. If they are used in a way that does not serve that need, or forgets that purpose, they can be harmful.

Confession is meant to relieve the burden of sin on us. Misuse can in some cases make the burden greater. That is why the priest helps individuals determine what is appropriate for them.
 
I go to confession one to two times per month.

I am a sinner; I need forgiveness; I need the graces!
 
I usually go once or twice a month, or whenever I feel I may have committed a mortal sin. Ideally, I’d go every week.
 
If I may add my opinion. I find it very fulfilling as a poster responded to go to Confession and confess venial sins. Together in prayer the Priest and I discuss issues I have which lead to sin, PATIENCE. Unfortunately, try as I might my temper get’s the best of me because of my lack of patience. I find it very helpful to confess this and discuss it with the Priest. Do it as often as you feel necessary. God’s grace is so awesome. And in the confessional I have learned way’s to deal with stress which lead to patience issues which lead to…
Once a year is the rule set by the Church and forgive me I have yet to figure out how to copy and post Catechism quotes etc. Sorry I would have posted this if my technical abilities were better.
 
Elena_26 said:
I am new to this forum, so I don’t know if anyone has asked about this before.
I know what the official rule of the church is about confession (at least once year…). Also making sure that you are taking communion in a state of grace, which means that you would probably be going more than once 😃
However, I have close friends that have been told by a priest that they should not go so often. She was going once a week, and then once a month.
I have also heard that certain priests teach that one should go at least once a month. Then you have the other extreme, which say that it is too often once a month.
I have come to realize that going on a regular schedule keeps me on my toes.
My question is: how often do you go to confession and how do you feel about going to confession?
Click to expand...
From the Doctrine of Faith, 1972:
Priests should be careful not to discourage the faithful from frequent or devotional confession. On the contrary, let them draw attention to its fruitfulness for Christian living (cf. Mystici Corporis, AAS 35 [1943] 235) and display readiness to hear such a confession whenever a reasonable request is made by the faithful. It must be absolutely prevented that individual confession should be reserved for serious sins only, for this would deprive the faithful of the great benefit of confession and would injure the good name of those who approach the sacrament simply.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19720616_sacramentum-paenitentiae_en.html

The referenced encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi contains, no. 88:
Venerable Brethren, it is true that venial sins may be expiated in many ways which are to be highly commended. But to ensure more rapid progress day by day in the path of virtue, We will that the pious practice of frequent confession, which was introduced into the Church by the inspiration of the Holy spirit, should be earnestly advocated. By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a salutary self-control is attained, and grace is increased in virtue of the Sacrament itself. Let those, therefore, among the younger clergy who make light of or lessen esteem for frequent confession realize that what they are doing is alien to the Spirit of Christ and disastrous for the Mystical Body of our Savior.

vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_29061943_mystici-corporis-christi_en.html
 
I make confession a part of my Saturday routine. It is so nice that Mass is preceded by reconciliation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top