Confession- I'm not really getting it

[BrooklynBoy200]

No it’s not. But i’ll try what you said. Thankyou for the advice.
P.S. I’m actually kind of scared to make the appointment by myself ( i know it’s stupid), because it’s my first one and it should be a general confession, so i cant just walk in the church and confess like normal, and i’m not sure what to say. Plus, should i call the Parish Office, the actual priest, the parish staff, etc.?

 

[jmcrae]

Think i should just make an appointment behind her back and when the time comes just make her drive me?

No, don’t go behind her back.

But you are now old enough to tell her what you are thinking of doing (rather than ask permission) as long as it’s not something she would object to you doing at all, and to negotiate with her about getting a ride - for example, asking her when is a convenient time for her to drive you, and telling her how you will help her get finished whatever she had been planning to do instead of that - for example, “Mom, you’re canning the vegetables - I’ll do the cucumber pickles when we get back, if you’ll give me a ride to Confession.”

Plus: ( kind of related) My church is a “franciscan community where all are welcome” i know it says all are welcome, but does that mean i have to become a franciscan or something before im welcome? ( i recently discovered this church and decided to start going there because the other one was like 45 minutes away and this one is closer, but i’ve never gone to mass there)

“All are welcome” includes you.

As far as being scared to make the appointment - I know exactly how you feel. I hate phoning people for anything, and I always have to write out a script ahead of time, so that I don’t forget to say what I meant to say.

What will happen is that when you phone the Church, a secretary will answer. Ask her what is the best way to arrange an appointment with one of the priests, and then follow her directions.

Usually, they will leave a message for the priest to get back to you, and when he does, just explain to him that you need to make an appointment to go to Confession, and he’ll take it from there.

If he doesn’t call back within a reasonable period of time (a day or two) then call back - sometimes they are so swamped with messages that some get lost - don’t take it personally; it’s never on purpose.

 

[mark_a]

Do you accept the need to have a priest or minister present when you’re baptised, married, etc?

Would you FEEL baptised or married if there was absolutely no ceremony or physical sign of any kind and no other person present?

For that matter God didn’t need to send Jesus to earth to physically die for us in order for us to be redeemed. He’s God, as you pointed out. But would you FEEL saved, would you truly understand that you had been saved, if you didn’t have the tangible evidence of the fact that Christ died for you? If there was absolutely nothing that you could point to that demonstrated this to you?

God chooses (not that he has to) act through people, this is one of the cases where for our sake we need to humble ourselves to admit our sins to another, and we benefit from the reassurance of Christ speaking through the priest to tell us that our sins are forgiven.

That’s the most sensible answer I’ve ever heard about confession. Thanks!

 

[LilyM]

That’s the most sensible answer I’ve ever heard about confession. Thanks!

You’re welome :tiphat: