Confession- I'm not really getting it

[BrooklynBoy200]

I don’t really get why you need to go to confession. I know it’s good to admit your sins and all, but can’t God hear you without a priest? When reading my bible, i always got the impression that you just needed to admit your sins to God and ask forgiveness. And i’ve heard the thing about the difference between forgiveness and absolvence or whatever that word is, but i still don’t get while God wouldn’t be able to absolve you without a priest. I mean, he is God isn’t he?

 

[LilyM]

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.

 

[palmas85]

I don’t really get why you need to go to confession. I know it’s good to admit your sins and all, but can’t God hear you without a priest? When reading my bible, i always got the impression that you just needed to admit your sins to God and ask forgiveness. And i’ve heard the thing about the difference between forgiveness and absolvence or whatever that word is, but i still don’t get while God wouldn’t be able to absolve you without a priest. I mean, he is God isn’t he?

Yes God can forgive without the benefit of a Priest. OK. . No body has ever said that he cannot and the Church does not teach that he cannot. However, Jesus did give the Apostles the power and the authority to do so. If he did not intend for them to use the authority, why give them the authority in the first place? It makes no sense and since Jesus was here on a definite mission as it were, everthing he did and said had meaning and made sense. Jesus could have easily said ask forgiveness only from God and not given the power to the Apostles So by that rationale alone it appears that , that is the way God wants it to be done.

Now why He wants it done that way, who can say? God has always required that man sometimes do some pretty inexplicable things in his worship and has often required us to do things and accept things that on the face of it don’t make a lot of sense to us. But trust me, to God they do make sense and are important.

Of course as I somehow suspect you might do, there are passages in Scripture which could be presented that would seem to support a different viewpoint and cast doubt on the Catholic position., so in the end it comes down to faith in God and faith in the teaching of the Church.

I hope that you find truth and peace in your journey .

 

[JimG]

Of course God can forgive sins if you repent of them. But Jesus told the apostles, “If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound.” (John 20:23)

He gave them this power for a purpose, and the purpose was to forgive sins. The sacrament of confession is for our benefit, not God’s.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

Ok, but for me it’s hard to do…
My dad is methodist and my mom is kind of a catholic that doesn’t quite believe in all the catholic teachings. I can’t drive yet, and my mom says that God can forgive you without confession. Should i just contact my local priest and ride my bike or something?

 

[scylla]

Yes you can just contact the Priest, or you can stop him after\before Mass and he is required to make time for you, when possible.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[LilyM]

Priests are usually quite busy before/after mass, but you might call the priest and ask if he’ll see you 10 or 15 minutes before Mass or something.

I vividly remember doing something wrong when I was a child and wanting to go to Confession.

My Dad was extremely doubtful that I could have done anything that could require immediate confession, and thinking back what I did probably wasn’t a mortal sin, but bless his cotton socks he drove me over to the Church just so I could go

 

[Resurrexit]

Ok, but for me it’s hard to do…
My dad is methodist and my mom is kind of a catholic that doesn’t quite believe in all the catholic teachings. I can’t drive yet, and my mom says that God can forgive you without confession. Should i just contact my local priest and ride my bike or something?

Yes, as they say, see the priest after mass, and perhaps ask him to explain this to you more fully.

 

[JimG]

Ok, but for me it’s hard to do…
My dad is methodist and my mom is kind of a catholic that doesn’t quite believe in all the catholic teachings. I can’t drive yet, and my mom says that God can forgive you without confession. Should i just contact my local priest and ride my bike or something?

Yes, it’s hard for me to do too. But as my brother used to say, when you gotta go, you gotta go…

You might check and see if your parish has regular confession times, and then get there a little early. Or if you plan on taking more time, just call the priest.

 

[thistle]

I don’t really get why you need to go to confession. I know it’s good to admit your sins and all, but can’t God hear you without a priest? When reading my bible, i always got the impression that you just needed to admit your sins to God and ask forgiveness. And i’ve heard the thing about the difference between forgiveness and absolvence or whatever that word is, but i still don’t get while God wouldn’t be able to absolve you without a priest. I mean, he is God isn’t he?

catholic.com/thisrock/2006/0604fea4.asp
catholic.com/thisrock/1998/9810fea2.asp

 

[LeahInancsi]

Ok, but for me it’s hard to do…
My dad is methodist and my mom is kind of a catholic that doesn’t quite believe in all the catholic teachings. I can’t drive yet, and my mom says that God can forgive you without confession. Should i just contact my local priest and ride my bike or something?

Are you saying that one of you parents won’t drive you to Confession? If so, you could ride your bike to the church if it’s not too far or safety is an issue. Or, you could make an appointment to meet with the priest before Mass to make your Confession.

 

[jmcrae]

Should i just contact my local priest and ride my bike or something?

Yes. If you live in a big city, then you probably live close enough to a Catholic church to be able to walk there or ride your bike there. You can either make an appointment with the priest by telephone, or just show up at the regular time for Confessions, which is usually on Saturday afternoons - typically around 4:00 pm, but double check with them just to make sure of that.

 

[Sam88]

While practically every parish has “scheduled” times, of which Saturday afternoon is by far the most common, in my experience most priests will hear a confession if you can find them about a half hour before mass. Their time may be short, but if you cannot go any other time just arrive early enough and ask.

I’m sorry you are having a problem with this. For my part I am delighted when my daughter asks me to take her to confession.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

My parents just think i’m being silly when i ask to go. I keep asking them to schedule me a general one, and they say they will when they get the time. It’s been like three weeks and they’ve had plenty of time and i know they are ignoring my requests. And i don’t have a bike anymore, and it’s way to far to walk ( as i recently discovered looking at the map. I never realized how far it was since i usually get driven.) plus, i’ve never gone to confession ( except for in Sunday school, but it was just because they told me too and i just made up stuff to say. I was only like 10.) so i doubt i could confess all my sins in a short amount of time like before mass. And then there is still the matter of transportation. I guess i will just have to hope i live until i get a car.

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

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

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)

 

[dmm2000]

I don’t really get why you need to go to confession. I know it’s good to admit your sins and all, but can’t God hear you without a priest? When reading my bible, i always got the impression that you just needed to admit your sins to God and ask forgiveness. And i’ve heard the thing about the difference between forgiveness and absolvence or whatever that word is, but i still don’t get while God wouldn’t be able to absolve you without a priest. I mean, he is God isn’t he?

Someone may have already mentioned, but here goes. Besides receiving the Mercy of God, Jesus departs Grace to you through his priest in the sacrament of confession. This is medicine to help us get better, in other words, the Grace to overcome our faults.

I urge you to form the habit of regular confession as it will be a great source of God’s Love in your life.

It is definetly worth a bike ride.

Peace:thumbsup:

 

[LindaS]

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

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)

No, don’t go behind her back. Can you aks her if she’ll drive you if you make an appointment? Re: the Franciscan community. No, you do not have to be a Franciscan. It probably means that the Church follows the Franciscan way of life. Is this Church close enough for you to walk?

Peace,
Linda

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

No, don’t go behind her back. Can you aks her if she’ll drive you if you make an appointment? Re: the Franciscan community. No, you do not have to be a Franciscan. It probably means that the Church follows the Franciscan way of life. Is this Church close enough for you to walk?

Peace,
Linda

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. Plus, should i call the Parish Office, the actual priest, the parish staff, etc.?

 

[HailMary]

I don’t really get why you need to go to confession. I know it’s good to admit your sins and all, but can’t God hear you without a priest? When reading my bible, i always got the impression that you just needed to admit your sins to God and ask forgiveness. And i’ve heard the thing about the difference between forgiveness and absolvence or whatever that word is, but i still don’t get while God wouldn’t be able to absolve you without a priest. I mean, he is God isn’t he?

Christian Soul!

This book was written for you.
Confession - A Little Book For the Reluctant
By: Msgr. Louis Gaston de Segur

the best 3 dollars you probably will ever spend.

God Bless you.

 

[Damascus]

Brooklyn Boy,

Dont deny yourself of this grace you will not appreciate until you do it, I assure you once you do you will never again doubt this or hesitate.

Think of Jesus being right there, the one hearing you speak, the one that knows and cares for you.

He took on all the sins of the world and you can tell him nothing that he will be shocked by, nor will you feel you are not loved in spite of your failings-

Jesus did not approach sinners this way. If you notice he got far more upset with those who had the airs of being rightous and “holy” yet were missing the point.

He loved and cared for the sinner.

Do it and let us know how it went.