Confession

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Medic_Mark

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I feel like I need to go to confession all the time. I literally cannot wait until my next opportunity. Is it possible to drive a Priest crazy?
 
Thanks for the article. I’ll start using that one before confession.
 
Houston1
Can you drive a priest crazy? I don’t think so. Perhaps you are being too scrupulous and want to confess every little thing you do that might be wrong. And if you are confessing the same things over and over, it’s time to look at that situation and try to change a behavior.

I remember a priest saying, “Hearing the nuns confessions at a convent is like being pelted to death with popcorn”, I thought it was funny, but probably true.

I usually go every couple of months. I sort of keep a “sin” diary, because I forget things, but I don’t get crazy about it. We are forgiven our venial sins with a good act of contrition, especially at Mass and receiving Holy Communion.

I was away from the faith for about 3 decades and I thought I would drive my confessor crazy, but, in spite of me, he is still sane! 🙂 (But I’m still working on it!!)
 
Barbkw said:
🙂

Mark,

How different is that for you now, than as a Baptist?

I’m a revert, and that reconciliation after 15 plus years was a wonderful feeling.

I use this exam. of conscience guide:

ncregister.com/info/confession_guide_for_adults/
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Well it is a lot different. As a Baptist, the idea of needing an intermediary was nonsensical. We called it the priesthood of the believer. We did, however, have “accountability partners” but it is not the same thing, not in my opinion anyway. Accountability partners were pretty much reserved for anti-porn support, much like an AA sponsor.

We did not sit down with our pastor and confess our sins. It was not that it was discouraged, it just wasn’t really encouraged.

I’ve always found the passage that speaks of binding and loosing to be quite difficult to deal with as a Baptist.

One of the major aspects of it that I really appreciate is the act of simply getting things off your chest. Too many people keep things bottled up. No wonder we need Xanax. 😛 But it’s more than that, as you know.
 
GKCT said:
Houston1
Can you drive a priest crazy? I don’t think so. Perhaps you are being too scrupulous and want to confess every little thing you do that might be wrong. And if you are confessing the same things over and over, it’s time to look at that situation and try to change a behavior.
Click to expand...
I’ve only been once so I haven’t had occassion to drive anyone up the wall yet, but I feel like I am going to–not to say I’m reckless in life (sometimes)–but just the fact of how amazing it was makes me eager to enter the confessional–(not to say that I am not ashamed of my sin; I am).

I may change, but right now I’d like to go weekly. If I am confessing the same sin over and over, it is probably evidence of just how deeply rooted the sin is in my life.

As a former protestant it is really hard for me to think of sin in terms of venial and mortal. Sin equaled spiritual death, no matter how minor, and was to be mourned. Now we dealt with grace a bit differently than Catholic’s do. You’ve probably heard the phrase “once saved, always saved”? Same thing. Though we sin we were purified by Christ once for all in an “already; not yet” manner. In other words, if we died, we were covered by Christ, but as we lived we were constantly being sanctified.

I don’t really read off a laundry list of my sins, but more of a “what was the core attitude that caused me to commit that particular sin?” I’m still new to Catholicism so maybe it is a little different? One thing I am sure of, though, is that I really do have a humble desire to be freed from the bondage of sin.

Sorry if I’ve rambled. Didn’t mean to. :o
 
“…the act of simply getting things off your chest.”

Yep, same with me. And, for me it’s hearing the words of absolution. Knowing those sins are dead and gone.

Grace is restored.
 
Medic_Mark said:
I’ve only been once so I haven’t had occassion to drive anyone up the wall yet, but I feel like I am going to–not to say I’m reckless in life (sometimes)–but just the fact of how amazing it was makes me eager to enter the confessional–(not to say that I am not ashamed of my sin; I am).

I may change, but right now I’d like to go weekly. If I am confessing the same sin over and over, it is probably evidence of just how deeply rooted the sin is in my life.
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Once a week is fine - John Paul II and Mother Teresa used to go more often than once a week. Not that they were necessarily greater sinners than you or I, but perhaps had more difficulties and needed more advice, holding the prominent positions they did, than you or I. And St Padre Pio recommended weekly confession as well. Personally, being slightly lazy and busy I go on average every two weeks.

I have, sadly, come across one or two priests who seem think it should be less often, if you come across one just remind him of JP2, Mother Teresa and St Pio. 🤷

As a former protestant it is really hard for me to think of sin in terms of venial and mortal. Sin equaled spiritual death, no matter how minor, and was to be mourned.

Catholics are supposed to have a similar attitude to sin in general, and try to avoid all of it, it’s just that not all of them have that attitude to confession. Sad, really, most of us have well-rooted venial sins that frequent confession could greatly help us with.
I don’t really read off a laundry list of my sins, but more of a “what was the core attitude that caused me to commit that particular sin?” I’m still new to Catholicism so maybe it is a little different? One thing I am sure of, though, is that I really do have a humble desire to be freed from the bondage of sin.
Click to expand...
Yours is a perfectly acceptable way to approach confession - although at the same time one does need to specifically confess one’s mortal sins in kind and number (or best estimate of number). I try to do both, talk about the general attitude as well as the specific sins.
 
St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal and Archbishop, went to confession twice a day.
 
I go once a week sometimes two weeks…I had a priest hint I may be being scrupulous because of how much I go to confession but I can’t see anything wrong with that. I love this sacrament and take advantage as much as possible
 
GKCT said:
Houston1

I remember a priest saying, “Hearing the nuns confessions at a convent is like being pelted to death with popcorn”, I thought it was funny, but probably true.
Click to expand...
😛 THIS IS FUNNY!
 
Medic_Mark said:
I feel like I need to go to confession all the time. I literally cannot wait until my next opportunity. Is it possible to drive a Priest crazy?
Click to expand...
This is very good Mark!!

You have discovered that Confession is the inexhaustible source of renewable grace.

I am very happy for you. I try to go every week but succeed in going once a month or once every month and a half.

Pass this great devotion onto others. Tell them of the importance and beauty of this wonderful sacrament.

Love in Jesus,

mangy dog.
 
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