Confession

[codefro]

I am in RCIA still and am trying to understand confession a little better. So two questions:

1. Is it bad if I go to confession twice in one week?
2. reading this:Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago.”

Do I say the sign of the cross out loud, or silently. Also, how do I know when the priest wants me to pray the act of contrition?

 

[Sherry_G]

You can ask these questions in RCIA or I am sure there will be more detailed information given as the time gets closer. When you go to confession, the priest will help you all the way through it. He always will ask you to say an act of contrition once you have completed your confession and he has counseled you. Don’t worry, there is no perfect way to go to confession. Jesus knows what is in our hearts. All we need is a good examination of conscience, telling of our sins to a priest, receiving our penance, the actof contrition and we will receive absolution if we are truly sorry and resolve to avoid sin in the future. Of course as humans, this will be an ongoing process but there is no end to the Mercy of God. Welcome to our beautiful Catholic faith.

 

[bnbkaine]

It is not bad to go twice in one week. There are plenty of religious who go everyday; if we need it, we should go whenever.

You don’t need to say the Sign of the Cross out loud, but you may. And your priest will tell you when to say the Act of Contrition (which should be on a card near where you are located so you do not need to worry about forgetting the words).

So much anxiety seems to be put into preparing for Confession when really it is so uplifting. Do a good examination of conscience and the rest will flow pretty easily.

 

[MtnDwellar]

I am in RCIA still and am trying to understand confession a little better. So two questions:

1. Is it bad if I go to confession twice in one week?

On the contrary, it is good to go to confession twice in one week. Confession is one of the ways that we can regularly receive sacramental grace.

1. reading this:Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago.”

Do I say the sign of the cross out loud, or silently. Also, how do I know when the priest wants me to pray the act of contrition?

I always made the sign of the cross out loud. I am sure that silent is fine too.

The priest will tell you when to say the act of contrition.

 

[jmj1984]

I am in RCIA still and am trying to understand confession a little better. So two questions:

1. Is it bad if I go to confession twice in one week?

On the contrary it is good idea to go to Confession as often as you can to receive the grace of this sacrament, indeed you can even go if you have no sins to confess as you can confess the sins of your past life i.e previously confessed sins, as you will receive grace to strengthen your will against the temptation to sin.

1. reading this:Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago.”

Do I say the sign of the cross out loud, or silently. Also, how do I know when the priest wants me to pray the act of contrition?

Sometimes the priest will make the sign of the cross over you, in fact normally he does, if not I am sure the priest won’t mind if you say it and almost always the priest will tell you when to make your act of contrition. Of course in the traditional latin form of confession, though the priest will tell you to make an act of contrition it is done silently whilst the priest is praying.

And of course there is nothing wrong in telling the priest ‘This is my first confession’ or ‘I’m a recent convert’, the priest will then help you out. At least thats what I was told to do and what happened to me when I converted

 

[KimberlyAnn0218]

I am in RCIA still and am trying to understand confession a little better. So two questions:

1. Is it bad if I go to confession twice in one week?
2. reading this:Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago.”

Do I say the sign of the cross out loud, or silently. Also, how do I know when the priest wants me to pray the act of contrition?

As a convert myself here are my thoughts which differ on #1:

1. As a new convert you may feel really in need of frequent confession. I would advise slowing down and taking a deep breath. The first time your hear:

“God the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit” (emphasis added by me) will feel amazing-even if it takes a while to sink in. I felt like I needed to go frequently, but ask your priest, he will help you I asked mine and he said once a month is commendable-aim for that to grow in holiness

Welcome!

Kim

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Of course in the traditional latin form of confession, though the priest will tell you to make an act of contrition it is done silently whilst the priest is praying.

It is??? I’ve been saying it aloud and all three FSSP priests have never corrected me. My current confessor is FSSP and he always says, “now please say an Act of Contrition” and waits (usually) until I’m finished. It has happened that I have been the one waiting for the priest, as I naturally match his rapid murmur pace. I thought the whole purpose of saying the A of C was so that the priest can hear both attrition and contrition so he is certain he can absolve you.

 

[MissRose73]

It is??? I’ve been saying it aloud and all three FSSP priests have never corrected me. My current confessor is FSSP and he always says, “now please say an Act of Contrition” and waits (usually) until I’m finished. It has happened that I have been the one waiting for the priest, as I naturally match his rapid murmur pace. I thought the whole purpose of saying the A of C was so that the priest can hear both attrition and contrition so he is certain he can absolve you.

I’ve never confessed to a priest that exclusively does the Extra Ordinary Form of the sacraments to know how confession differs. Can you explain what you do there please?

Normally, I do and know the following:

Enter the confessional, kneel and make the sign of the cross
Say "Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been x time since my last confession
Confess my sins
Priest will give some advice as needed
Priest asks me to say an act of contrition, I do so
Penance given out (sometimes before or after the act of contrition is said)
Absolution
I make the sign of the cross, thank the priest and leave.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I’ve never confessed to a priest that exclusively does the Extra Ordinary Form of the sacraments to know how confession differs. Can you explain what you do there please?

Normally, I do and know the following:

Enter the confessional, kneel and make the sign of the cross
Say "Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been x time since my last confession
Confess my sins
Priest will give some advice as needed
Priest asks me to say an act of contrition, I do so
Penance given out (sometimes before or after the act of contrition is said)
Absolution
I make the sign of the cross, thank the priest and leave.

Basically the same, except the form of absolution is longer and in Latin. When I enter the Confessional the priest will say a prayer in Latin while making the sign of the cross, at which point I do too. Then the priest starts saying absolution in a rapid murmur while I’m saying the A of C, and depending on who gets to the end first, one of us waits for the other to finish before he finishes absolution with a very distinct and audible, “Deinde te ego absolvo…” while making the sign of the cross, while I do too. Then in the old form there’s another prayer that’s said that he says over me, and then tells me to go in peace, at which point I thank him and leave.

I prefer the old form because it doesn’t change. It seems like ever priest I’ve been to in the OF has a different way of doing things, which aggravates my anxiety.

 

[codefro]

Tho you everyone for your help! At this point I have already been through confession twice. Yet another reason why I love the Catholic Church, reconciliation to our Lord is liberating.

 

[Leegal]

I am in RCIA still and am trying to understand confession a little better. So two questions:

1. Is it bad if I go to confession twice in one week?
2. reading this:Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago.”

Do I say the sign of the cross out loud, or silently. Also, how do I know when the priest wants me to pray the act of contrition?

You can go twice per week, but since you are in RCIA I would examine my conscience that you are not being overscrupulous in looking and finding sins. Venial sins can wait to the regular confession. It’s not bad, if you are in mortal sin and then the need to go is great. You have to learn to discern whether you are being overly scrupulous or have committed a mortal sin or need some compelling guidance.

You say everything aloud.

The priest tell you when to say the Act of Contrition.

 

[ready]

There is nothing wrong with going to confession twice in one week.

 

[Tighty_Whitey]

Frequent confession is to be encouraged. I think that there is nothing wrong with making and saying the sign of the cross or merely making the sign of the cross, if you are going face-to-face. If you are behind a screen, it might make it clearly to the Priest to say the sign of the cross so he knows what you’re doing. Peace, g.