Confession

[burchgsb15]

Hello all,
I am a recent convert to the Catholic Church so if this seems to be a stupid question, I apologize. I have tried to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation often (weekly) and the pastor of our parish seems to always try to excuse my sins. For example, laziness or neglect in the spiritual disciplines I’m told, “Well, it’s the day in which we live. People are busy.”

So my question regarding this, are my sins still forgiven? Is this just an example of the modernism that is in the Church now that I so often read about?

 

[TheSurvivor]

I can not really answer this because I do not know the priest you are speaking of. My first instinct is to say perhaps he detects scrupulousity but this is speculation. I do not see any reason that this would invalidate your confession. If I confessed to a priest who said something similar I would not doubt the validity of my confession.

TheSurvivor
God Bless

 

[thistle]

Hello all,
I am a recent convert to the Catholic Church so if this seems to be a stupid question, I apologize. I have tried to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation often (weekly) and the pastor of our parish seems to always try to excuse my sins. For example, laziness or neglect in the spiritual disciplines I’m told, “Well, it’s the day in which we live. People are busy.”

So my question regarding this, are my sins still forgiven? Is this just an example of the modernism that is in the Church now that I so often read about?

Unless the priest is telling you to do something immoral and against Church teachings listen to your priest and obey him.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

If you don’t trust the priest, then find a new confessor.

However, consider the possibility that he knows you’re a new Catholic and is trying to help you form your conscience.

 

[Palko]

Dear burchgsb15,
over the past eighteen months, I have returned to the Sacrament of Confession. I try to make it weekly, otherwise, fortnightly. It has been the greatest source of grace and reunion with Christ. However, I have since encountered a number of different priests and their concepts of sin- mortal and venial. In a perfect situation, they would all concur with the Church’s position. Some interpretations I have heard certainly digress from Church teaching.
The point is, even if the priest is or isn’t in error, if you have made a true confession, mentioning and numbering all mortal sins, if any, with a firm resolve to not sin again then, when the priest gives you absolution, and you fulfil the penance given, you are forgiven by Christ. He, Our Redeemer, is the one you are confessing to in the confessional, through the priest. You receive true forgiveness from Him, not the priest.
The difficulty is discerning the Truth of the advice you receive from the priest. Pray to Our Lady for her help to lead you to the Truth. A wonderful devotion I have found is Our Lady of Sorrows-one of the promises of which is the enlightenment of the Divine Mysteries. ( it is truly efficacious).
May God Bless you on your journey,
Palko.

 

[Micheal_Anthony]

First off, welcome home to the Church! Secondly, I want to give you props for frequent Confession.

If you confessed and the priest spoke the words of absolution, you are forgiven! Any doubt about that is from the enemy, and I pray that God and his angels keep you safe from any further attack. Remember that it is the Lord who truly forgives in the Sacrament of Confession.

Unfortunately, I too have experienced an all too permissive confessor, and I would offer these three recommendations.

1. Talk to your priest if you haven’t done so.
   I expressed my concerns to my confessor, and although he stood by some questionable moral theology, he has been far more orthodox in judging my sins since that meeting.
2. Continue to listen to your confessor.
   After my conversion, I was overly scrupulous. I was more willing to accuse my confessor of modernism than to consider the legitimate counsel he offered in the confessional. Listening to him and obeying him even when I thought I knew better has been an *essential *part of my spiritual growth.
3. Don’t be discouraged!
   The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ! When sickness enters a body, the immune system reacts and sends out white blood cells. In the same way, God is surely commissioning saints to deal with all the problems that you’re reading about.

Take heart because modernism is no cause for despair. It is rather a cause for prayer. Pray for the Church and God’s priests. In time, you will find that through your prayers God has commissioned you as his first line of defense.

Know that you have my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

Welcome to the Church! As long as he gives you absolution and you have confessed all your mortal sins, your confession is valid.

It’s hard to say from here whether your priest is too easy on you or if you may be scrupulous, as other posters have suggested. I would continue to confess the sins of spiritual sloth (as I do, myself, almost weekly) such as neglecting daily prayer or spiritual reading or the like unless specifically told by the priest to stop doing so.