Confession

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Sonas

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Hi,

I guess I’m what you would call a cradle Catholic. I go to mass etc but I haven’t been to confession in probably 10-15 years. I was always uncomfortable with the idea of having to tell someone else (even if it is a priest) my sins. But for the past while I have this feeling that I should go. So I’ve decided that I’m going to do it before Christmas (as long as I don’t lose my nerve). The problem is I can’t really remember how to do it or how to make sure I’m making a proper confession. Will the priest help me along do you think? Or can anyone give me some advice? I want to do it but the thought of it makes me so nervous.
 
It’s wonderful you’re coming back. Confession is easy. Humble yourself and really think about your sins. Once inside:
  1. Forgive me Father for I have sinned. It has been X amount of time since my last confession.
  2. Tell him your marital status.
  3. List the sins and frequency.
  4. Listen to the priest.
  5. Say your act of contrition.
Welcome back to the Church!

Posted from Catholic.com App for Android
 
Sonas said:
Hi,

I guess I’m what you would call a cradle Catholic. I go to mass etc but I haven’t been to confession in probably 10-15 years. I was always uncomfortable with the idea of having to tell someone else (even if it is a priest) my sins. But for the past while I have this feeling that I should go. So I’ve decided that I’m going to do it before Christmas (as long as I don’t lose my nerve). The problem is I can’t really remember how to do it or how to make sure I’m making a proper confession. Will the priest help me along do you think? Or can anyone give me some advice? I want to do it but the thought of it makes me so nervous.
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Make sure you make the Easter duty this year and go to confession at least once
 
Praying for a good confession, God Loves and wants you home:.

Luke 15 - The Parable of the Lost Sheep
…
6"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.​

also, when you go to confession, part of it is saying how long it has been since your last confession… tell father, and tell him you’re not sure what to do anymore… any priest worth his collar will walk you thru 🙂 … Lion on the pulpit, lamb in the confessional!

I also recommend attending an RCIA program or a Catholics Coming Home program… I’m a convert and I am constantly amazed at how little many “cradle Catholics” truly know about their faith… good people, and often holy people, and yet have never dug deeply into their faith.
 
Just do it! The more often you go, the easier it is. The graces you receive from this sacrament will give you so much strength.
Good Luck!
 
I came back to Confession 20 years ago after 10 years of being away from it, and I have fallen in love with this sacrament. Just like any relationship, we can never tire of apologizing for our failings.

As far as telling your sins to a priest, he is there in the person of Christ eager to minister the Lord’s mercy. Not only is he bound by the Seal of Confession not to reveal anything, he cannot even treat you differently before than he did after. Most priests will tell you, they are given a special grace that allows them to completely forget the sins that penitents brought to him anyway. Beyond that, the priest is a sinner, too, and knows he is in no place to be judgmental. He has heard everything under the sun, so nothing you say, NOTHING, will surprise him.

So go to the Confessional with total confidence that God will welcome you. Trust that He has led His church in setting up forgiveness as it has, for what the Church binds on earth is bound in Heaven, and what the Church looses on earth is loosed in Heaven.

Here’s a good examination of conscience: Examination of Conscience
 
Just to add to the above good advice…

Touching on the subject of telling the priest your sins in number and kind.
This can be hugely daunting for someone who has been away for some time (I was away for 35 years).
I chose to use the seven deadly sins as a guide rather than the 10 commandments because I saw it this way - Once I was under the dominion of greed or lust or pride…It was really only one looonnggg sin…😊…rather than a series of discrete failures.

If you are unsure of how to proceed on this, just speak with the priest. Maybe talk about the big things you struggle with (anger, lust, selfishness, etc.). Then let him guide you a bit.

As others have said, “just do it”. It’s amazing how good it feels.

Peace
James
 
aTraditionalist said:
It’s wonderful you’re coming back. Confession is easy. Humble yourself and really think about your sins. Once inside:
  1. Forgive me Father for I have sinned. It has been X amount of time since my last confession.
** 2. Tell him your marital status.** :confused:
  1. List the sins and frequency.
  2. Listen to the priest.
  3. Say your act of contrition.
Welcome back to the Church!

Posted from Catholic.com App for Android
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pianistclare:
This helps the priest with sins confessed against the sixth and nineth commandments.
 
Yes the priest will help you.
And don’t even worry about an order or even remembering the right “Forgive me blah blah blah” if you can’t
Actually you could start by saying that you don’t know what to do/say because it has been so long and the priest should be more than willing to help. A lot will even say the words for you to repeat and walk you through it
 
Welcome back! Believe me, nothing will make your priest so happy as welcoming you back to this sacrament. I went back after 25 years away from confession and the joy in my priest’s eyes was electrifying. It was as though I could feel Christ welcoming me back through him. I actually wept through the entire confession that first time back. And my priest handed me a box of tissues, kindly nodded, and when I’d finished listing my sins, he immediately reminded me that 1) nothing makes God as happy as one of the flock returning to Him and to the sacraments, and 2) all of my past sins were completely washed away. Then my tears came from happiness and contentment. That sounds corny, I’m sure, but I felt completely renewed afterward, which I hadn’t planned on. Don’t worry about embarrassing yourself – just blurt it all out. Know that whatever you confess (and I had some doozies), your priest has almost certainly heard much, much worse. I wrote everything down so I could read from my list, which made me feel better, too. I also had to write down the Act of Contrition as I didn’t know it by heart. But do trust everyone here who says the priest will help you – he will! 🙂
 
pianistclare said:
ummm, no, they don’t need help. If they want context they will ask.
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Ummm, my priests have instructed our parish many times to provide that information up front in order to provide your particular state in life. Why make them ask?
 
aTraditionalist said:
Ummm, my priests have instructed our parish many times to provide that information up front in order to provide your particular state in life. Why make them ask?
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Interesting…

But just for the benefit of the OP and others, it should be pointed out that this is a local request by your priests. It is not a general requirement for confession.

Peace
James
 
aTraditionalist said:
Ummm, my priests have instructed our parish many times to provide that information up front in order to provide your particular state in life. Why make them ask?
Click to expand...
I go to confession at least every other week and I have never, ever, been asked my marital status. The priests I go to for confession don’t generally know me and most of the time it is not face-to-face so they wouldn’t know the information, either.

If you are uncomfortable sharing that information up-front, I wouldn’t. It doesn’t really make any difference if you’ve done a good examination of conscience.
 
JRKH said:
Interesting…

But just for the benefit of the OP and others, it should be pointed out that this is a local request by your priests. It is not a general requirement for confession.

Peace
James
Click to expand...
Exactly.
 
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