Confession

  • Thread starter Thread starter buffalo82
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

buffalo82

Guest
I recently started going back to confession. My question is how often should I go. I know we sin all the time. I could probably go every week based on this. Small sins vs mortal sins? Also what classifies as mortal. I appreciate you feedbac on this. God Bless.
 
Catholics are required to go at least once a year at Easter time (the “Easter duty”). However, priests will usually recommend that you go more often than that.

If you think you have committed a mortal sin, you need to go to confession as soon as possible and before you receive Holy Communion again, as you are not supposed to receive Holy Communion when not in a state of grace, and being in mortal sin removes you from the state of grace.

If you are not sure what is a mortal sin, or if a sin is mortal in your particular circumstance, your best bet is to either ask a priest, or better yet, just go to confession and confess it - then you don’t have to worry about its being mortal or venial because you have confessed it and it’s forgiven. Asking other people what constitutes a mortal sin is likely to get 100 different answers.

Priests will usually recommend that you go to confession every couple of months at minimum. I try to go more often because for gaining certain indulgences you need to have confessed within a short time as well as meeting other elements. And it’s just a good practice to keep sweeping the dust out of your soul, like regular housecleaning. 🙂 I think I go about once a month lately. Some people go every week. It’s kind of up to you.
 
Outside of the minimum requirements set forth by the Church and the recommendation that mortal sins should be confessed as soon as possible, no one here can tell you how often you, specifically, should go to confession. We can each tell you how often we go, but that has no bearing on the frequency of confession that is right for you (which is why I won’t tell you, and no longer tell anyone aside from my confessors, how often I confess).

My recommendation: pick an interval that seems to make sense to you. You mentioned every week, so why not start with that? After confessing at your chosen interval for a while, you will know if it’s not often enough, just right, or too often. Adjust accordingly.

A priest will be able to help you in determining the gravity of your particular sins (mortal or venial). Similar to what Tis Bearself said, asking here about specific actions in specific scenarios is just going to get you multiple answers that are likely to conflict with each other to some extent or another.

God bless. 🙂
 
Our pastor recommends 4 times a year…every three months.
 
Yeah, I like what Tis Bearself said. It’s like dusting the soul off. You only have to go once a year but I mean don’t we all feel icky more often than that? I usually judge if I have to go to confession on how I’m feeling. For example, if I’m feeling stuck, down, icky inside then I go and feel clean, refreshed. I go sometimes once every two months but then other times I go once a month depending on how icky I feel. It helps to grow the conscience to be more clear more in tune with God’s desires. I know a priest I love named Fr Donald Calloway compares it to changing diapers. The priest helps us to clean our spiritual diapers, lol! I simple analogy but true.

Chances are if your inner self says “go to confession” than you should go. Don’t hesitate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top