Did I do something wrong?

[ThanksB2him]

I am and RCIA cathecumenate that will be confirmed at easter. I had a burger last night at a friends b-day party. I know for future reference this is a day of fasting, do I need to confess not fasting on ash wednesday? Since I am not confirmed does that preclude me from this ritual?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[06convert]

A Catechumenate is one preparing for the sacrament of baptism. A Candidate is one that is baptised, but looking to join into full communion with the Catholic Church.

If you are a Catechumenate any sin that you have committed in your entire life will be washed clean in baptism. You will die in yourself and be reborn in Christ. It’s a new beginning. Your sin tally is erased and you start from there.

If you are a Candidate you will be encouraged to go to confession before you are confirmed to confess sins that you have committed since your baptism. Prior to this confession I would spend time in prayer examining your conscience and calling to mind the sins that you have committed since you were baptised, write them down if you have to and take the list into confession with you explaining to the priest that this is your first confession and you are a candidate (he can help if you if necessary).

Not being in full communion with the Church you aren’t obligated to follow the guidelines of fast and abstinence, however, as a future member of the Church it certainly wouldn’t hurt to begin living according to the teachings.

Remember there is a difference between fast and abstinence. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the only days where you practice both fast and abstinence, all other Fridays during Lent are simply days of abstinence.

Fasting = No snacks, only 1 full meal for the day, and 2 meals that are about half the size of the full meal.

Abstinence = No red meat, no chicken, beef, or pork. Fish, and by products like eggs or milk are ok.

In short the answer is no, you’re not obligated until you are a full member of the Church.

 

[ThanksB2him]

I get the terms confused. I have been baptized, and I have attended confession multiple times after a thorough examination of conscience preparing for confirmation and the eucharist.

I just blew it yesterday. Thanks for the great explanation of the differences here, I appreciate it.

 

[StCsDavid]

I am and RCIA cathecumenate that will be confirmed at easter. I had a burger last night at a friends b-day party. I know for future reference this is a day of fasting, do I need to confess not fasting on ash wednesday? Since I am not confirmed does that preclude me from this ritual?

Thanks for the advice.

Ditto what 06Convert said…Perhaps you could pick a day this coming week to fast and pray. Lent is a season of fasting, praying and alms giving. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are in a sense the bare minimum with regard to fasting. You can choose to fast and abstain more often as part of your devotion.

Read this great article by Pope Benedict XVI.

 

[06convert]

And like I said, you didn’t really “blow it”. You weren’t obligated. However since it was enough for you to “think twice” about it, I would say that it would be good to practice the teachings from now on.

Remember for a sin to be mortal there are requirements:

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

You can mention it in confession if you like, but I’m sure this wasn’t a mortal sin.

Remember the Church teaches to go to confession at least once a year, or every time you commit a mortal sin. Venial sins are forgiven in mass during the penitential rite, however you can only gain “absolution” in confesssion which is why you should go at least once a year.

Sometimes I go months without confession, sometimes I go once a week. I think I read somewhere that Pope John Paul II went about once a day. So the more the merrier I say.