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Do I have to confess sins I did a long time ago as a Protestant, when I've already confessed to God and thought it was dead and buried?
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mesl4
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graceandglory
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That’s been my experience, too.
How can we be encouraged to grow in holiness if our “penance” is far less than something we do regularly?
I’m so sick of the way I behave. I wish I had something far more difficult to do for penance.
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LilyM
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Who says penance has to be something imposed by a priest or in the confessional?
In fact we should ALL do penitential acts regularly outside the confessional - be it prayer, fasting, giving alms or volunteering.
Choose something that relates to a sin you wish to eradicate, or a virtue you wish to gain, and go for it! If it’s extreme and physical (fasting or other physical mortification) then you might want to get both a doctor and priest to OK it of course.
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PhilotheaZ
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PJM
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Reply: This is a truley and wonderful post. Thank you!
There is one other issue however that both God and the priest take into consideration.
In order for a sin to be “a Mortal sin,” it must be 1. Serious matter, and this cetainly is, 2. one must be fully aware of the serious nature b-4 commiting the sin, and 3. one must wish to “freely” commit the sin. Amen:thumbsup:
The priest will try to discover your level of cupability and understanding, in order to make a just judgement.
The Catholic Catholic Cateaches:
2362 “The acts in marriage by which the intimate and chaste union of the spouses takes place are noble and honorable; the truly human performance of these acts fosters the self-giving they signify and enriches the spouses in joy and gratitude.” Sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure:
Cont.
The Creator himself . . . established that in the [generative] function, spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit. Therefore, the spouses do nothing evil in seeking this pleasure and enjoyment. They accept what the Creator has intended for them. At the same time, spouses should know how to keep themselves within the limits of just moderation.
2363 The spouses’ union achieves the twofold end of marriage: the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life. These two meanings or values of marriage cannot be separated without altering the couple’s spiritual life and compromising the goods of marriage and the future of the family.
Cont.
The conjugal love of man and woman thus stands under the twofold obligation of fidelity and fecundity. (means assures the openess and at least the possibility of a pregnancy.)
2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, “every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible” is intrinsically evil:
Continued:
Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . . The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.
God’s continued Love and Blessings,
PJM m.c.
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piejesu
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FrDavid96
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Mesl4:
The belief that the ministry of a priest is not necessary or stands in the way of God’s own work, is a protestant heresy.
Keep this in mind, when you go to confession, you are not confessing your sins to “the priest.” Yep, that’s right. In discussions of this type, we Catholics often forget that. In the Sacrament of Confession, the priest is in persona Christi, which means that you are confessing your sins directly to Christ. Although the priest is physically present, “Father Smith” is not there–only Christ is there.
The belief that the ministry of a priest is not necessary or stands in the way of God’s own work, is a protestant heresy.
Keep this in mind, when you go to confession, you are not confessing your sins to “the priest.” Yep, that’s right. In discussions of this type, we Catholics often forget that. In the Sacrament of Confession, the priest is in persona Christi, which means that you are confessing your sins directly to Christ. Although the priest is physically present, “Father Smith” is not there–only Christ is there.
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FrDavid96
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And remember what other posters have already said:
In your own words, you refer to sins that you “thought” were dead and buried. Is is not so much better to know that they are forgiven, and to actually hear Christ tell you directly that they are forgiven?
In your own words, you refer to sins that you “thought” were dead and buried. Is is not so much better to know that they are forgiven, and to actually hear Christ tell you directly that they are forgiven?
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Newbie2
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oops
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Newbie2
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Let’s try that again:
On the issue of Artificial Birth control, don’t let that stop you from going through RCIA and converting. That’s an issue that many Catholics and Catholic converts struggle with. It’s OK to accept a teaching without completely understanding the reasoning behind it or not being able to resolve it in your own mind.
I converted 16 or so years ago, and still struggle with the teaching on birth control. I accept it, but still struggle with it, if that makes any sense.
But don’t let it keep you from converting, IMHO.
It’s kinda like the concept of the Trinity…nobody can adequately explain it to my understanding (I’d be amazed if anyone could), but I still accept and embrace the concept.
And one more thought…rather than “having” to confess such old sins, try to look at it as a matter of wanting to confess them, receiving absolution from Christ himself through the Priest, like what Fr. David wrote, and forgetting about them for good.
Yeah, that’s a pretty amazing feeling, especially that first confession.
On the issue of Artificial Birth control, don’t let that stop you from going through RCIA and converting. That’s an issue that many Catholics and Catholic converts struggle with. It’s OK to accept a teaching without completely understanding the reasoning behind it or not being able to resolve it in your own mind.
I converted 16 or so years ago, and still struggle with the teaching on birth control. I accept it, but still struggle with it, if that makes any sense.
But don’t let it keep you from converting, IMHO.
It’s kinda like the concept of the Trinity…nobody can adequately explain it to my understanding (I’d be amazed if anyone could), but I still accept and embrace the concept.
And one more thought…rather than “having” to confess such old sins, try to look at it as a matter of wanting to confess them, receiving absolution from Christ himself through the Priest, like what Fr. David wrote, and forgetting about them for good.
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Methodi
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wear a hair shirt! LOL!
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mangy_dog
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Don’t be afraid of confession. It is an inexhaustible source of grace! Confess everything. Be not afraid. Lucifer would want for you to be afraid and apprehensive about the sacrament because he knows the grace that God pours out on the repentant soul.
That is how he keeps thousands of christians (catholics) from the sacrament. We are the worse offenders!
I promise you - you will be bathed in His blood and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Confess everything and try to do it weekly!
Pray the Rosary - daily!
Come home and stay home!
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Methodi
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I think we all struggle with the teachings of the church,we are natural beings trying to live a supernatural life, whats easy about that? Nothing, Hence, The struggleLet’s try that again:
Yeah, that’s a pretty amazing feeling, especially that first confession.
On the issue of Artificial Birth control, don’t let that stop you from going through RCIA and converting. That’s an issue that many Catholics and Catholic converts struggle with. It’s OK to accept a teaching without completely understanding the reasoning behind it or not being able to resolve it in your own mind.
I converted 16 or so years ago, and still struggle with the teaching on birth control. I accept it, but still struggle with it, if that makes any sense.
But don’t let it keep you from converting, IMHO.
It’s kinda like the concept of the Trinity…nobody can adequately explain it to my understanding (I’d be amazed if anyone could), but I still accept and embrace the concept.
And one more thought…rather than “having” to confess such old sins, try to look at it as a matter of wanting to confess them, receiving absolution from Christ himself through the Priest, like what Fr. David wrote, and forgetting about them for good.
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Methodi
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Most young married catholics are struggling with The teaching on Birth control, most would liked to see a ban on it. Most of them are using it anyway
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mesl4
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I’m not afraid to confess at all. On the contrary, I’m eager to do so and would like to do it now , even w/out being sure of the RC church. I ask these questions more as trying to figure out the rationale. It’s SO different from Protestantism which is why it makes me skeptical. We have been taught that anything between us and God is wrong. The RC church puts much between us and God so I want to make sure they are not the anti-Christ like some non-RC christians think they are. If I can be sure I’m not following some devil’s scheme, I will jump in and be confirmed. There is so much baggage to go through.I feel like it’s giving up all this personal closeness I had w/God, and going to more of a fearful-need-a-go-between-to-protect-me-even-though-that’s-what-Jesus-was-for-religion. Isn’t that just what Satan would want? I’m gonna start another thread on what RCs call the gospel…stay-tuned.
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FrDavid96
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<
The Church is not a barrier between us and God. Think of the Church as a bridge. God can walk across the water anytine He chooses, but we need that bridge to approach Him. He meets us half-way (that’s our free will to either accept or reject Him) and asks us to join Him. The Church provides sure-footing and a clear path across. Most importantly, through the Church, Christ Himself (Who already walked over to “our side” of the river) is walking with us, holding us up and ready to catch us when we fall.
If your journey on the way to becoming Catholic is a difficult one, think of that as a confirmation that you’re on the right path. Lots of things in life are easy, but often what’s easiest, and most appealing to us is likewise what is not best for us.
Protestantism is easy precisely because it can mean whatever the individual wants it to mean. If you find yourself in a denomination or a particular local community with which you disagree, you can always join some other, or start your own. History attests to that quite clearly.
If those helping you on your journey through RCIA would simply answer all your questions and concerns by saying “whatever you feel like thinking or believing is perfectly fine” would that be the kind of community that would truly bring you to Christ? Your very presence here on this forum, and your participation in RCIA leads me to believe that’s not the sort of community you’re seeking.
Look at the few times when Satan appears in Sacred Scripture. Each and every time, he offers what is easy and what is most appealing to our basest priorities. He told Eve that God had placed a barrier between her and a knowledge of good-and-evil. He tempted Christ by telling Him how easy it would be to turn the stones into loaves. He never tempted Christ by asking Him to turn loaves into stones; what would be the appeal in that?
Remember those times in grade school when we were given two columns and had to draw lines between them to make matches?(let’s say the speaker and the quote) Indulge me here and play that little game:
Christ
Satan
Mesl4:
The Church is not a barrier between us and God. Think of the Church as a bridge. God can walk across the water anytine He chooses, but we need that bridge to approach Him. He meets us half-way (that’s our free will to either accept or reject Him) and asks us to join Him. The Church provides sure-footing and a clear path across. Most importantly, through the Church, Christ Himself (Who already walked over to “our side” of the river) is walking with us, holding us up and ready to catch us when we fall.
If your journey on the way to becoming Catholic is a difficult one, think of that as a confirmation that you’re on the right path. Lots of things in life are easy, but often what’s easiest, and most appealing to us is likewise what is not best for us.
Protestantism is easy precisely because it can mean whatever the individual wants it to mean. If you find yourself in a denomination or a particular local community with which you disagree, you can always join some other, or start your own. History attests to that quite clearly.
If those helping you on your journey through RCIA would simply answer all your questions and concerns by saying “whatever you feel like thinking or believing is perfectly fine” would that be the kind of community that would truly bring you to Christ? Your very presence here on this forum, and your participation in RCIA leads me to believe that’s not the sort of community you’re seeking.
Look at the few times when Satan appears in Sacred Scripture. Each and every time, he offers what is easy and what is most appealing to our basest priorities. He told Eve that God had placed a barrier between her and a knowledge of good-and-evil. He tempted Christ by telling Him how easy it would be to turn the stones into loaves. He never tempted Christ by asking Him to turn loaves into stones; what would be the appeal in that?
Remember those times in grade school when we were given two columns and had to draw lines between them to make matches?(let’s say the speaker and the quote) Indulge me here and play that little game:
Christ
“I want you to know the Truth.
and I give you the Church to lead
you to the truth, even though it
won’t always be easy”
and I give you the Church to lead
you to the truth, even though it
won’t always be easy”
Satan
“Take the easy route
believe whatever makes you
feel good”
believe whatever makes you
feel good”
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PJM
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Reply:
My dear friends in Christ,
The Catholic Church and our Magistrium, do not permit one who wishes to be an informed practcing Roman Catholic, to “pick and choose” what we “would like” to obey, and disreguard things that we don’t understand, or things which are inconvient to us.
The RCC teaches that use of conterceptives, even in married sex, is forbidden, because God Himself tell us the "He is the author of all life and death issues."Conterceptive sex is a Serious sin, that if knowingly practiced seperates us from a relationship with God, and makes us ineligible to receive Holy Communion worthily. Because it removes God’s right to decide.
One may not assume the “right” to do what God Himself, through His Church, tells is a wrong and a grave moral evil.’
There are approved methods for “spacing children,” that are both safe and effective and do not inhibit Gods SOLE right to determine pregnancy.
One may not assume to know more or know better than God and the Magistrium.
God’s continued Blessings,
PJM m.c.
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PJM
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Reply:
My dear friend of Christ,
You post from your heart, and that is wonderful. Still, I’m confused about what you means about the “go betweens”.
Please remember that all seven Sacraments “were instituted” by Jesus Himself.
Why? 
Because of His great love for usYou speak of a lack of intimacy. I simply don’t understand what exactly are your concerns.
If you wish for the GREATEST intimacy with Jesus, this side of Heaven, become a RCC and receive the very same Jesus you are speaking about, not only into your heart, your spirit, but into your VERY BODY, where you become One with God."
Not a sign, not a simple symbol, but the very same Jesus born of Mary, who died on the cross, rose fron the dead, and now in His Glorified Body, no longer restricted by human restraints, that very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of that very same Jesus. WOW
Speak about intimacy!!! That my friend is intimacy, that my friend is Heaven on earth. Amen!God’s continued Blessings, keep praying and keep asking questions.
PJM m.c.
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