Don't know what to do about Confession

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Edward_H said:
The sins of pride, vanity, and love of comfort apply to every soul.
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I think you right now are displaying the sin of pride by badgering someone who has already told you that your approach isn’t helpful.

This sort of bullying doesn’t encourage people to stay in the Church.
 
The barrier OP stated is that she was not sure if it was ok - by the Church’s understanding - to approach the sacrament in the way she finds herself able to do so.
 
Edward_H said:
It’s a sin to stop struggling to understand a point of teaching. It’s deliberately not seeking God.
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Nowhere did she say she had stopped.
Furthermore, her desire to go to Confession shows she is still actively struggling.
You are also not the expert on what sins another person might have committed in their thoughts.

How about you encourage her to go to confession and speak to a priest, and leave it at that,
 
Often what’s needed is plainer and more direct language.

Our culture has become too infected with soft mumblihood
 
Full disclosure: I am a cradle Catholic, I’ve been an active member of the Church for most of my life, and theology has always been a big interest of mine. I’m very well-versed in the Church’s teachings on the pelvic issues, and largely took them for granted up until the last year or so. It’s only when I started to look at them from a perspective other than that of a devout cradle Catholic that my opinions began to shift.
 
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Ok, here’s a direct question: What exactly do you think OP should do? It’s all very well to talk about the sin of pride, but I think “stop being proud” isn’t exactly an instruction that I know anyone can successfully do, or we’d all be saints by now. We’ve established @TheAmazingGrace most likely isn’t a saint, but I doubt that’s a revelation to her. (The rest of us probably aren’t either.) So here’s the options:

(1) Find some way to make herself believe in the Church teaching immediately. I’m not convinced the average human brain works that way, but maybe you disagree.
(2) Continue to search, but refrain from the sacraments until she finds that she can agree.
(3) Receive the sacraments, showing submission by seeking the truth and by refraining from acting against Church teaching.
 
  1. Go to Confession.
  2. take up a simple daily program of prayer…mental prayer, perhaps examining in prayer one’s views about teaching.
  3. Get a solid spiritual director who is faithful to Church teaching.
  4. Begin working on little things.
 
The best way to work on pride is to work on the opposing virtue: humility.

The best way to work on humility is by praying for it, and by practicing little hidden acts of humility daily.
 
Edward_H said:
The best way to work on pride is to work on the opposing virtue: humility.

The best way to work on humility is by praying for it, and by practicing little hidden acts of humility daily.
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How do you know I’m not doing that already? You don’t know me, and you didn’t ask me: you’re just making assumptions about my daily actions and state of mind based on the fact that I don’t know if I should go to confession because I’m struggling with the Church’s teachings on sexuality.

It’s. Not. Helping.
 
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Hello. I’m a priest. If there’s any way I can be of help to you, feel free to send me a private message. I’m sorry that you are having difficulties and would be more than happy to walk through them with you in the way that is most productive and helpful for you. You are in my prayers.

-Fr ACEGC
 
It would I think have been better to mention that up front. You came across very much as “OP should just stop being proud and decide to believe what the Church believes, and then there won’t be any issue.” Rather than that OP should go to confession and then working on their own beliefs.
 
edward_george1 said:
Hello. I’m a priest. If there’s any way I can be of help to you, feel free to send me a private message. I’m sorry that you are having difficulties and would be more than happy to walk through them with you in the way that is most productive and helpful for you. You are in my prayers.

-Fr ACEGC
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Thank you Father. I just might take you up on that offer.
 
TheAmazingGrace said:
My issue is whether it would be disingenuous to do so because of my disagreements with Church doctrine.
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I don’t let stuff like this stop me from going to confession. Neither should you. Bring it up in confession. Say you disagree with X doctrine, but you would nevertheless like to have the fullest relationship with God possible.

I don’t think I know anyone who agrees with every Church doctrine. Just go and let God sort it out. I don’t worry myself about how disingenuous I am. I examine myself up to a certain point, and when I get stuck, I move on and let God sort it out in the end.
 
Do you believe the Church teaches infallibly in matters of faith and morals?

Is there a particular point of teaching that you have a hard time agreeing with?
 
With respect to pride, @Edward_H, is that a speck or a beam in your eye? Look at your own posts.
 
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Didn’t see 10 “I’s” in 10 posts, let alone 4 sentences.

but tks
 
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