First RCIA, now confession!

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slewi

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Ok. I have no idea what happened in confession today.

We have several Catholic churches in a 10 mile radius where I live, and I have all of their confession schedules so that I know where I can go at any given time on Saturday.

I went to a church I have only been to a wedding to before today.

When I got into the box, I waited for a moment, then Father opened my side, and I waited for him to say his opening, but he didn’t. So I started with “Bless me father…”

So I went on to make my confession. Now, I was told that two things I know to be mortal sins were NOT mortal sins. Something is only a mortal sin if you intend to harm another! When I questioned him on it, he told me to stop thinking of sins as having categories, mortal and venial! :eek:

We went on to have a nice talk, he is a very nice man, but then at the end, he didn’t ask me to say the Act of contrition, nor did he give me a penance! He then told me he enjoyed talking to me…I am still pretty speechless…He did give me absolution I think. I was kind of shocked and didn’t pay attention to what he was saying.

I came out of the box and was kind of dazed. I looked around abit, then went right to a pew and did my own penance!

Well, God knows I confessed my sins, what the priest did or didn’t do hopefully has no effect on it. I should probably write everything down and send a letter to the Bishop…Man I’m having a bad week…

Steve
 
As I understand it, canon law prohibits the priest from granting absolution to a person who has not been received by the Church even if they are baptized in the Trinity. Someone who knows canon law or how to search for something like that, please chime in.

Not realizing this was the case, I tried back in September or October (I forget now, but it was before RCIA began) to go to confession. The priest just sat there and looked at me. I said, “This is my first time.” I explained what I wanted to do, what I believed (which is what the Catholic Church believes), and told him I had been baptized. He said I could not receive absolution. I felt like a dummy. :rolleyes:

He didn’t hear my confession, didn’t pray with me, didn’t bless me, but did recommend their RCIA program. I told him I had enrolled in it. And, I believe if you view the other thread , you’ll note my experience with said program.
 
Well, I did recieve the sacrament of confession in 1st grade, and have been going ever since, so that is not an issue. I only need confirmation.

Steve
 
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Akanke:
As I understand it, canon law prohibits the priest from granting absolution to a person who has not been received by the Church even if they are baptized in the Trinity. Someone who knows canon law or how to search for something like that, please chime in.

Not realizing this was the case, I tried back in September or October (I forget now, but it was before RCIA began) to go to confession. The priest just sat there and looked at me. I said, “This is my first time.” I explained what I wanted to do, what I believed (which is what the Catholic Church believes), and told him I had been baptized. He said I could not receive absolution. I felt like a dummy. :rolleyes:

He didn’t hear my confession, didn’t pray with me, didn’t bless me, but did recommend their RCIA program. I told him I had enrolled in it. And, I believe if you view the other thread , you’ll note my experience with said program.
A person who has not yet been received into full communion with the Catholic Church must receive Reconciliation BEFORE being received. However it is the pastor who determines when.
 
I think I need to clarify:

The priest in the confessional told me that: two things I mentioned in my confession that I know to be mortal sins were NOT mortal sins. He said “Something is only a mortal sin if you intend to harm another.” When I questioned him on it, he told me to stop thinking of sins as having categories, mortal and venial!

He didn’t ask me to say the Act of contrition, nor did he give me a penance!

Steve
 
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slewi:
I think I need to clarify:

The priest in the confessional told me that: two things I mentioned in my confession that I know to be mortal sins were NOT mortal sins. He said “Something is only a mortal sin if you intend to harm another.” When I questioned him on it, he told me to stop thinking of sins as having categories, mortal and venial!

He didn’t ask me to say the Act of contrition, nor did he give me a penance!

Steve
It’s probably pretty common as it has happened to me. I went in and started my list of sins, when I got to one that I KNEW was a mortal sin, he stopped me and asked me why it was a mortal sin. I told him and he then tried to convince me that it was not a mortal sin. At least he did mention that there are classes of sins (venial, mortal), but he really didn’t believe that I had committed a mortal sin, but it met all of the criteria of being a mortal sin.

It happened to me again at the same parish with a different priest.

I dunno. It makes me see why more and more people don’t believe that you need confession. I mean, there isn’t really such a thing as a mortal sin any more it seems…
 
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Dropper:
It’s probably pretty common as it has happened to me. I went in and started my list of sins, when I got to one that I KNEW was a mortal sin, he stopped me and asked me why it was a mortal sin. I told him and he then tried to convince me that it was not a mortal sin. At least he did mention that there are classes of sins (venial, mortal), but he really didn’t believe that I had committed a mortal sin, but it met all of the criteria of being a mortal sin.

It happened to me again at the same parish with a different priest.

I dunno. It makes me see why more and more people don’t believe that you need confession. I mean, there isn’t really such a thing as a mortal sin any more it seems…
We are not dummies, we know in our hearts what we have done or we would not be confessing. If I am correct, when you are in the confessional (or reconciliation) booth, we are talking to Our Father through Jesus Christ, the Priest being the voice. The Holy Spirit will help you examine your conscience. What happens in there is no accident-it is up to our decernment to really be able to appreciate what we are to learn.
 
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