followup to non-Catholic & confession

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From the answer from serveral people, I can go to confession, but not communion in most cases. Question: Will my sins be forgiven just a a confirmed Catholic? Will the same grace be extended to me?
 
are you a baptized CAtholic? Are you prepared for sacramental confession and communion? If you have doubts about that, ask your priest immediately, today, as soon as the parish office opens. Take whatever steps you need to be prepared, go to confession and receive communion. If there is any long-term situation that needs to be remedied first, such as a marriage issue, ask him how to take care of that situation. If you have not been confirmed, ask him to assist you with that sacrament as well. Go to your priest, now today. None of us knows the state of your soul so we cannot answer your question.
 
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openmind:
From the answer from serveral people, I can go to confession, but not communion in most cases. Question: Will my sins be forgiven just a a confirmed Catholic? Will the same grace be extended to me?
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Well if you believe like I do a priest can forgive sins regardless of your being non-Catholic but it is very uncommon to do so. It would have to be dire circumstances that priest would consider this. A person about to die and has the desire to have confession and a priest is available most likely he will hear the confession. But it is a form of economia as we put it, that a priest will place himself in such a position. This is off the top of my head, and Im sure that a priest could qualify or not qualify my statements. Im not sure about the bestowing of grace however.
 
I don’t understand. If you are not a Catholic, why would you want to go to confession to a Catholic priest? If it is your desire to participate in the Catholic sacraments you should be in RCIA.
 
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JimG:
I don’t understand. If you are not a Catholic, why would you want to go to confession to a Catholic priest? If it is your desire to participate in the Catholic sacraments you should be in RCIA.
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It could be that the person is interested in Catholicism but for whatever reasons needs more time to make the decision. Could be a number of reasons.
 
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StMarkEofE:
It could be that the person is interested in Catholicism but for whatever reasons needs more time to make the decision. Could be a number of reasons.
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But, does he believe that a priest has the power to forgive sins? That’s a Catholic belief. If a person believes that, he should be in RCIA looking into Catholicism. Confession is a sacrament intended for Catholics. Admittedly, the pre-requisite for all the sacraments is Baptism, which many non-Catholics have received. But Catholic sacraments aren’t just a smorgasborg to pick and choose from as you please.
 
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openmind:
From the answer from serveral people, I can go to confession, but not communion in most cases. Question: Will my sins be forgiven just a a confirmed Catholic? Will the same grace be extended to me?
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Our sins are forgiven by the sacrifice of Calvary, so indeed all of our sins are forgiven by His Blood.

However, the effect of sin remains. Through the Sacrament of Reconcilliation, those effects are remitted.

I’ve heard it put this way. You’ve thrown a ball through a window. You’ve been forgiven for breaking that window. But your apology can’t fix what has already been broken. Reconcilliation and the penance served acts as to fix the window.

One needs to be a baptized Catholic in order to receive this grace through the sacrament. As a non-Catholic Christian, you may indeed be forgiven your sins through sincere confession in your heart to Our Lord, but the effect of the sin may remain “unremitted”.

Gosh - I hope I stated this correctly and I hope I helped as well as the others! You could always do a forum search or ask an apologist too.

Blessings to you!
 
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Jennifer123:
Our sins are forgiven by the sacrifice of Calvary, so indeed all of our sins are forgiven by His Blood.

However, the effect of sin remains. Through the Sacrament of Reconcilliation, those effects are remitted.
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Jennifer, the way you describe it as the “effects” of sin being remitted actually is more a description of the Catholic doctrine of purgatory.

In the sacrament of confession sins are actually forgiven.

Christ died for our sins–all of them–but we must accept and apply that forgiveness. For Catholics, this happens in Baptism, and in Confession, and in the sacrament of Annointing.

But the sacrament of confession is the primary sacrament for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. In confession, these sins are really forgiven. The sacrifice of Calvary is applied to our souls.

There remain the effects of sin–the remaining tendencies toward sin, the small affections for sin, the little deformities to our soul caused by sin: These effects are removed and repaired by our voluntary penances, prayers, good works, and purgatory.
 
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JimG:
Jennifer, the way you describe it as the “effects” of sin being remitted actually is more a description of the Catholic doctrine of purgatory.

In the sacrament of confession sins are actually forgiven.

Christ died for our sins–all of them–but we must accept and apply that forgiveness. For Catholics, this happens in Baptism, and in Confession, and in the sacrament of Annointing.

But the sacrament of confession is the primary sacrament for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. In confession, these sins are really forgiven. The sacrifice of Calvary is applied to our souls.

There remain the effects of sin–the remaining tendencies toward sin, the small affections for sin, the little deformities to our soul caused by sin: These effects are removed and repaired by our voluntary penances, prayers, good works, and purgatory.
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Sorry - I thought I had mentioned that when I said reconcilliation and the penances served acts to remove the temporal effects. I was hoping to be clear and helpful, only to not be so!! Oh well, glad to have other members here to help us all along. Thanks. 🙂
 
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JimG:
But, does he believe that a priest has the power to forgive sins? That’s a Catholic belief.
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I think we should clarify, for the sake of our non-Catholic friends, that we Catholics believe that only Jesus forgives sin. The priest, who actually is participating in the one priesthood of Jesus, is authorized to speak in Jesus’ name to absolve those sins that we confess in faith.

Every sacramental thing the ordained bishop, priest or deacon does, and everything we lay persons do when we exercise the common priesthood of the faithful, is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ our high priest.

It may seem like a fine point, but I think it is important to understand.
 
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PaulDupre:
I think we should clarify, for the sake of our non-Catholic friends, that we Catholics believe that only Jesus forgives sin. The priest, who actually is participating in the one priesthood of Jesus, is authorized to speak in Jesus’ name to absolve those sins that we confess in faith.
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Yes, thanks for mentioning that. The priest when acting in a sacramental manner acts in the person of Christ.
 
to Jennifer123. on your follow up to non-catholic&confession.
wow. that really ministerd to me. thanks for the light.
 
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