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Paris_Blues
Guest
I’m totally freaking out about my 1st Confession tomorrow morning!
Have any suggestions to help me calm down? I’ve NEVER been so freaked out in my life!!
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I’m totally freaking out about my 1st Confession tomorrow morning!
Have any suggestions to help me calm down? I’ve NEVER been so freaked out in my life!!
T
tkdnick
Guest
Paris Blues said:
I’m totally freaking out about my 1st Confession tomorrow morning!
Have any suggestions to help me calm down? I’ve NEVER been so freaked out in my life!!
Pray for peace my friend! Pray for peace!
When you get there, tell the priest it’s your first time and that you are really nervous. He should help you through it.
Are you doing face to face confession or will there be a screen separating you? I have found it much easier to do confession with a screen.
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mari319
Guest
I felt pretty much the same for my first confession 3 years ago during RCIA. My only advice is to take a deep breath and pray to God for calm. It’s all in His hands. The priest is just His servant on earth, same as you and me.
Confession really is a great sacrament. Let your emotions go. (I tried to keep from crying but couldn’t.) It’s a real relief to know that your sins are forgiven.
Confession really is a great sacrament. Let your emotions go. (I tried to keep from crying but couldn’t.) It’s a real relief to know that your sins are forgiven.
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mercygate
Guest
Paris Blues said:
I’m totally freaking out about my 1st Confession tomorrow morning!
Have any suggestions to help me calm down? I’ve NEVER been so freaked out in my life!!
What is it, Paris? Concerned about having to be so exposed? Embarrassed?
If so, that’s the fun part. Kind of like saying, Well, Lord: this is REALLY hard for me. But I am giving my life to you – and if the only thing I have to give you is my sin, then here it is. Have mercy on me. And if this confession is going to be what it must be, Lord, then you’re going to have to do it for me.
The Priest will understand your trepidation. He will help you. Take heart. Do not let your “freak-out” get the better of you. You will learn that this is one of the best things about being Catholic. Set your face for Jerusalem.
Special intercessions going up for you tonight and my Mass will be for you tomorrow morning. What’s your time zone? I’ll set my computer alarm and pray for you during the time you are scheduled for confession.
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Paris_Blues
Guest
God bless you!
It’s Mountain Time!Yes, I guess it’s because it’s kinda scary and all to tell a preist what the heck you did in the past (this priest I’m going to see tomorrow is going to hear something that he’s probably never heard before! He might have a headache after I leave).
But on the other hand, it’s ironic how we confess our sins to our closest friends and people we don’t know yet we can’t do it to a preist??
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Madia
Guest
Here’s some reading from the Diary of St. Faustina that might help:
faustina.ch/swieto_milosierdzia/sakrament_pojednania/index-en.htm
catholic-forum.com/churches/cathteach/divinemercy_confession.htm
faustina.ch/swieto_milosierdzia/sakrament_pojednania/index-en.htm
catholic-forum.com/churches/cathteach/divinemercy_confession.htm
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JimO
Guest
Paris Blues:
Doubtful, he’s probably heard it all many times before. Besides, you’re really speaking to Christ, who already knows what you’ve done and will be rejoicing that you are willing to drop the baggage. Be at peace.
M
mercygate
Guest
Paris Blues:
And he will definitely know if you leave stuff out. The things most people have the hardest time confessing are so common and so conspicuous by their absence that they signify an imperfect confession.
One trick: fess up to the hard stuff first. All the things that make you sweat and crawl. Once you’re past that, the rest is easy.
Most people come out of their first confession treading air for months. I hope you do.
He has definitely heard it *all *in kind, even if the specifics are unique.God bless you!
Yes, I guess it’s because it’s kinda scary and all to tell a preist what the heck you did in the past (this priest I’m going to see tomorrow is going to hear something that he’s probably never heard before! He might have a headache after I leave).
But on the other hand, it’s ironic how we confess our sins to our closest friends and people we don’t know yet we can’t do it to a preist??
And he will definitely know if you leave stuff out. The things most people have the hardest time confessing are so common and so conspicuous by their absence that they signify an imperfect confession.
One trick: fess up to the hard stuff first. All the things that make you sweat and crawl. Once you’re past that, the rest is easy.
Most people come out of their first confession treading air for months. I hope you do.
B
beckyann2597
Guest
Paris Blues:
Exactly! We confess to everyone but the one who can make it right! Welcome to the Sacraments!But on the other hand, it’s ironic how we confess our sins to our closest friends and people we don’t know yet we can’t do it to a preist??
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Paris_Blues
Guest
Well,I hope that with the Grace of God, He can speak within me so that I may confess everything that I need to confess. I hope our Lord takes away my anxiety (heck, my mind totally blanks when I go through anxiety) and I HOPE I will have the strongest courage and strength to WANT to tell all sins! Hope I feel strong.
M
mercygate
Guest
Paris Blues:
Many people who are as “freaky” as you seem to be find that when they get to the church, they become calm and steady. Somehow the reality is much better than the anticipation.
Your priest knows you, right? He’ll understand his customer and work with you to make this a wonderful experience.
Write down the stuff you’re going to want to “forget.” People go into lengthy pro and con discussions about whether to write out a confession. Depends on the person I guess. I sense that you will pretty much NEED to write it out.
Many people who are as “freaky” as you seem to be find that when they get to the church, they become calm and steady. Somehow the reality is much better than the anticipation.
Your priest knows you, right? He’ll understand his customer and work with you to make this a wonderful experience.
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Paris_Blues
Guest
Like I always tell myself if I don’t want to do something:
“Just shut up and do it!”
“Just shut up and do it!”
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Paris_Blues
Guest
Oh, so it’s okay to write down what you did in the past? Do I only need to tell the sins I’ve commited from Baptism forward?
Well, I hope that I get calmed and not so anxious but willing!
Nope, the priest does not know me personally, sad huh? Tomorrow is the first time we’re going to meet personally. After telling my sins, THAT’S when he’ll get to know me!
M
mercygate
Guest
Paris Blues:
Do you have a format to follow? Did they give you a guide for examining your conscience? What kind of preparation did you have?
Baptism forward ONLY! Heck: piece o’ cake, girl!Oh, so it’s okay to write down what you did in the past? Do I only need to tell the sins I’ve commited from Baptism forward?
Well, I hope that I get calmed and not so anxious but willing!
Nope, the priest does not know me personally, sad huh? Tomorrow is the first time we’re going to meet personally. After telling my sins, THAT’S when he’ll get to know me!
Do you have a format to follow? Did they give you a guide for examining your conscience? What kind of preparation did you have?
V
vluvski
Guest
Only one thing to do here, Paris…
PANIC!
note sarcasm
Relax! You’ll do just fine!
PANIC!
note sarcasmRelax! You’ll do just fine!
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Paris_Blues
Guest
Well, our RCIA director gave us a paper with the Ten Commandments on and it lists about a billion things to examine within our conscience. The more I read them, the more I realize I think I committed every single one of them (except sexual stuff) the more I get anxious!
I remember having a sense of maybe committing them but not too sure if I acted on them. I think that’s what gets me confused.
A
Aaron_I
Guest
Paris Blues:
Hah! But seriously, the priests I’ve talked to say they basically never remember a confession. Keep in mind that they’ve heard it all. Seriously, unless you confess to bestiality, he’ll have heard it. Also, it won’t change your relationship with the priest. I’ve confessed mortal sin in a face-to-face confession with a priest I am friends with. If he abhors me now, he has done a good job of hiding it. I wouldn’t recommend a face-to-face confession for your first time. Just keep in mind that everybody sins. God knows what you’ve done. If you willfully choose to withhold something, you’ll only feel worse afterwards instead of totally free. Don’t cheat yourself of liberation.
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Paris_Blues
Guest
Aaron I.:
Well, see, instead of going on a Saturday, I had to schedule it! Why? Heck, if I went Saturday, we’d still be there until the year 9000!
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mercygate
Guest
Paris Blues:
You know that you don’t have to come up with a sin for every item on that examination of conscience, don’t you?
It’s just a guide. You KNOW what your “elephants” are – after you’ve unloaded those, use the checklist to prompt your memory. Then adopt the old rule: if you question whether you did something, then it’s not a sin. God doesn’t hold you accountable for what you can’t remember.
I wish the priest were someone who knows you because you are so highly reactive. Tell him how “freaked” you are right up front. That will help him work with you.Well, our RCIA director gave us a paper with the Ten Commandments on and it lists about a billion things to examine within our conscience. The more I read them, the more I realize I think I committed every single one of them (except I’ve never had a close relationship with a guy…you know where that goes) the more I get anxious!
You know that you don’t have to come up with a sin for every item on that examination of conscience, don’t you?
It’s just a guide. You KNOW what your “elephants” are – after you’ve unloaded those, use the checklist to prompt your memory. Then adopt the old rule: if you question whether you did something, then it’s not a sin. God doesn’t hold you accountable for what you can’t remember.
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mercygate
Guest
Aaron I.:
Great advice!
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