Frequency of confession

kell0618 · Feb 25, 2008

liebchen77 said:
I am a Catholic convert–I have 8 years now in the Church & confession has been something that I have struggled with. I have only now felt comfortable making a confession, and I can’t believe how free it makes me feel!

Anyway, I’m wondering if a weekly confession is “too much?” My priest recommended yearly confession, but I know that that is the minimum.

What is a good practice?

My standard answer is every 3-4 weeks or more often if needed. It is a good practice to confess venial sins as well as mortal ones. Those venial sins add up.

Peace

ASimpleSinner · Feb 25, 2008

Jennifer_G said:
I never quite understood having confession after the Mass… Wouldn’t you want to do it before the daily Mass rather than risk having 23 hours to commit another sin?

JG,

Sure, that would be ideal. But we have to remember, assisting at Mass even if you are not prepared to take Communion is OK. There is Grace and joy to be had in just being there to assist at Mass.

Confession before hand would be great, but it isn’t less of an experience for me if I can’t receive because I am not prepared.

Their is a pious tradition (it isn’t defined as a dogma or anything) that comes from the teachings of some different holy priests. In this pious teaching some of the fathers tell us that in your last hour, every Mass you ever assisted at in your lifetime will be a source of sweet consolation and peace before you experience the Awesome Judgement Seat. Now understand, this is strictly a pious way to think about and meditate on the value of Mass (don’t tell your RCIA teacher someone online told you this HAD to be believed!

) At any rate the point is that just being there is a blessing.

PS - I like your little swimmy guy in the counter. That is very clever.

ASimpleSinner · Feb 25, 2008

Here is another good examine:

catholic-pages.com/penance/examine.asp

I don’t think I could make it a week without finding something on there I could check off… Unless maybe I was in a coma!

Sir_Knight · Mar 2, 2008

thomasf said:
I’m just curious. I try to go to confession once a month. For those that go more often, what do you talk about if you don’t have mortal sins? Do you discuss your venial sins with your confessor? Or other things? I personally love going once a month, but I’m not sure I could come up with a lot to talk about every week.

Preliminary

Besides telling the NATURE of our sins, we must also recollect, as far as possible, the NUMBER of times we have committed them, telling also (and only) those CIRCUMSTANCES which at times may either make a venial sin mortal or a mortal sin notably worse.

- Have I ever failed to confess a serious sin or disguised it?
- Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully?
- Have I failed to perform the penance given me by the confessor or disobeyed any of his directions?
- Have I neglected the Easter duty of receiving Holy Communion or failed to confess my sins within a year?
- Have I any HABITS of serious sin to confess first (impurity, drunkenness, etc.)?
First Commandment
1. - Am I ignorant of my catechism (Act of Contrition, Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, Seven Sacraments, the Our Father)?
  - Have I willfully doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church (heresy)?
  - Have I taken active part in any non-Catholic worship?
  - Am I a member of any anti-Catholic or any secret society?
  - Have I knowingly read any anti-Catholic literature?
  - Have I practiced any superstitions (horoscopes, fortune tellers, etc.)?
  Second Commandment
  1. - Have I used God’s name in vain by way of profanity?
    - Have I murmured or complained against God (blasphemy)?
    - Have I maligned priests or others consecrated to God?
    - Have I sworn by God’s name (oath) either falsely or rashly?
    - Have I broken any private vow?
    Third Commandment
    1. - Have I missed Mass on Sundays or holydays through my own fault?
      - Have I been late for Mass through my own negligence?
      - Have I been inattentive at Mass or otherwise failed in reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament?
      - Have I done unnecessary servile work (physical labor) or shopping on Sunday?
      Fourth Commandment
      1. Have I been disrespectful to my parents or neglected them?
        
        Have I failed in obedience or reverence to others in authority?
        
        Have I mistreated my wife or children?
        
        Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to my husband?
        
        Regarding my children:
        
        Have I neglected their material needs?
        
        Have I failed to care for their early Baptism or their proper religious instruction?
        
        Have I allowed them to neglect their religious duties?
        
        Have I otherwise failed to discipline them?
        
        Have I given bad them example?
        
        Have I interfered with their freedom to marry or follow a religious vocation?
        
        Fifth & Eighth Commandments
        
        Have I quarreled with any one?
        
        Have I cursed anyone or otherwise wished evil on him?
        
        Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortune?
        
        Is there anyone to whom I refuse to speak or be reconciled?
        
        Have I lied about anyone (calumny)?
        
        Have I rash judged anyone of a serious sin?
        
        Have I engaged in gossip (detraction) or spread scandal?
        
        Have I lent an ear to scandal about my neighbor?
        
        Have I been jealous or envious of anyone?
        
        Sixth & Ninth
        
        Have I denied my spouse his or her marriage rights?
        
        Have I practiced birth control?
        
        Have I abused my marriage rights in any other way?
        
        Have I committed adultery or fornication?
        
        Have I touched or embraced another impurely?
        
        Have I sinned with others of the same sex?
        
        Have I committed masturbation or otherwise sinned impurely with myself?
        
        Have I harbored lustful desires for anyone?
        
        Have I indulged in other impure thoughts?
        
        Have I failed to dress modestly?
        
        Have I done anything to provoke or occasion impure thoughts in others?
        
        Have I read indecent literature or looked at indecent pictures?
        
        Have I watched suggestive films or programs?
        
        Have I permitted my children or others under my charge to do these things?
        
        Have I used indecent language or told indecent stories?
        
        Have I willingly listened to such stories?
        
        Have I boasted of my sins?
        
        Have I sinned against chastity in any other way?
        
        Seventh & Tenth Commandments
        
        Have I stolen anything?
        
        Have I damaged anyone’s property through my own fault?
        
        Have I cheated or defrauded other?
        
        Have I refused or neglected to pay any debts?
        
        Have I neglected my duties or been slothful in my work?
        
        Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent necessity?
        
        Have I failed to make restitution?
        
        OTHER SINS
        
        Have I knowingly caused others to sin?
        
        Have I cooperated in the sins of others?
        
        Have I sinned by gluttony?
        
        Have I become intoxicated?
        
        Have I used narcotics?
        
        Have I been motivated by avarice?
        
        Have I indulged in boasting or vainglory?
        
        Have I received Holy Communion or another sacrament in the state of mortal sin?
        
        Is there any other sin I need to confess?

Linnyo · Mar 2, 2008

Sir_Knight said:
Preliminary

Besides telling the NATURE of our sins, we must also recollect, as far as possible, the NUMBER of times we have committed them, telling also (and only) those CIRCUMSTANCES which at times may either make a venial sin mortal or a mortal sin notably worse.

Have I ever failed to confess a serious sin or disguised it?

Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully?

Have I failed to perform the penance given me by the confessor or disobeyed any of his directions?

Have I neglected the Easter duty of receiving Holy Communion or failed to confess my sins within a year?

Have I any HABITS of serious sin to confess first (impurity, drunkenness, etc.)?
First Commandment

Am I ignorant of my catechism (Act of Contrition, Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, Seven Sacraments, the Our Father)?

Have I willfully doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church (heresy)?

Have I taken active part in any non-Catholic worship?

Am I a member of any anti-Catholic or any secret society?

Have I knowingly read any anti-Catholic literature?

Have I practiced any superstitions (horoscopes, fortune tellers, etc.)?
Second Commandment

Have I used God’s name in vain by way of profanity?

Have I murmured or complained against God (blasphemy)?

Have I maligned priests or others consecrated to God?

Have I sworn by God’s name (oath) either falsely or rashly?

Have I broken any private vow?
Third Commandment

Have I missed Mass on Sundays or holydays through my own fault?

Have I been late for Mass through my own negligence?

Have I been inattentive at Mass or otherwise failed in reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament?

Have I done unnecessary servile work (physical labor) or shopping on Sunday?
Fourth Commandment

Have I been disrespectful to my parents or neglected them?

Have I failed in obedience or reverence to others in authority?

Have I mistreated my wife or children?

Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to my husband?

Regarding my children:

Have I neglected their material needs?

Have I failed to care for their early Baptism or their proper religious instruction?

Have I allowed them to neglect their religious duties?

Have I otherwise failed to discipline them?

Have I given bad them example?

Have I interfered with their freedom to marry or follow a religious vocation?

Fifth & Eighth Commandments

Have I quarreled with any one?

Have I cursed anyone or otherwise wished evil on him?

Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortune?

Is there anyone to whom I refuse to speak or be reconciled?

Have I lied about anyone (calumny)?

Have I rash judged anyone of a serious sin?

Have I engaged in gossip (detraction) or spread scandal?

Have I lent an ear to scandal about my neighbor?

Have I been jealous or envious of anyone?
Sixth & Ninth

Have I denied my spouse his or her marriage rights?

Have I practiced birth control?

Have I abused my marriage rights in any other way?

Have I committed adultery or fornication?

Have I touched or embraced another impurely?

Have I sinned with others of the same sex?

Have I committed masturbation or otherwise sinned impurely with myself?

Have I harbored lustful desires for anyone?

Have I indulged in other impure thoughts?

Have I failed to dress modestly?

Have I done anything to provoke or occasion impure thoughts in others?

Have I read indecent literature or looked at indecent pictures?

Have I watched suggestive films or programs?

Have I permitted my children or others under my charge to do these things?

Have I used indecent language or told indecent stories?

Have I willingly listened to such stories?

Have I boasted of my sins?

Have I sinned against chastity in any other way?
Seventh & Tenth Commandments

Have I stolen anything?

Have I damaged anyone’s property through my own fault?

Have I cheated or defrauded other?

Have I refused or neglected to pay any debts?

Have I neglected my duties or been slothful in my work?

Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent necessity?

Have I failed to make restitution?
OTHER SINS

Have I knowingly caused others to sin?

Have I cooperated in the sins of others?

Have I sinned by gluttony?

Have I become intoxicated?

Have I used narcotics?

Have I been motivated by avarice?

Have I indulged in boasting or vainglory?

Have I received Holy Communion or another sacrament in the state of mortal sin?

Is there any other sin I need to confess?

- 1. 1. 1. Wow - that is a pretty extensive list although I very much doubt that all of these are mortal sins in the way they are worded. Some are but some are not even sins at all. The one I highlighted is definately not a sin given that we are actively encouraged to go to ecumanical services from time to time. I often meet with friends from different denominations and have praise and worship. This is not sinful in anhy shape or form.

puzzleannie · Mar 2, 2008

liebchen77 said:
Thanks for the reply–I’m curious: is it necessary to be very specific in confession, or is it acceptable to mention my sin in a general way? i.e. lying to my husband about money can be covered by saying “I was dishonest”?

I lied (how many times or how frequently)
since whom I lied to may reveal another sin, if it is relevant, say I lied to my husband
no you cannot self-diagnose your sins any more than you can your medical problems.

you go to the doctor and say may ear aches, my nose is running and I have trouble breathing, you don’t say “I have the flu or I have pneumonia”

state the sins in kind and number, leave out the backstory unless the priest asks for it.

when responding to a long post (which might have been more helpfully presented as a link) it is not necessary to quote the whole thing

Chancellare · Mar 2, 2008

Linnyo said:
Wow - that is a pretty extensive list although I very much doubt that all of these are mortal sins in the way they are worded. Some are but some are not even sins at all. The one I highlighted is definately not a sin given that we are actively encouraged to go to ecumanical services from time to time. I often meet with friends from different denominations and have praise and worship. This is not sinful in anhy shape or form.

Sir Knight’s list is a standard examination of conscience in preparation for a good confession. A properly formed conscience will not arrogate unto himself the determination if an act is sinfull or not. He consults his confessor first.

Seumas · Mar 2, 2008

Linnyo said:
Wow - that is a pretty extensive list although I very much doubt that all of these are mortal sins in the way they are worded. Some are but some are not even sins at all. The one I highlighted is definately not a sin given that we are actively encouraged to go to ecumanical services from time to time. I often meet with friends from different denominations and have praise and worship. This is not sinful in anhy shape or form.

You might want to check out this link and read what Bishop Sheridan has to say about the difference between “attending” and “participating” (or “taking active part”) in non-Catholic services, and the certain cautions to keep in mind.

tinyurl.com/28n8q4

You may also want to keep in mind that it is a sin to endanger one’s faith without necessity, so that if you are not strong in your Catholic Faith, knowledgeable about it’s teachings and prepared for anything they might throw at you–either in a subtle way or not so subtle–at a non-Catholic service or meeting, then it could be a sin to expose yourself to that. Many formerly Catholic Protestants lost their Catholic Faith because they attended non-Catholic services and were not prepared.

Finally, it is one thing to get together with Protestants for a little praise and worship. It is another thing to get together with the local witch’s coven for a little goddess worship and magic, or with the local New Age group for a little channeling, or whatever. It is never a good idea to get anywhere near New Age, occult or pagan practices, and I speak from deep experience.

God bless.

jmcrae · Mar 2, 2008

Linnyo said:
Wow - that is a pretty extensive list although I very much doubt that all of these are mortal sins in the way they are worded. Some are but some are not even sins at all. The one I highlighted is definately not a sin given that we are actively encouraged to go to ecumanical services from time to time. I often meet with friends from different denominations and have praise and worship. This is not sinful in anhy shape or form.

I think “active” refers to receiving their Holy Communion, or other action that would confuse others about the teachings of our Catholic faith, or be detrimental to your Catholic witness.

nutmeg2005 · Mar 2, 2008

Interesting replies with great advice. My family and I go at a minimum of monthly, but we have a goal of weekly for the grace. Also, I have a CD, from the Mary Foundation Website, that talks about confession – we need to go much more. Once a year is not enough. I’m glad that our confessor is pleased with an active confessing lifestyle.

Regardless, if we have a mortal sin (whether it is lying, stealing – like wasting time at work, or whatever) on our conscience, we can not have communion – Our Blessed Mother was the only Immaculate Conceived human. A year without communion would be devastating.

There is a longer line to receive communion than for confession.

Frequency of confession

kell0618

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ASimpleSinner

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ASimpleSinner

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Sir_Knight

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Linnyo

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puzzleannie

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Chancellare

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Seumas

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jmcrae

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nutmeg2005

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