Frequency of The Sacrament of Confession

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theunworthyservant

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If you serve daily mass at your parish, is it permissible for you to receive the Sacrament of Penance daily? How about if you serve two masses in one day,
at different times of the day, with a few hours in between masses? Is it then permissible to go to receive the Sacrament of Penance twice in one day?
 
The service referred to is altar serving (acolyte).
 
If you are mortally sinning daily, you should not be serving. Are you scrupulous? Monthly is fine unless you become aware of mortal sin. Many go every two weeks. What does Father say?
 
Sacrament of Penance or receive Holy Communion twice in one day? Sorry, but I’m confused.

I don’t understand why you would feel you need to confess daily in order to receive Communion daily? Are you wanting to do this to be sure you are either free from all sin prior to just receiving, or do you think that receiving the Sacrament of Penance before each Mass makes you worthy to receive our Lord?
 
Why would you need to go to confession and be absolved twice in one day?

Do you rush off between the two Masses you serve and commit a mortal sin so you need to get back in the state of grace before the second Mass?

Confessing even once per day would tend to cause the priest to think you either had scrupulosity, or if you were really committing mortal sins daily and needed to confess daily, the priest would likely conclude you should not be serving Mass, as the other person said.
 
The Bible states that if we receive the Body and Blood of the Lord in an unworthy manner (i.e being in a state of sin), we are guilty of sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord. We are returned into the state of grace through sacramental confession. So, in short, yes, I go to confession prior to every mass to ensure I receive the Lord in a worthy manner.
 
I would not say I mortally sin daily, but I try to confess every sin, even venial, because it prevents me from sinning further. But sometimes, I lapse into sin (as we all do) and I confess before every mass. Our confessor takes me in every time, because he encourages us all to approach the sacrament before we receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
 
Going to confession daily is probably a bit excessive for most people. It can turn into a compulsive thing, leading to scrupulosity. I would recommend not more than every two weeks, and maybe up to once a month or so. Even serving Mass every day, there’s no need to confess every day.

I’m a priest, I offer Mass every day, and I don’t go to confession every day, much less before every Mass. It wouldn’t be reasonable or possible.

-Fr ACEGC
 
To answer your second question, yes, it has happened; although just once, so I am asking to see if being absolved twice is appropriate in this situation. But the church often has no altar servers to serve at that time in the afternoon, so I am often compelled to serve at the mass at that time.
 
So, Father, even if we have committed a sin in between masses, we have no need to confess it before the next one?
 
theunworthyservant said:
If you serve daily mass at your parish, is it permissible for you to receive the Sacrament of Penance daily?
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Yes…however, do you really understand the difference between mortal and venial sin, and if you do, have you considered your self to be scrupulous if you feel you are in a state of mortal sin daily?

The Mass is structured in such a way that we take our sins to the Lord before receiving the sacrament that is the source and summit of our faith.

So, relax…it may not be the issue you want to make it out to be!

Find Peace!
 
I would not say I am in a state of mortal sin daily, but I often lapse into venial sin. I only wish to receive the Eucharist worthily, so as not to sin gravely by receiving unworthily. Thank You for your kind regards!
 
The penitential act at the beginning of Mass remits venial sin, as does an act of contrition, as does the use of Holy Water. We only need to go to confession before receiving Holy Communion if we are conscious of mortal sin.
 
Priests get exhausted with people wanting to go to confession for every little thing that pops up, yet try to preach a balance to receive the sacrament as to help others not fall into scruples I imagine, an to save their own sanity.

At one point in time, it was a norm for those who intended to receive the Eucharist once a week, to go to confession before hand.
Last I heard the suggested frequency is to receive the sacrament once a month.

In the end it is up to the individual to discern an one can not rely on strangers on the internet to be their moral compass.
 
If you have no unconfessed mortal sins on your soul and have observed the Communion fast, you are properly disposed to receive the Eucharist. Venial sins are forgiven during Mass by the absolution at the end of the Penitential Rite and through reception of the Eucharist. So even if you have committed venial sins prior to Mass, they will be forgiven by the time you receive and at the moment of reception. There is thus no reason to go to Confession before every single Mass provided that you have not committed any mortal sins since your last Confession. Be at peace. 🙂

In the event that you do have mortal sins to confess and can’t go to Confession before Mass, simply refrain from receiving.
 
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I’m glad Father cleared that up. I can see a little venial sin between Masses, like losing one’s patience or temper, but the idea of a server committing a mortal sin in between two Masses seems quite extreme. I can’t imagine a conscientious Catholic would do it.
 
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Also, it might be very good for you to get a descriptive Examination of Conscience - one that describes the common mortal sins and venial sins, as well as delineating between them. Also, something that is of great comfort: “imperfections” in our souls, which are not sins at all.

I particularly like this one, by Leaflet Missal Company. I was initially attracted by my favorite Icon of our Lord on the cover, but there is so much more inside.

$1.25! What’s not to like? Your local Catholic Book Store may very well have them.

https://www.leafletonline.com/examination-of-conscience
 
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What would scare the heck out of us.
Father: “There is an Examination of Conscience in the parish bulletin you will receive after mass. We’ll have a test next week…”
 
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