Going to confession!?

[THurifer2]

No it is not. It is an act of devotion, .

It is an act of devotion that dances on the borderline of scrupulosity and potentially misleads people into thinking that the powers of the keys may not have taken the first go around …which is in my honest opinion damaging to the faith.

In your defiinition of “general” confession EVERY confession is a General one because in any circumstance during this sacrament a person must confess all mortal sins they are conscious of whether it is a million or 1…whether it is 15 minutes since their last confession or 15 years. A person who goes to confession weekly can be in the confessional longer than a person who goes once per 25 years.

You prefer to call it general confession…I think I will call it a reverse triple Lindy confession and my wife who likes to dress up for the event will now call it a FORMAL confession since they are all equal in forgiving power.

 

[CatholicNerd]

St. Francis on General Confessions. From The Devout Life (courtesy of a commenter on Jimmy Akin’s blog, so I don’t have the exact citation):

"…while I grant it is not always necessary, I yet believe will be found most helpful in the beginning of your pursuit after holiness, and therefore I earnestly advise you to make it. Not unfrequently the ordinary confessions of persons leading an everyday life are full of great faults, and that because they make little or no preparation, and have not the needful contrition.

Owing to this deficiency such people go to confession with a tacit intention of returning to their old sins, inasmuch as they will not avoid the occasions of sin, or take the necessary measures for amendment of life, and in all such cases a general confession is required to steady and fix the soul.

But, furthermore, a general confession forces us to a clearer self-knowledge, kindles a wholesome shame for our past life, and rouses gratitude for God’s Mercy, Which has so long waited patiently for us;–it comforts the heart, refreshes the spirit, excites good resolutions, affords opportunity to our spiritual Father for giving the most suitable advice, and opens our hearts so as to make future confessions more effectual. Therefore I cannot enter into the subject of a general change of life and entire turning to God, by means of a devout life, without urging upon you to begin with a general confession. "

 

[THurifer2]

But, furthermore, a general confession forces us to a clearer self-knowledge, kindles a wholesome shame for our past life, and rouses gratitude for God’s Mercy, Which has so long waited patiently for us;–it comforts the heart, refreshes the spirit, excites good resolutions, affords opportunity to our spiritual Father for giving the most suitable advice, and opens our hearts so as to make future confessions more effectual. Therefore I cannot enter into the subject of a general change of life and entire turning to God, by means of a devout life, without urging upon you to begin with a general confession. "

a good regular confession (which includes absolution) is always sufficient enough to absolve a person free of thier past sins even if we forget to mention them. Please direct me to canon law and/or Catechism for any mention of the specifics of/and any mention of a General confession. Also could you please provide me with official church guidelines as to how many years and what circumstances come into play when a general confession should be made.

With this in mind I would find it no problem for the OP to go to talk to a priest and confess their sins. But I know people who have been “scared” away by terms and situations where people suggest “general” confession…which is NOT NECESSARY.

The only mention of “general” confession in the catechism pertains to communal confession in times of danger to the people.

*1483 In case of grave necessity recourse may be had to a communal celebration of reconciliation with general confession and general absolution. Grave necessity of this sort can arise when there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time for the priest or priests to hear each penitent’s confession. Grave necessity can also exist when, given the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors to hear individual confessions properly in a reasonable time, so that the penitents through no fault of their own would be deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time. In this case, for the absolution to be valid the faithful must have the intention of individually confessing their sins in the time required.[91] The diocesan bishop is the judge of whether or not the conditions required for general absolution exist.[92] A large gathering of the faithful on the occasion of major feasts or pilgrimages does not constitute a case of grave necessity.[93] *

 

[mercygate]

I talked to a canon lawyer on this very subject and the church recognizes only ONE form sacramental forgiveness and reconfessing absoved sins demonstrates a lack of understanding of the power of absolution which in fact is effective and permanent. Its not like they are extra double forgiven or somthing. Christ’s merits of death on the cross is what gives absolution its power…it works totally and effectively the first time we confess them.

Now then if i Go to confession and confess ALL of my conscious sins and a person goes to “general” confession and confesses ALL of their conscious sins could you please explain to me what the difference is…??? There are people here who may not have been to confession in a long time and you are implying that “regular” confession is not going to be “effective” enough (whatever that may mean) CONFESSION IS CONFESSION IS CONFESSION.

The OP is 16 and hasn’t been to confession since age 6. The confession will be a general confession.

Canonically, you are correct.

However, it is far from “a lack of understanding of the power of absolution,” general confession can be a powerful devotional tool for persons entering new conditions of life, a chance to re-assess from a personal and pastoral position the impact that even already-forgiven sins have had on their lives.

Relax. you and your canon lawer are demonstrating a lack of understanding of the power of grace in a person’s life, which can bring him to renewed understanding of the power of God working through the continuing journey of faith, and can be brought to new levels through this regenerating Sacrament…

How frequent should a general confession be? Maybe never for most people. For reverts, the confession of since since their last confession 20 years earlier can be as cleansing as a general confession and is all that is necessary.

Converts baptized in infancy are lucky. They get to review the history of grace throughout their entire lives that has brought them to the Throne of Mercy.

 

[THurifer2]

The OP is 16 and hasn’t been to confession since age 6. The confession will be a general confession.

Canonically, you are correct.

However, it is far from “a lack of understanding of the power of absolution,” general confession can be a powerful devotional tool for persons entering new conditions of life, a chance to re-assess from a personal and pastoral position the impact that even already-forgiven sins have had on their lives.

Relax. you and your canon lawer are demonstrating a lack of understanding of the power of grace in a person’s life, which can bring him to renewed understanding of the power of God working through the continuing journey of faith, and can be brought to new levels through this regenerating Sacrament…

How frequent should a general confession be? Maybe never for most people. For reverts, the confession of since since their last confession 20 years earlier can be as cleansing as a general confession and is all that is necessary.

Converts baptized in infancy are lucky. They get to review the history of grace throughout their entire lives that has brought them to the Throne of Mercy.

Could you please explain to me the power of absolution? Correct me if I am wrong…but absolution is the remission of sin or of the punishment due to sin, granted by the Church. What else am I lacking in my understadning of the powers of absolution. Confession is a Sacrament not a devotion.

 

[mercygate]

Could you please explain to me the power of absolution? Correct me if I am wrong…but absolution is the remission of sin or of the punishment due to sin, granted by the Church. What else am I lacking in my understadning of the powers of absolution. Confession is a Sacrament not a devotion.

Going to confession when you have only venial sin on your conscience is a “confession of devotion.” In fact, the Sacrament is often referred to as a sacrament of devotion. There is a profound pastoral to this sacrament in addition to the legalities of which you are so protective.

Confession is not exclusively a legal exercise. It is a Sacrament of health and grace. While a scrupulous soul might come to confession compulsively because of self-centered doubt, confessons of devotion can be an important part of one’s growth in sanctity. I go to the doctor even when I am not “sick.”

I am obligated by vows to a rule of life go to confession monthly. I have a regular confessor, and rarely confess mortal sin. So technically, apart from the obligations of my rule, my confessions are unnecessary. Yet occasionally I recall a serious sin from my past that – even though repented, repaired, confessed and absolved – has taken on a new meaning in light of the present.

 

[THurifer2]

Going to confession when you have only venial sin on your conscience is a “confession of devotion.” In fact, the Sacrament is often referred to as a sacrament of devotion. There is a profound pastoral to this sacrament in addition to the legalities of which you are so protective.

Confession is not exclusively a legal exercise. It is a Sacrament of health and grace. While a scrupulous soul might come to confession compulsively because of self-centered doubt, confessons of devotion can be an important part of one’s growth in sanctity. I go to the doctor even when I am not “sick.”

I am obligated by vows to a rule of life go to confession monthly. I have a regular confessor, and rarely confess mortal sin. So technically, apart from the obligations of my rule, my confessions are unnecessary. Yet occasionally I recall a serious sin from my past that – even though repented, repaired, confessed and absolved – has taken on a new meaning in light of the present.

You are right and I stand corrected When I typed confession is not a devotion I recalled that I have heard that phrase…confession is the sacrament of devotion…attending regular confession to a the same confessor sounds like it is a spiritual directorship that is taking place…

I do understand where you are coming from…My original post has spiraled into a legalistic argument. My intentions were only to point out that the OP is not “REQUIRED” to go to a “general” confession…even though it would be spritually beneficial…with this in mind though wouldn’t anonymity be an issue in a general confession? The church requires that anonymity be at least offered to penitents. This may impede a 16 year old from having the courage to go to confession. How would one schedule an anonymous General confession?

 

[mercygate]

You are right and I stand corrected When I typed confession is not a devotion I recalled that I have heard that phrase…confession is the sacrament of devotion…attending regular confession to a the same confessor sounds like it is a spiritual directorship that is taking place…

I do understand where you are coming from…My original post has spiraled into a legalistic argument. My intentions were only to point out that the OP is not “REQUIRED” to go to a “general” confession…even though it would be spritually beneficial…with this in mind though wouldn’t anonymity be an issue in a general confession? The church requires that anonymity be at least offered to penitents. This may impede a 16 year old from having the courage to go to confession. How would one schedule an anonymous General confession?

You are very gracious.

Yes. A regular confessor CAN be a pseudo-spiritual director. As it happens, my SD and my confessor are two different people – but there is overlap.

For a 16-year old revert, I would think showing up in the confessional (behind a screen, if preferred) during scheduled hours would be fine. How many sins will a 16-year-old confess? We could probably write out that confession FOR the guy!

If it gets into deeper matter, then the priest could suggest that the person come back or suggest a personal meeting. My sense is that in this case, the confession might be longer than 2 minutes, but probably not twenty. He should just GO and get past this landmark.

God has already moved his heart. May He richly bless him (her?) as he returns to this most beautiful Sacrament!

 

[mangy_dog]

There is a lot of good advice on this specific thread. The sacrament of Penance is a renewable source of grace, divine mercy and forgiveness. Renewable… that is the key. Some of us catholics go to confession once or twice a year yet some of these same catholics are the ones that constantly pray for God to grant them the graces they seek. “Lord grant me the grace for this thing and the other thing”…Certain sacraments are recieved only once in our lives, baptism, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders. Grace is communicated to the soul via these sacraments. But Penance (confession) Communion and the Annointing of the sick and dying, these are sources of renewable grace. Like you (or maybe unlike you) I spent several years at a certain time of my life, not going to confession and so the sins accumulated and accumulated. Lucifer works on the accumulation by instigating thoughts of shame, anger, hopelessness etc etc. And so you put it off again and again until several years and several sins later, you forget that what satan is keeping you from is the source of grace to resist the evils that bind us. Personally I try to go to confession every week. So far this year I’ve been successful. Whether its behind the screen window or face to face, just do it. Don’t allow lucifer to deter you from the inexhaustable sources of grace.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[mercygate]

There is a lot of good advice on this specific thread. The sacrament of Penance is a renewable source of grace, divine mercy and forgiveness. Renewable… that is the key. Some of us catholics go to confession once or twice a year yet some of these same catholics are the ones that constantly pray for God to grant them the graces they seek. “Lord grant me the grace for this thing and the other thing”…Certain sacraments are recieved only once in our lives, baptism, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders. Grace is communicated to the soul via these sacraments. But Penance (confession) Communion and the Annointing of the sick and dying, these are sources of renewable grace. Like you (or maybe unlike you) I spent several years at a certain time of my life, not going to confession and so the sins accumulated and accumulated. Lucifer works on the accumulation by instigating thoughts of shame, anger, hopelessness etc etc. And so you put it off again and again until several years and several sins later, you forget that what satan is keeping you from is the source of grace to resist the evils that bind us. Personally I try to go to confession every week. So far this year I’ve been successful. Whether its behind the screen window or face to face, just do it. Don’t allow lucifer to deter you from the inexhaustable sources of grace.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

Good point about “renewable” grace. A friend of mine is ecumenically involved with Pentecostals, who are big on being “filled with the Holy Spirit.” One time, when one of his Pentecostal friends talked about praying for the Holy Spirit to come into his heart, another Pentecostal challenged him and said, “Why are you praying for the Holy Spirit? Don’t you arleady HAVE the Holy Spirit?”

“Yes,” the man said. “But I LEAK!”

 

[THurifer2]

I like the “but I leak” comment…sounds pretty Catholic to me and would be a good tool for apologetics.

I try to go to confession once per month. With that in mind confession is getting more difficult for me because my priest is of liberal bent and the nearest “renknowned” confessor is 65 miles away. My confessor has given me some bad advice ( ie: NFP is not the only way) and such. In fact on a personal I interact with my parish priest quite a bit and he is not content with my “orthodox” views…it has come to the point now that our personal relationship has been affected by the confessor and penitent relationship. I have checked ALL of the nearby parishes there are only 4 and the nearest one is 20 miles away and they don’t have regular confession times they are appt only…the parishes I mention have been splitting 2 priests among the 4 so that may be part of the “issue”

 

[mercygate]

I like the “but I leak” comment…sounds pretty Catholic to me and would be a good tool for apologetics.

I try to go to confession once per month. With that in mind confession is getting more difficult for me because my priest is of liberal bent and the nearest “renknowned” confessor is 65 miles away. My confessor has given me some bad advice ( ie: NFP is not the only way) and such. In fact on a personal I interact with my parish priest quite a bit and he is not content with my “orthodox” views…it has come to the point now that our personal relationship has been affected by the confessor and penitent relationship. I have checked ALL of the nearby parishes there are only 4 and the nearest one is 20 miles away and they don’t have regular confession times they are appt only…the parishes I mention have been splitting 2 priests among the 4 so that may be part of the “issue”

Your story is becoming more and more common. Ghastly.

Maybe that 65-mile drive wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Maybe put the interval at 8 weeks instead of monthly . . . .

It would be extremely awkward confessing toa priest who is not in full consent to the teaching of the Church. Other threads here have addressed the problem of how to deal with “bad advice” given in the confessional. It is not easy.

 

[THurifer2]

Your story is becoming more and more common. Ghastly.

Maybe that 65-mile drive wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Maybe put the interval at 8 weeks instead of monthly . . . .

It would be extremely awkward confessing toa priest who is not in full consent to the teaching of the Church. Other threads here have addressed the problem of how to deal with “bad advice” given in the confessional. It is not easy.

This is an excellent Idea. The priest that is 65 miles away is very big into confession and VERY big into The dvine mercy devotion. He is “infamous” among the vast majority of priests in this diocese. I heard a deacon one time mention that he should look into being reincardinated into the Lincoln diocese in which he would fit in. Perhaps I could offer nuisance of driving there as pennance or devotion.

 

[mercygate]

This is an excellent Idea. The priest that is 65 miles away is very big into confession and VERY big into The dvine mercy devotion. He is “infamous” among the vast majority of priests in this diocese. I heard a deacon one time mention that he should look into being reincardinated into the Lincoln diocese in which he would fit in. Perhaps I could offer nuisance of driving there as pennance or devotion.

Go for it! One of my sisters in my Confraternity drives FIVE HOURS each way every 2 months for spiritual direction. My SD is 45 minutes away. It’s worth it.

 

[tomaquin88]

I do not understand this concept of a general confession where you confess all your sins since you made you first confesson. If God forgives all our sins in confession, why would one need or want to confess the same sins again once they have been forgiven? God forgets them, why should’t we. It is almost as if someone who goes to a general confession is not sure their sins are forgiven? There is no need to confess sins that were committed prior to your last confession. To me that sounds like denying God’s mercy and forgiveness.

I agree. Something close to this is also when you have repented for a sin you’ve done and then much later have the opportunity to confession - it seems wrong to say: well 3 months ago I remember now that I did this sin, although I do not longer feel remorse or guilt for that, since I have been praying to God to forgive it.

Tom

 

[tomaquin88]

It would be extremely awkward confessing toa priest who is not in full consent to the teaching of the Church. Other threads here have addressed the problem of how to deal with “bad advice” given in the confessional. It is not easy.

I know this to be true in an extreme sense: for 20 years the priests I have met (with one single exception) during confession have been very subjective in their take on confession, sin and the meaning of it all. Not one have regarded masturbation, or obsessive gaming, or adultery, as real sins but rather as “needs” that has to be discussed with others, perhaps with professional psychologists. Adultery, in particular, has been regarded as a search for true love but not finding it.

It is awkward to sit there and insist to the priest that what I have done really is sin and needs formal absolution. Good advice is of course to find a better priest, but this is not always practically possible for many of us. At one time the jesuit father I confessed to rather wanted me to discuss what sin is, than search for absolution. We had a wonderful discussion but as I left the kind father I was feeling helpless. At other times the priest says: I understand the problem you are experiencing but you should not consider this to be grave sin, rather a normal spiritual struggle, a dialogue between you and God. Cheer up !

Tom

 

[PeteZaHut]

I like to make a list. It might especially be helpful if you haven’t been to confession in a long time. Be sure to confess receiving communion while in the state of mortal sin.

Since it’s been so long, you should probably plan to go to confession fairly regularly (not that you shouldn’t always go to confession regularly). Just because you will probably be constantly remembering things from the last 10 years that you may have forgotten to mention the first time.

Know the Act of Contrition. It will make you less nervous if you have that down.

I am just now getting past the scaryness of confession. I have been going regularly for a few years. I can tell you that it gets a little easier every time.

Nothing unexpected is going to happen in there. Just say your sins (state any important circumstances and try to remember the number of times you committed the sin for mortal sins). The priest may ask some questions, just to get a better idea of how he can counsel you. Don’t freak out when that happens. Just listen to what he is saying and answer.

 

[tomaquin88]

I have checked ALL of the nearby parishes there are only 4 and the nearest one is 20 miles away and they don’t have regular confession times they are appt only…the parishes I mention have been splitting 2 priests among the 4 so that may be part of the “issue”

I have 1 hour to the nearest priest who is liberal and reagards only very serious sins as sins (like murder or willfully decieving or hurting others) and no regular times, only appt. To get to some african and more orthodox priests I have a 4 hours drive and even there no regular confession times. Once as I did a confession with one of these nigerian priest, he adviced me not to see my actions as sins but as dealing with a cultural problem. My penance was to ask God for help, which of course I already did on a daily basis and has continued to do. But I did it also as I drove home this four hours drive for confession after appointment.

Tom

 

[mercygate]

I know this to be true in an extreme sense: for 20 years the priests I have met (with one single exception) during confession have been very subjective in their take on confession, sin and the meaning of it all. Not one have regarded masturbation, or obsessive gaming, or adultery, as real sins but rather as “needs” that has to be discussed with others, perhaps with professional psychologists. Adultery, in particular, has been regarded as a search for true love but not finding it.

It is awkward to sit there and insist to the priest that what I have done really is sin and needs formal absolution. Good advice is of course to find a better priest, but this is not always practically possible for many of us. At one time the jesuit father I confessed to rather wanted me to discuss what sin is, than search for absolution. We had a wonderful discussion but as I left the kind father I was feeling helpless. At other times the priest says: I understand the problem you are experiencing but you should not consider this to be grave sin, rather a normal spiritual struggle, a dialogue between you and God. Cheer up !

Tom

Y’all are makin’ me feel really blessed. My confessor sometimes gets so intense in addressing an issue that I am tempted to remind him: “Father, I KNOW it’s a sin; that’s why I confessed it!”

I know a woman who was told by a priest that something was not a sin, that is clearly and without ambiguity a sin, and she responded: “Father, I’ll go with the Catechism of the Catholic Church!” and walked out.

 

[mercygate]

I have 1 hour to the nearest priest who is liberal and reagards only very serious sins as sins (like murder or willfully decieving or hurting others) and no regular times, only appt. To get to some african and more orthodox priests I have a 4 hours drive and even there no regular confession times. Once as I did a confession with one of these nigerian priest, he adviced me not to see my actions as sins but as dealing with a cultural problem. My penance was to ask God for help, which of course I already did on a daily basis and has continued to do. But I did it also as I drove home this four hours drive for confession after appointment.

Tom

Ah. Sweden. That’s why. God help you. I mean - really! God HELP you!