How do I confess a dark past?

[Il_Cattivo]

I’m a new Catholic, 22-years-old, and am going to my first confession Saturday. However, I’m very scared because I was a very ugly person in the past, involved with Satanic cults, drugs, and occultism, among other things. Will the priest ask me the details? Is there a chance he won’t forgive these sins? What can I expect him to ask me, if anything? I grew up in a very anti-Catholic family (look how that turned out) so I’m a little paranoid that he’ll report me to the Vatican and Jesuit assassins will come after me.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Just confess what you did and what you were involved in. If the priest needs details, he’ll ask, but that usually only happens when the penitent is too vague or if information is needed about the penitent’s state of life (e.g., married, in religious life, single). If you state plainly and simply what you did, that should be fine. Certainly the priest will neither ask for nor expect prurient detail. So long as you manifest sorrow for your sins, you will be forgiven.

Sacramental confessions are protected absolutely by the seal of the confessional. The priest cannot tell anybody about the contents of your confession, so you need not worry that he’ll “report” you to anyone. God bless, and welcome home!