How do I respond to this false view about Confession?

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Born2beCatholic

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I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In other words, the Church so established the sacrament only for people who REALLY needed to talk to someone. They think Confession is for those who are SO hurt they cannot tell anyone else about their sin, so they are relieved to know they do have someone to talk to who vowed to a code of secrecy about the matter. Or, it is for people who are not satisfied with repenting for their sins in personal prayer and need an additional step in order to FEEL forgiven.
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In other words, the Church so established the sacrament only for people who REALLY needed to talk to someone. They think Confession is for those who are SO hurt they cannot tell anyone else about their sin, so they are relieved to know they do have someone to talk to who vowed to a code of secrecy about the matter. Or, it is for people who are not satisfied with repenting for their sins in personal prayer and need an additional step in order to FEEL forgiven.
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The Church requires that people go at least once a year. What you’ll need to do is explain the point and the effects of communion. What you described is a very modern, utilitarian attitude towards it.
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In other words, the Church so established the sacrament only for people who REALLY needed to talk to someone.
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“They” are wrong. The Church did not establsh the sacrament, Jesus Christ did, and He did it so people would be able to seek absolution for their sins.
Born2beCatholic said:
They think Confession is for those who are SO hurt they cannot tell anyone else about their sin, so they are relieved to know they do have someone to talk to who vowed to a code of secrecy about the matter. Or, it is for people who are not satisfied with repenting for their sins in personal prayer and need an additional step in order to FEEL forgiven.
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Again, “they” are 100% wrong. Confession was left to us by Jesus so that we can be absolved of mortal sins and enter into a state of grace, thus keeping us out of Hell. In confession, you don’t need to feel forgiven but you know you are forgiven.

Those “some Catholics” need to go back to Catholic 101
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In other words, the Church so established the sacrament only for people who REALLY needed to talk to someone. They think Confession is for those who are SO hurt they cannot tell anyone else about their sin, so they are relieved to know they do have someone to talk to who vowed to a code of secrecy about the matter. Or, it is for people who are not satisfied with repenting for their sins in personal prayer and need an additional step in order to FEEL forgiven.
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Does the offense directed towards God and His being offended change with the attitude of the person? In other words, say that I sock you in the nose. If I feel that it was deserved or that you’ll just get over it, does that make your pain any better?

Our sins are not contingent upon our emotions or feelings. Our sins are very real offenses towards an almighty and loving God. When we sin, we do not commit an act whereby our own consolation is sufficient. We need to go to God in the way that He commanded (reconciliation) and ask for forgiveness.

Yes, PART of the reconciliation process is counsel from the priest so that we can move away from whatever it is that moves us to sin. But Christ instituted this Sacrament so that we are healed by His mercy and reunited with the Christian community.

Anyone who thinks in the way that you describe really needs some catechesis in the Sacraments and how they unite us with the very Christ who calls us to Him…teachccd 🙂
 
Does the offense directed towards God and His being offended change with the attitude of the person? In other words, say that I sock you in the nose. If I feel that it was deserved or that you’ll just get over it, does that make your pain any better?

I like your answer. It seems that these people who have this way of thinking think forgiveness and the sacrament of reconciliation itself is more about the individual’s needs then the way they offended God. It is like God’s Truth and even God’s own “FEELINGS” are secondary.

So I should put the matter right back in their own lap by indicating the way such people care more about their own feelings than God’s. I guess I can say: “So the sacrament is more about one’s own feelings, not God’s?” “How we offend God and His feelings are secondary compared to how we feel about the matter.”
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In other words, the Church so established the sacrament only for people who REALLY needed to talk to someone. They think Confession is for those who are SO hurt they cannot tell anyone else about their sin, so they are relieved to know they do have someone to talk to who vowed to a code of secrecy about the matter. Or, it is for people who are not satisfied with repenting for their sins in personal prayer and need an additional step in order to FEEL forgiven.
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I would suggest reading what the Council of Trent has to say about the Sacrament.
 
Sorry if I come across “glib” and simple minded but I was taught the value of confession in 2nd grade. These people need to go back to the basics…no one can make their First Communion until they have made their first confession…One would have to wonder if these people of whom you are speaking believe that the Holy Eucharist is truly The Body and Blood of Christ. It has been my experience that those who take the position you have stated do not.🤷
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go.
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The Catechism tells us that the Sacrament of Reconciliation gives us grace even when all we confess are venial sins. Grace is the strength to love others the way God loves them, and to love God as we should.

St. James tells us that how much we love others is how much we love God.

Think of the most irritating or annoying person you know. That person who, if they are going to a party to which you have been invited, you have to find an excuse why you can’t go, because them just being there totally ruins everything for you - you can’t have fun and be yourself if that person is going to be there, so you just avoid being there - or if you go, you ignore that person and just pretend they aren’t there.

How much you love that person - that is, the amount that you love the person on earth that you love the least - is how much you love God.

This being so, do we not all need as much grace as we can get? What if we had so much grace in our lives that we couldn’t think of anyone who irritates us, or annoys us? That we could go anywhere, and feel completely comfortable and free, because we love (or are prepared to love) everyone who is there?

Until we reach that point, we need, not just yearly Confession, but weekly Confession.

That’s what I would tell those people. 🙂
 
Everybody NEEDS confession with a capital N. Especially those who do not perceive that they are in that group.:rolleyes:

Maybe there are a handful of saints (certainly not the majority of them) who never experienced such an abject moment when they needed God’s mercy, but the NEED for mercy is virtually universal to humankind, & most of the saints saw that clearly in their own lives.

Ir is normative, not unusual, to express that need in the sacrament of confession.

The less we go to confession, the more out of touch we become with our own sinfulness and need for the graces of the sacrament. Partly that is because as we remove ourselves from that available grace (attending infrequently) we also become numb & blind to the seriousness & frequency of our own sin.

Hmmm.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I would suggest reading what the Council of Trent has to say about the Sacrament.
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Brother Rich,

Can you direct me to a website about the Council of Trent? If you can, please guide me on where or what section will help explain my response.

Thanks & Merry Christmas.
 
Born2beCatholic said:
I know Catholics who think the sacrament of Confession is only for people who NEED to go. What I mean is, it is only for people who are more psychologically or emotionally hurt for their sins than other sinners would normally be. In.
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they are correct, but they don’t know it, because they are just repeating babble and not thinking about the full meaning of what they say.

Yes confession is only for people who need it. What they fail to realize is that everyone needs it. To say well I don’t need confession, is to say, I am not a sinner, I am perfect, I never hurt anyone, I never hurt myself, I am never in need of reconciliation with anyone, I am in perfect standing with the Church, and I can stand before God and say my soul is perfectly clean of sin and disorder, by my own efforts, I don’t need you and your grace, thank you very much. There is a secular word for someone who adopts this secular view, it is called “being in denial”.
 
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