How do you confess an embarrassing sin?

[yumiiceline]

I have this sin that’s been on my soul for so long that I haven’t confessed. I’ve had it for about two years now and I know that its wrong not to confess it. But it’s just so embarrassing because I’m so young and I’m a girl (yes, it is masturbation). I can’t bring myself to confess it. Every time I went to confession I would confess my other sins, but every time I tried to tell the embarrassing one, I couldn’t.

I’m sorry, it’s just so hard for me to tell the priest. I’m too embarrassed and afraid to tell him, not because I’m afraid he’ll tell someone, because I know he won’t, but because I’m afraid of what he’ll say to me after I confess it to him. Can anybody help me with this? It’s just so difficult for me to confess it, it’s so embarrassing. Can anybody give me advice on how to confess my sin, after holding it in so long?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I sympathize with your concern and I think many people have been in a similar position of needing to confess something that is personally embarrassing. (I am quite sure priests have heard far worse sins than the one that is causing you such distress.) I recommend a combination of honesty and euphemism. The honesty is to alert the priest to be gentle with you, and the euphemism is to avoid having to say the crude word that is used to describe the act.

First, you say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…” When you get past the introductory words, say, “Father, there is a sin that has been on my soul for two years now that I have not been able to confess because I have been embarrassed.” This honesty also helps the priest to assess your culpability for having avoided confessing the sin until now. Then say, “I have committed the sin of impurity.” The phrase “sin of impurity” is a well-known euphemism for the particular deed you committed. It is doubtful that the priest will need more information than that, but he will ask you to clarify if need be. Then confess whatever other sins you need to confess.