How does confession feel?

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How does confession feel? Is it hard to confess your sins to a priest or it is alright to confess them?

I like to hear your experiences of confession.
 
I am a convert so confession is still very new and weird to me. Its not as hard to tell your sins to a Priest as you think it would be.
Some people say they have a sense of weight off their shoulders when they go to Confession, but I personally don’t feel a thing after I go, mainly because I grew up by praying directly to Jesus for forgiveness of my sins, and I think I will do the rest of my life.
Confession is great for those who feel something from it and helps them know they are forgiven. That just isn’t me and I think I just need to study and learn more about it.

But don’t feel bad if you don’t feel anything after confession.
 
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Well I find I feel a little nervous on the way in case the line is too long or other such ‘junk’ thoughts… but once I get in the line… I feel calm. As for actually talking to the priest and telling him my sins, that’s not hard at all. In the past when I had embarrassing one’s it was a little embarrassing but then I’d just stare down at my hands and get it over with, lol. Now I know my priest and he asks how my health is and we get started, It’s like talking to a friend. I make a list so I dont forget cos I have a wonky brain and then I go through it and say what I need to say. He seldom asks for any clarification cos he knows my state in life and then he gives me absolution and I wish him well and off I go. I feel full of peace and happiness. What makes me feel the best is the knowledge with absolute certainty that I am doing God’s will. Isnt that great.
 
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It is not hard at all to confess my sins to a priest. It is hard to do the work beforehand of examining my conscience well and realizing how often and how much I’ve failed Jesus. But then upon the words of absolution I feel 100% lighter and very joyful!
 
Feelings vary from person to person, from confession to confession.

We do not rely on feelings. Some people say they walk out feeling all bouncy and new, I have never had that feeling. Feelings or lack thereof do not impact the validity.
 
I’m not sure if I am misunderstanding your comment but we must confess at least once per year.
 
I’m fully aware and have been 3 times this year. Its just not something that I feel helps me, maybe cause its so new. But we are only required to go once a year and if we have mortal sins.
 
It is not intended to “feel” like anything, although some feeling or emotion may result. It is spiritual in the sense that the burden has been lifted from your soul. It is intellectual in the sense that you have absolute knowledge and assurance that your sins no longer exist. Having said that, from another thread:
At a charismatic event, we had been singing and praising God all morning, with the opportunity for confession at lunch time.

As I was confessing, Father and I entered into a dialog about my purpose and a good penance. I differed and began to disagree with him. It struck me very suddenly that I was not arguing with Father, but with Christ!I I spiritually collapsed and submitted to the advice and penance I was assigned.

As Father was pronouncing absolution, I suddenly began shaking violently - my entire body. So badly that Father took hold of me to keep me from falling from my chair. As he did so, he looked heavenward and said in a deep voice, “Oh, Holy Spirit!”

A flood of tears came and I left weeping. Pure chastisement, absolution and grace, all at once - in an unforgettable manner. I am shedding tears as I type this, as it was the most overpowering reception of grace that I have experienced.
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cbirtell said:
Confession is great for those who feel something from it and helps them know they are forgiven. That just isn’t me and I think I just need to study and learn more about it.
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Confession isn’t there for people to feel something from it or help them know they are forgiven. It isn’t there to make us feel better. Confession is a sacrament that can absolve. Mortal sins are not simply things like murder, adultery or armed robbery. The sacrament of Confession is not optional, it is vital.
 
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I don’t think I am in need of it then if I don’t have any mortal sin. Explain to me how I need it if I don’t have a mortal sin
 
It’s awesome. I am like @cbirtell a recent convert. One of my priests was also a former Methodist like me! He said the benefit of confession is that someone can actually tell you your sins are forgiven and you can draw a line under it. alls I can tell you is that I had said sorry to God for certain sins but didn’t feel they were lifted from me until I confessed them to the priest. That’s not to say that God didn’t forgive me about it in the first place, but I have one of those personalities that is prone to doubt . Father told me that when we are unsure about forgiveness that’s the devil and human nature causing us to doubt God. I am one of those who feels new and bouncy afterwards but it works no matter what you feel xxx
 
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One of the best things a deacon said to me is: “Don’t make the feeling God! God is a lot greater than that!”
 
If you have venial sin that is absolved during the Mass. it never hurts though just for a tune up to confess any and all sins you can think of during confession. God still forgives you if you are truly sorry, he just gave us the Sacrament as he wants to forgive us as part of the community. When we sin, we upset our relationship with our fellow humans, so the priest also represents the community which we need to come back into fellowship with.
 
cbirtell said:
I don’t think I am in need of it then if I don’t have any mortal sin. Explain to me how I need it if I don’t have a mortal sin
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And what criteria do you use to determine whether or not your sins are mortal?
 
I agree and I am still learning and trying to understand Confession. Its difficult as a convert
 
It takes some getting used to! I found it tough to tell this older man who was a stranger to me about my sexual sins for instance. But remember that he is representing Jesus and he is not there to judge you but to let you know you are forgiven indeed. The judgment fell on Jesus on the cross. Every time I’ve been to confession the priest has helped me with a joke. They respect the fact you are using the sacrament and they said at our RCIA course there’s nothing you can say that we haven’t heard before or even possibly done ourselves. Remember you’re not telling a man, you are just formalising what you would say to God anyway and have the blessing of hearing Gods forgiveness through the voice of another person. That’s all it is. Eventually ( I promise ) you will kind of enjoy it in a weird way. It’s a huge huge blessing
 
MagdalenaRita said:
we must confess at least once per year.
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The canon law is that we must confess grave sins once a year .

“Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.”
 
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