How often can a person go to Confession?

[Turtle_Turtle]

Hi,

I wanted to start to go to Confession more often, like maybe twice a month. But how often is too often?

 

[HonoraDominum]

I go weekly, as do many at my parish. I’m currently reading a book called “Frequent Confession” that talks about the ways to utilize the sacrament of penance to grow in holiness and sanctity. So far it’s pretty good.

 

[edward_george]

That’s a matter for you to discuss with your confessor or spiritual director. Some people can go more often than others, and some should actually be encouraged to go less often. A balance has to be maintained between laxity (wherein one is relatively inattentive to his sins and thus rarely goes to confession, if at all) and scrupulosity (wherein one is overattentive to sins–even to the point of thinking that everything is sinful, and thus might be going far too often). I would ask your priest.

-ACEGC

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Hi,

I wanted to start to go to Confession more often, like maybe twice a month. But how often is too often?

If you find yourself having to make up sins…you’re going too often.

 

[dje101]

I go once a week, maybe twice every once in a while. Every Sunday morning before mass.

My girlfriend wanted to go yesterday, but didn’t want to go by herself. So I went with her and was just going to do some praying, but there were some venial sins that I wanted to confess, so I went in.

 

[lerapt78]

If you find yourself having to make up sins…you’re going too often.

Lol, I actually did that a few times when I was a child and had to go to weekly confessions in parochial school! I felt like I *had *to say something really bad to make it count, so I’d start with the usual “I had a fight with my sister, I told my Mom I brushed my teeth when I didn’t, etc. etc.”. There would be a long, uncomfortable pause (like the priest was waiting for me to keep going) so then I’d blurt out something like “I gave someone the middle finger yesterday!” when I would never have done such a thing

…Now that I think of it, in the years since I don’t believe I ever confessed to previously lying to a priest in confession.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

That’s a matter for you to discuss with your confessor or spiritual director. Some people can go more often than others, and some should actually be encouraged to go less often. A balance has to be maintained between laxity (wherein one is relatively inattentive to his sins and thus rarely goes to confession, if at all) and scrupulosity (wherein one is overattentive to sins–even to the point of thinking that everything is sinful, and thus might be going far too often). I would ask your priest.

-ACEGC

Excellent answer. In the OP’s case, I recommend starting to go monthly before 2x a month. If you go that often, you should go to the same priest each time so that he can guide you.

 

[acadian]

How often are you going now?

I kind of worked into “more often” gradually. We (the kids and I) had been faithfully going once a year. We decided that quarterly might be a better frequency. While they weren’t eager to go any more often than that, I began looking for chances to slip into the confessional between the quarterly ones, so it became every six weeks or so for me. Then monthly. Occasionally i’ll go more often when the spirit moves me. Every couple of weeks. Before I serve as an EMHC.

Good luck!

 

[Joe_Kelley]

My pastor used to advise the RCIA classes that one should probably not go more than once a week or less frequently than every three months. He thought that it is difficult to do a good examination of ones actions over more than three months. On the other hand, if one goes more often than once a week it tends to become a routine and one does not do a through examination of conscience.

I find once a month good for me. It is a period that I can remember well. More often risks becoming a routine without serious thought.

 

[chiroworks]

Wow! do so many of us Catholics need a crash course on our Faith. You can go to confession like Blessed John Paul II did every day if you would like. Most priest today will tell you it is not necessary, and they are wrong.
If a person goes to confession and has nothing to confess then they have not done a review of conscience and do not know all the sins they commit daily. Sacred scripture say that the holiest person on earth,(none of us) commits seven sins a day. I could go on…

 

[Vico]

Hi,

I wanted to start to go to Confession more often, like maybe twice a month. But how often is too often?

It was daily for Pope Pius XII.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

I go weekly, as do many at my parish. I’m currently reading a book called “Frequent Confession” that talks about the ways to utilize the sacrament of penance to grow in holiness and sanctity. So far it’s pretty good.

Thank you for recommending the book. I am going to order it and read it. I want to deepen my faith in God and learn more about our Catholic Faith.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

If you find yourself having to make up sins…you’re going too often.

I do not have that problem, in fact the opposite, that clued me in I might need to go more than once a month.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

Lol, I actually did that a few times when I was a child and had to go to weekly confessions in parochial school! I felt like I *had *to say something really bad to make it count, so I’d start with the usual “I had a fight with my sister, I told my Mom I brushed my teeth when I didn’t, etc. etc.”. There would be a long, uncomfortable pause (like the priest was waiting for me to keep going) so then I’d blurt out something like “I gave someone the middle finger yesterday!” when I would never have done such a thing

…Now that I think of it, in the years since I don’t believe I ever confessed to previously lying to a priest in confession.

Hahahahaha. That brought a smile to my face. I needed that, thank you.

Best be heading to the Confessional.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

I go once a month, I would like to at least twice a month or even better weekly.

I would absolutely like to do Daily Confession. I will ask my priest the next time I go to Confession to him. He advised that I might want to go to Confession more often. I am struggling right now. And I can use every single grace that I can get right now.

Thank you all who advised me to talk to my priest. I will talk to him and I will let you know what is being worked out.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

Wow! do so many of us Catholics need a crash course on our Faith. You can go to confession like Blessed John Paul II did every day if you would like. Most priest today will tell you it is not necessary, and they are wrong.
If a person goes to confession and has nothing to confess then they have not done a review of conscience and do not know all the sins they commit daily. Sacred scripture say that the holiest person on earth,(none of us) commits seven sins a day. I could go on…

It was daily for Pope Pius XII.

Thank you chiroworks and Vico,

I would like to go daily if I could, but I’ll ask my priest. Thank you for saying that this might be a possiblity. It helps to work at home, so I can have Confession would be convienent to the priest.

I want to ask another question, but it does not relate to this thread, so if you offer your suggestions and advice, I would be very thankful.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Lol, I actually did that a few times when I was a child and had to go to weekly confessions in parochial school! I felt like I *had *to say something really bad to make it count, so I’d start with the usual “I had a fight with my sister, I told my Mom I brushed my teeth when I didn’t, etc. etc.”. There would be a long, uncomfortable pause (like the priest was waiting for me to keep going) so then I’d blurt out something like “I gave someone the middle finger yesterday!” when I would never have done such a thing

…Now that I think of it, in the years since I don’t believe I ever confessed to previously lying to a priest in confession.

My sister and I would go over our confessions as we walked to the church. We’d decide between us who would confess what sins, so we didn’t duplicate. Sis would help me “remember” if I didn’t have enough sins to make a good confession. We were probably about 7 and 10 at the time.



It seems funny to me now, but I still remember the butterflies I felt all the way there and when it was my turn to enter “the box.”

Somehow the idea of not having anything to confess was never put across to us…Of course that was pre-Vatican II, so we were told about Hell on a frequent basis too.

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

My sister and I would go over our confessions as we walked to the church. We’d decide between us who would confess what sins, so we didn’t duplicate. Sis would help me “remember” if I didn’t have enough sins to make a good confession. We were probably about 7 and 10 at the time.



It seems funny to me now, but I still remember the butterflies I felt all the way there and when it was my turn to enter “the box.”

Somehow the idea of not having anything to confess was never put across to us…Of course that was pre-Vatican II, so we were told about Hell on a frequent basis too.

I never had the chance of growing up and being nervous about the “box” as you say. However when I became a Catholic, I remembered being terrified of Confession, and sometimes I still am. I wonder why this nervousness does not go away.

 

[superamazingman]

I go weekly, more if I need it. Go as often as you feel you need, and if you are worried you are going to much, have a conversation with your pastor.

 

[TheFollower]

I go monthly.

As I understand a Catholic can go daily. Does anyone know if you can go to confession more than once a day?

God Bless.