How often do you go to confession...?

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JamalChristophr

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I have a confession to make. I don’t go nearly enough. How often do you go? And why, if that question is not too much of a personal nature.
 
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About every 20 days in order to keep my “plenary indulgence” ticket stamped, so I can keep trying to earn one per Holy Communion I make.

In addition to this allowing me to try to get plenaries, it also motivates me to avoid sins because I think “do I want to be telling the priest that when I go to Confession in a week?” And keeps me from putting it off because it’s not my favorite thing, and keeps me from being as nervous about going because I stay in the habit of going frequently.

So, I get to help the Poor Souls, and they get to help me not only by praying for me and me getting some credit for the indulgences I give to others, but also by motivating me to keep up with a sacrament that I was prone to neglect in the past. It’s a win-win.
 
Somewhere in between once a week and once every two weeks. I go because I want to participate in receiving the eucharist at Sunday mass.
 
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I go to confession once a week or a few times a month, but there were times when I was younger and busier when months would go by between confessions.
 
Usually once every week, never let it go beyond two weeks so I can continuously obtain indulgences. If there is a serious mortal sin that you’re struggling with, you might need to be going as often as the sin is being committed.

If I commit a mortal sin on Monday, there’s no way I’m waiting until Saturday to confess it. I’m getting my butt to Church asap. There’s just no telling what can happen in the span of a few days.
 
omgriley said:
If I commit a mortal sin on Monday, there’s no way I’m waiting until Saturday to confess it.
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This too. One time I became aware that I may have committed a mortal sin and not confessed it. I wasn’t certain it was mortal, but I immediately made my spiritual confession to God and then went to regular Confession the next day. I had to drive to the next state over to find a place offering confession on the weekday, but I just didn’t want that sin sitting there.

If I’m pretty sure a sin is venial, it can wait a couple weeks. I really try not to commit mortal or potentially mortal sins and if one happens I get rid of it ASAP. Plus if I’ve mortally sinned, I’m not in a state of grace and can’t get the indulgences I want to get for people. This has also stopped me at least once or twice from committing a potentially mortal sin. The motivation to get indulgences is a super useful thing.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
This too. One time I became aware that I may have committed a mortal sin and not confessed it. I wasn’t certain it was mortal, but I immediately made my spiritual confession to God and then went to regular Confession the next day. I had to drive to the next state over to find a place offering confession on the weekday, but I just didn’t want that sin sitting there.

If I’m pretty sure a sin is venial, it can wait a couple weeks. I really try not to commit mortal or potentially mortal sins and if one happens I get rid of it ASAP. Plus if I’ve mortally sinned, I’m not in a state of grace and can’t get the indulgences I want to get for people. This has also stopped me at least once or twice from committing a potentially mortal sin. The motivation to get indulgences is a super useful thing.
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I understand what you mean. Even though you weren’t sure if the sin was mortal or not, and you didn’t purposely with hold it in confession, you still want to get to confession. Better safe than sorry.

Of course you’re most likely wanting those indulgences out of supernatural love of God, not for anything you’re getting out the deal. After reading Fr. Schouppe’s book Purgatory Explained I realized the enormous value of indulgences, the ease with which we can obtain them, and the Holy Souls’ absolute dependence on us to relieve their suffering.
 
I give them all away. Many to my deceased relatives and friends. I also do them for some people whose obits I see and occasionally for a stranger who has no one else to pray for them. Like if I hear on the radio that some police officers were shot and killed, I will try to get one for each police officer.

The main benefit this is having for me is to motivate me to go to Confession, not sin, go to Holy Communion (especially on weekdays), go to Adoration, and read my Bible. This has helped me grow in grace a lot.

I give all partial indulgences to Mary to take to Jesus and decide who gets them. I picture her with a basket taking them to Jesus. Every day I ask her to do this please. I was never good at making a “Morning Offering” but I do remember at least once a day to ask Mary to please take the partial indulgences (though sometimes it is at 9 pm).

I understand the Holy Souls may pray for me in return, and that also the Church has some rule about me getting some equal measure of grace for each indulgence I get for another, but I don’t count on it. I want to give them all away like St. Therese says I should. I have also developed a devotion to St. Therese after reading her teaching on how to best avoid Purgatory by giving away all your good works and trusting in the mercy of God. I’d rather just throw myself on the mercy of God’s court as it were. I kept maybe 2 of the indulgences for myself but I’ve probably done a couple hundred. One lady I met who has been doing them for 6 years said she had done over 2,000 for all of her ancestors, dead friends and other people she reads about in the obits. I’d like to do that.

Of course, it is all up to God whether he decides the indulgences are plenary or worth anything at all or who he gives them to, so I can only trust that my weak human efforts are worth something, but since it is helping me spiritually right now I figure it’s a good thing to keep doing.
 
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I go every 2-3 weeks. Sometimes it is a bit longer because my confessions at my parish are held on Sunday mornings before Divine Liturgy and it is hard for me to get there early with 6 kids. I try to make appointments with my confessor during the week. but it doesn’t always work out.
 
Every year, whether I need it or not.

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Just kidding, but the truth is that I go somewhat irregularly, every few or several months.
 
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About every 4-5 weeks ,and ASAP before Sunday mass if there’s mortal sin.My local church doesn’t use the confessional,no set times so I travel.If it was more convenient I would go much more often
 
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That’s too bad. I would go far less often if I had to make an appointment. I’m shy and love the anonymous nature of the confessional.

I don’t often go to my parish (Saturday’s before vigil mass) but I am lucky enough to have plenty of options for confession. In Boston, St. Anthony Shine offers every day. Perfect for a lunch break confessions. A mall near me has a Carmelite Chapel that has confession every day as well so I can stop in on a Saturday morning while my wife shops.
 
do you have more information on that mall chapel? it sounds like a very cool and unique outreach program.
 
Somewhat irregularly - every few months. I’d like to go more often, but I’m still very uncertain about Confession and have a difficult time with identifying sinful behaviour.
 
J_Peterson said:
That’s too bad. I would go far less often if I had to make an appointment. I’m shy and love the anonymous nature of the confessional.
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It is interesting how different people are. I’m shy as well, which is why I greatly prefer face-to-face with a priest who knows me well. It makes it so much easier for me because I’m not talking to a stranger.I make an appointment because it makes it easier to get together with my preferred confessor.
 
Part of my problem is that I’m overly selective of who I wish to go confession with.
 
I confess as often as I need to. Why? Because confessing less often would be too infrequent, and confessing more often would be excessive.
 
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