How to know when to go to Confession?

[sscott]

@ProVobis- I know that most Catholics don’t go to confession often and they receive whenever they are in church. That is not what I mean by scrupulosity. I mean the details of the confession. A lot of posters are worried about exactly what I said; they didn’t describe in enough detail, they said it was 9 times when it was 10, they woke up from a dream with sexual thoughts or they honestly forgot a sin and took communion and now they think they were in mortal sin. It’s what happens when they are at confession that is scrupulosity. The frequency is an attribute of that. If you think you haven’t confessed adequately, go again even though the priest absolved you.
The rule of the church is to make one confession around Easter. However, it is possible to have nothing to confess then you don’t have to go at all. One of the priests alluded to it in the apologetics forum. He didn’t come out and say it that way but wrote that venial sins don’t need to be confessed. I know, it’s hard to believe someone can’t have committed a mortal sin within the year. You have to know it’s mortal to be mortal.

 

[ProVobis]

@ProVobis- I know that most Catholics don’t go to confession often and they receive whenever they are in church. That is not what I mean by scrupulosity. I mean the details of the confession. A lot of posters are worried about exactly what I said; they didn’t describe in enough detail, they said it was 9 times when it was 10, they woke up from a dream with sexual thoughts or they honestly forgot a sin and took communion and now they think they were in mortal sin. It’s what happens when they are at confession that is scrupulosity. The frequency is an attribute of that. If you think you haven’t confessed adequately, go again even though the priest absolved you.

There are ways to get around this and proper preparation is the key. If you don’t know for sure, say “9 or 10 times” or whatever. If you forgot a sin and took communion, say something like “I wasn’t thinking (or was unsure) and took communion” or “I don’t know how much detail you want but I committed (or might have committed, if you’re unsure) …” No use torturing yourself whether you should confess or not when you can work on the wording. You shouldn’t have to make the priest work either. It’s not easy sometimes, and that’s probably why very few go to confession. Go often, examine your conscience frequently, and you’ll get the hang of it.

Like Ann said, there isn’t enough instruction at the parish level.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

IMO, one shouldn’t be going to confession to ask if he has committed a mortal sin or not. Just man up and take responsibility for your sins, whatever they are. And, of course, show contrition for them. Jesus died for ALL sins and he gave the power to forgive them to the priests. If you feel you never sin, then Christianity is of no value to you.

Some people seriously don’t know if they have sinned or not sometimes. Nothing to do with not wanting to “Man up” and it certainly does not mean that they feel they never sin. And I certainly do not feel like I never sin, as I certainly do not suffer from a Lax conscious. The priests I have confessed to regularly could confirm that. Nor do any scrupulous people feel that they never sin.

 

[ProVobis]

FWIW, according to CARA, parishes which have a Latin Mass tend to have the longer confession lines.

twitter.com/caracatholic

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

FWIW, according to CARA, parishes which have a Latin Mass tend to have the longer confession lines.

twitter.com/caracatholic

Interesting. Never been to a Latin Mass. I know where one exists around here and I definitely want to experience a Mass in Latin but I am yet to go. If that is true what they said on that twitter about parishes with Latin Mass and confession, I wonder why it is so?

 

[neonblue]

I’ve seen quite a few threads about Confession, and sin in general. Many of the responses are essentially “Go to Confession now…”, which is a good idea, but isn’t there more to it than that?

Shouldn’t we also be prepared to stop sinning? Even if we know we’ve messed up and don’t want to continue to sin, isn’t there a need to be sorry (not just feel bad, but to really resent what we’ve done)?

I feel like there’s a conflict going on here in those responses - even if the Church gives advice to go ASAP to Confession, that doesn’t mean go to tomorrow or even this month, right?

Jesus said in Luke Chapter 18, verse 1 " that men ought always to Pray and not to Faint". In Matthew 26, verse 41 He said "Watch and Pray, that Ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh(sinful nature) is weak"The spirit of man could be willing to obey Christ but his sinful nature is weak.Sin itself could have such authority in his life that he cannot obey Christ and without the power of Grace sin will continue to have authority.But what God is looking for is a “willing spirit” to pray to Him for the Grace to obey Him.And that Grace He bestows upon a “willing spirit” has the authority to weaken the power of sin.In the Second Letter of Peter Chapter 2, verse 9 Peter said “the Lord Knoweth how to Deliver the godly out of temptations”.The Spirit of God upon Paul in Hebrews 4:16 said for us, "to come Boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and Find Grace to Help in time of Need.In Galatians 6:9 the Apostle Paul said "And let us not be weary in Well-doing : For in Due Season we shall Reap, if we Faint(to lose courage:give up)not.The Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:13 to Mortify sin which means to put to death sinful deeds.The dying of sin weakens by degrees within us by Prayer.Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 "Watch and Pray that Ye enter not into Temptation.He said “the spirit(the spirit of man) is Willing but the Flesh(the sinful nature) is weak”.And Paul said that God advises us…instructs us with the Guidance of His Word "to come boldly to the Throne of Grace to obtain God’s Mercy and to seek that Grace that we will receive from Him to Help in time of Need.Jesus said “that men ought always to Pray and not to Faint”.It doesn’t mean that we pray every moment of the day.What Jesus is saying “Watch and Pray” that Ye enter not into strong temptation.Watch when strong temptation arises within You and no matter how difficult it is to make the effort to Pray, God said Pray and not to Faint(its means to lose heart:to give up). He said "Come Boldly(with courage) to the Throne of Grace to obtain His Mercy and Seek His Grace to Help in Time of Need.God’s Spirit upon the Apostle Paul said "Let us not be weary in Well-doing(in praying and doing good). For in due Season we shall Reap(win the victory) if we do not faint.
No matter how difficult sin is…No matter how much authority it has in our lives…No matter how much it controls us…And we find it difficult to obey God…We must Believe when God instructs us in the Guidance of His word…the Gospel…We must Believe what Peter said in his Second Letter Chapter 2, verse 9 “the Lord Knoweth how to Deliver the godly out of temptation”.In Romans 1:16 Paul said that the Gospel of Christ “it is the Power of God unto Salvation”.We must Believe in that Power for Our Salvation.