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YoungTradCath
Guest
If you can tell your best friends these things, you can definitely tell the priest.
Why?
Because you’re not telling the priest, you’re telling Jesus Christ.
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Why?
Because you’re not telling the priest, you’re telling Jesus Christ.
W
Windmill
Guest
Imagine, right now, how you will feel when you walk out of the confessional having made a good confession, holding nothing back from Our Lord. Picture yourself sacramentally forgiven, having been TOLD you’re absolved by the priest.
Ok. Multiply that feeling times 10.
That’s how you’ll feel.
Seriously.
Ok. Multiply that feeling times 10.
That’s how you’ll feel.
Seriously.
F
fall_fox
Guest
fall fox
You may be absolved of your sins by your Priest, but there is one sin that will prevent you from accepting that absolution, that is the sin of despair. If you truly believe that you are so sinful that God couldn’t possibly forgive you, then you have prevented God’s loving forgiveness. DON’T DO THAT !!!
THERE IS NOTHING THAT OUR FATHER WILL NOT FORGIVE!
O
odile53
Guest
If your two best friends know this stuff and are still talking to you, that’s a good sign.
An even more wonderful sign is that you now have a new very best friend, Jesus. He will ALWAYS listen to you, always forgive you, and never, ever turn you away because of whatever you did, bar nothing.
If it’s any comfort to you, an old friend of mine from my teens recently converted to the Catholic church. She told me that when she went to her first confession, scared that she’d freak out the priest and he’d yell at her, she actually heard him yawn behind the screen! (hopefully, he was just tired sitting there in that hot confessional box!)
First of all, you’re not telling the priest, you’re telling Jesus, and the priest is sitting in His place. Secondly, like someone else already said here, any priest with a couple of years experience under his belt has heard plenty already. He isn’t likely to be all that impressed or shocked.
Take whatever you did to confession, be sincere about your contrition and repentance, do the assigned penance, and then leave all that garbage right there, in the hands of the Lord.
And welcome to you!
An even more wonderful sign is that you now have a new very best friend, Jesus. He will ALWAYS listen to you, always forgive you, and never, ever turn you away because of whatever you did, bar nothing.
If it’s any comfort to you, an old friend of mine from my teens recently converted to the Catholic church. She told me that when she went to her first confession, scared that she’d freak out the priest and he’d yell at her, she actually heard him yawn behind the screen! (hopefully, he was just tired sitting there in that hot confessional box!)
First of all, you’re not telling the priest, you’re telling Jesus, and the priest is sitting in His place. Secondly, like someone else already said here, any priest with a couple of years experience under his belt has heard plenty already. He isn’t likely to be all that impressed or shocked.
Take whatever you did to confession, be sincere about your contrition and repentance, do the assigned penance, and then leave all that garbage right there, in the hands of the Lord.
And welcome to you!
J
JGMendes4049
Guest
I know the fear you people are feeling. I mean, I was away from confession for eight months once, and I was terrified. I can’t imagine having been away from the Sacrament for years. Good luck to you!
T
thistle
Guest
Don’t worry. There is nothing you can tell the priest that he has not heard many times before. It doesn’t matter what sins you have committed and how big they are. God’s mercy is greater than all your sins.
I was a Methodist before converting and I converted aged 44. I had my entire life’s sins to confess (took quite a while) but when I received absolution that first time it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders.
B
bostonboy23
Guest
the quick answer is no. if you are truly sorry for what you have done God will forgive anything. this is why Catholics do not say oh he’s in hell or oh she’s in hell because we believe the most depraved person if he or she is truly sorry for their sins confesses truly to God God will forgive them.
There is no excuse not to go to confession.
D
dconklin
Guest
I always have to be the guy that tries to look all around a statement like this.
How about suicide? There is no chance to seek forgiveness and receive absolution.
D
dnicoll
Guest
I know what you mean here. I’m worried about exactly the same thing. Just started RCIA and have an app to help me start to pull together what I need to confess (heck, I know its coming so Id better get prepared). Well, Ive still got several months to go before Easter and I’ve already got a list of 100 areas to be absolved of - of which 42 are mortal sins. Not going to be a comfortable experience, but at least the seal is absolute. (And our priest is lovely, even if he is the Vicar-General too. Scary!)
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Elvis_Guy
Guest
You will find confession a sweet release! Our church is attacked often…as being harsh! I find Catholocism thoughtful and merciful … I will open up and share, my wife and I lost an infant, we decided not to have another child (we were not Catholics then we were episcopal) I had a…vasectomy…an expensive one which well…not wanting to go into deep detail…irreversible …I told my Priest… You know what he said (good Irish priest Limerick ) “What is done…is done…you were not under Catholic Canon Law! Your church had no issues with it, if we imposed church law retroactively on new members, we might as well shut down RCiA.” he then extended the Absolution. (Please! I don’t want someone to read this and say my priest is lax on birth control! He toes the Church line!) my point was the mercy, I believed abortion wrong but, was never taught or considered birth control wrong my view has changed…but not to digress…a good priest will keep in mind your are entering into the Church and must after submit to cannon law!!! As he said! If it were retro applied to RCIA …we would have few converts! I hope my experience helps remove some fear!
blessings!!!
M
Mrs_V
Guest
I am a convert that was baptized at 12 and went into some occult things among other darkness in my teens and beginning 20’s. I was so afraid to go to confession, but I knew God’s mercy was greater than any evil I had committed. And I floated out of that confessional the first time. It was amazing. I still get that same amazing feeling every time, but the first was so wonderful. I truly felt as white as snow. GOD IS GREATER THAN ALL YOUR SIN!:hug1: He will always forgive the repentant. God bless you! I will pray for you.
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Elvis_Guy
Guest
Amen! That was my experience my wife’s RCIA…she’s done a non Catholic confession she said it was better than a therapist! Confession is good for you…and by the bye…some converts are made nervous by the booth/box…any priest will do a private in office or other quiet private spot…at times some find this easier…
J
JRRTFAN
Guest
If you are repentant the priest cannot deny you absolution. I won’t minimize it, it’s daunting to go in the confessional (I always go private, not face to face, and admit this stuff. It’s darn hard. It’s supposed to be.
But then you hear the words of absolution and it’s all behind you. The fact is, the priest does not even remember you so the biggest hurdle is human. Nothing is unforgivable.
K
Kennywood
Guest
FWIW, one priest I used to know always said that there is only one sin that is unforgivable:
not seeking forgiveness.
The worrying you are doing now is far worse than what any priest will say to you.
Welcome home.
not seeking forgiveness.
The worrying you are doing now is far worse than what any priest will say to you.
Welcome home.
T
TheDoctor
Guest
Ya’ sure about that? God is not bound by the physical world or the Sacraments: An extraordinary example of the “between the stirrup and the ground” phenomenon was described by the Abbe Trochu in his biography of the Cure d’Ars. A certain Abbe Guillaumet met a lady on a train who was in deep mourning%between% and when he said that he was going to Ars she asked, “Monsieur l’Abbe, will you allow me to accompany you to Ars? I may as well go there, as elsewhere… I am travelling to distract my thoughts.” When they reached the village, the priest led the lady to a place near the church and suddenly, the Cure (St. John Vianney) appeared. He stopped in front of the lady in black who, following the example of the crowd, had gone down on her knees. He bent over her and whispered into her ear: “He is saved!” The woman was startled%between% and M. Vianney repeated: “He is saved!” A gesture of incredulity was the only reply of the stranger. Whereupon the saint, stressing each word, repeated, "I tell you he is saved. He is in Purgatory%between%, and you must pray for him. Between the parapet of the bridge and the water he had time to make an act of contrition%between%. Our Blessed Lady obtained that grace for him. Remember the shrine that you put up in your room during the month of May? Though your husband professed%between% to have no religion, he sometimes joined in your prayers; this merited for him the grace of repentance and pardon at the last moment.
The next day, the lady explained to Abbe Guillaumet that she had been in black despair because of the tragic death of her husband: “He was an unbeliever, and my one object in life was to bring him back to God. I did not get the time. He committed suicide by drowning himself. I could only think of him as lost. Oh! Were we never again to meet? Now you hear that the Cure d’Ars told me more than once: ‘He is saved!’ So I shall meet him again in heaven. Monsieur L’Abbe, I am cured!”
thefreelibrary.com/Grace+abounding+All+Souls+Day.-a0110529435
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Elizabeth502
Guest
The greater the sins, the greater the opportunity for mercy.
No, nothing is unforgiveable, and no, the priest is not in a position to “turn you away” based on the severity of sin, or in many cases he would be turning away his brother priests who confess to him, as well.
Awareness of sin, such as you have, makes our contrition more genuine, and thus opens up the floodgates of God’s mercy. It’s normal to be afraid or nervous the first time (or any time!), but the possibility of no forgiveness is not something to be afraid of. And remember it is ultimately Jesus who is judging and granting the mercy, not the priest, who is merely His instrument.
I also would not hesitate to voice your concerns to the priest (about your “dark past”), so that he will be oriented to your needs and to your anxiousness. For example, even now, if I feel particularly regretful or horrified about a sin of my own, I voice that in confession.
In general, most priests are humbled by hearing the confessions of others – rather than shocked, horrified, disgusted, etc. They are humbled by the honesty of penitents, and when penitents express sincere grief over their sins. Confession is the safe place to reveal, because – unlike revelations to humans – you can count on a merciful response (by God) to genuine sorrow, and you are assured of graces by the very act of a sacramental confession.
C
Crdl2Grv
Guest
From the CCC:
“2283 We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives.”
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm
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Elvis_Guy
Guest
True and well put!The greater the sins, the greater the opportunity for mercy.
No, nothing is unforgiveable, and no, the priest is not in a position to “turn you away” based on the severity of sin, or in many cases he would be turning away his brother priests who confess to him, as well.
Awareness of sin, such as you have, makes our contrition more genuine, and thus opens up the floodgates of God’s mercy. It’s normal to be afraid or nervous the first time (or any time!), but the possibility of no forgiveness is not something to be afraid of. And remember it is ultimately Jesus who is judging and granting the mercy, not the priest, who is merely His instrument.
I also would not hesitate to voice your concerns to the priest (about your “dark past”), so that he will be oriented to your needs and to your anxiousness. For example, even now, if I feel particularly regretful or horrified about a sin of my own, I voice that in confession.
In general, most priests are humbled by hearing the confessions of others – rather than shocked, horrified, disgusted, etc. They are humbled by the honesty of penitents, and when penitents express sincere grief over their sins. Confession is the safe place to reveal, because – unlike revelations to humans – you can count on a merciful response (by God) to genuine sorrow, and you are assured of graces by the very act of a sacramental confession.
N
nahbios
Guest
Let me echo the calls of ‘Welcome home’ to AutumnAthlete, NorthTexan, saribee, and dnicoll!
If I were a priest (impossible as I’m a girl
), I would be very happy that you came to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And remember that name. It’s called the Sacrament of Penance, yes - we all have to do penance for our past sins - but it’s also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. God wants you to be freed from your sins even more than you do - He sent His Only-Begotten Son to become man, to live, suffer the Passion, and die a Death incomprehensible in its magnitute to mere human intelligence…and then rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven. All this that we might die to our sins and follow Christ in His Life, Death and Rising…only God raises us. Be assured that He wants you to return to Him in this Sacrament.
There are five things necessary for a worthy Confession. I’ll deal with each of them very briefly.
1. To examine your conscience
Remember to first pray to the Holy Spirit and ask Him “for light and grace to know and detest your sins”. There are many examens of conscience here on the internet. If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, please don’t be afraid to ask for help!
2. To be sorry for your sins
This is called true contrition. It must be interior, supernatural, universal and sovereign.
Interior: coming from the heart. It
Supernatural: coming from supernatural motives.
Universal: covering all mortal sins with no exceptions or reservations.
Sovereign: ‘the greatest of all sorrows’, greater than that caused by ‘loss of all earthly goods or friends’. This sorrow does not have to be felt with the emotions.
3. To have a firm purpose of amendment (i.e., to sin no more)
In other words, at the time of Confession, we must firmly resolve not to sin again. The purpose of amendment should have four qualities: it must be ‘firm, universal, efficacious and durable’.
Firm: the person is disposed to avoid sin at any cost.
Universal: the person is sorry for all mortal sins.
Efficacious: the person earnestly tries to correct his or her evil habits and to stay away from near occasions of sin.
Durable: the purpose of amendment is not just a passing sentiment, but lasting.
We count on God for His grace in this regard. If someone sins again after confession, that doesn’t automatically mean that they didn’t have a firm purpose of amendment at the time. We are weak as a consequence of the Fall, and we must constantly work towards being saints…all with God’s Grace. (Let no-one say it’s impossible!)
4. To confess all mortal sins since your last confession
We must confess our mortal sins by kind, by number, and by their relevant circumstances - as an example of the latter: stealing $10 from a poor person is worse than stealing $100 from someone rich.
5. To be willing to perform the penance given you by the priest
If you have any questions or uncertainties, don’t be afraid to ask him for help.
So pray, ask Our Lady for help, contemplate the Divine Mercy, and throw yourself into the Sacrament of Reconciliation with all your heart.
Praying for you. :hug1:
If I were a priest (impossible as I’m a girl
), I would be very happy that you came to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And remember that name. It’s called the Sacrament of Penance, yes - we all have to do penance for our past sins - but it’s also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. God wants you to be freed from your sins even more than you do - He sent His Only-Begotten Son to become man, to live, suffer the Passion, and die a Death incomprehensible in its magnitute to mere human intelligence…and then rise from the dead and ascend into Heaven. All this that we might die to our sins and follow Christ in His Life, Death and Rising…only God raises us. Be assured that He wants you to return to Him in this Sacrament.There are five things necessary for a worthy Confession. I’ll deal with each of them very briefly.
1. To examine your conscience
Remember to first pray to the Holy Spirit and ask Him “for light and grace to know and detest your sins”. There are many examens of conscience here on the internet. If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, please don’t be afraid to ask for help!
2. To be sorry for your sins
This is called true contrition. It must be interior, supernatural, universal and sovereign.
Interior: coming from the heart. It
Supernatural: coming from supernatural motives.
Universal: covering all mortal sins with no exceptions or reservations.
Sovereign: ‘the greatest of all sorrows’, greater than that caused by ‘loss of all earthly goods or friends’. This sorrow does not have to be felt with the emotions.
3. To have a firm purpose of amendment (i.e., to sin no more)
In other words, at the time of Confession, we must firmly resolve not to sin again. The purpose of amendment should have four qualities: it must be ‘firm, universal, efficacious and durable’.
Firm: the person is disposed to avoid sin at any cost.
Universal: the person is sorry for all mortal sins.
Efficacious: the person earnestly tries to correct his or her evil habits and to stay away from near occasions of sin.
Durable: the purpose of amendment is not just a passing sentiment, but lasting.
We count on God for His grace in this regard. If someone sins again after confession, that doesn’t automatically mean that they didn’t have a firm purpose of amendment at the time. We are weak as a consequence of the Fall, and we must constantly work towards being saints…all with God’s Grace. (Let no-one say it’s impossible!)
4. To confess all mortal sins since your last confession
We must confess our mortal sins by kind, by number, and by their relevant circumstances - as an example of the latter: stealing $10 from a poor person is worse than stealing $100 from someone rich.
5. To be willing to perform the penance given you by the priest
If you have any questions or uncertainties, don’t be afraid to ask him for help.
I stress: listen to the instruction of the priest. Perhaps you may have to return a few times to complete your confession over a few appointments if you need extra time, but don’t let that put you off. Ask the priest for help and he will guide you as to how to go on. And once it’s done, even if you do not feel like something has been lifted, if you have done everything as instructed, you have every reason to rejoice in God’s Mercy for you.
So pray, ask Our Lady for help, contemplate the Divine Mercy, and throw yourself into the Sacrament of Reconciliation with all your heart.
Praying for you. :hug1:
M
MarisaJean
Guest
I was in your exact shoes this time last year. I worried about my first confession for months! The night I went my heart was beating out of my chest, I was sweating while waiting in line and it was even hard to breath. I was soooo scared I cannot even put it into words. But as I started my confesson and told the priest it was my first confession I started to talk, and stumble on my words. He stopped me and began to ask questions about certain things. He assure me my past did not define me or my future. The fact that I was coming back into Gods grace was the beginning. I believe my confession lasted about 30 minutes if not more. Needless to say I was in tears, not because I was sad but because I was relieved. 29 years of sins let go was an amazing feeling. Nothing you have done is unforgivable. Put your trust in God and you will be okay. God bless…
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