In RCIA, terrified of confession-dark past

[jimrob]

If you’ve intentionally blasphemed the Holy Spirit or murdered a bishop, the priest may need to refer you elsewhere. Otherwise, if you are sorry for your sins and intend to try to do better, you will receive absolution. Most confessionals now have the facility where you can sit down and chat to the priest about what’s concerning you. If you can tell us, you can tell a priest - and he’s cheaper than a therapist.

Paddy goes to confession and says
“I’ve done everything, Father.”
“Have you done any murders?”
“No Father.”
“Any rapes?”
“No Father.”
“Then go away and examine your conscience properly”
As he was leaving he meets his friend Mick
“I wouldn’t bother, they’re only doing murder and rape today”

 

[Elvis_Guy]

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

Thanks for that post. I had a cousin who was severe bipolar and had other issues he went off meds and took his life. Our Church now does take severe mental illness into consideration regarding the issue as well. Thanks for the post most are not aware of some shifts (for the better regarding circumstance ) on this difficult issue.

 

[saribee]

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!

And true, to the first point. My biggest concern when telling anything about me like that is that they will think less of me-like I’m not the person they thought I was. These two friends are very special to me and God has done so much through them in my life. My fear is that this priest will also think about me differently. He’s quickly become the father mine never was for me. I have an enormous amount of respect for him. I also have a rough time talking about anything deep about myself with men.

Thank you all so much for the support and helpful comments. To the original poster, I hope these have been as helpful for you as they have been for me. Thank you for starting this thread!

 

[puzzleannie]

I am VERY scared for my first confession as well. Only my two best friends know these things about me…

.

Jesus is your best friend and it is he you will be speaking with in this sacrament. The priest thinks of you the same as he does of every other penitent–including himself–that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.