Is it okay to change confessors out of embarrassment?

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I’ve been going to the same priest for confession for a little while. I’m not a parishioner at his Church but I like him. However, I’m struggling with a particular sin I keep repeating. Sometimes I’ll go confess on Wednesday, fall, then go to Confession on Saturday. Is it wrong if I go to another priest for confession because I’m embarrassed about confessing the same thing over and over? I’m still telling it to the Church…I just think the priest as a person might be getting annoyed.
 
He won’t get annoyed, don’t worry about that.

You are free to confess to any priest you want.

Habitual sin is very common, and any priest can give you advice and counsel to help with it.

God bless,
Deacon Christopher
 
Maybe you could go to him every other time till the particular sin fades a bit. He might be inspired with a great nugget of advice, which you’ll miss out on if you never confess it to him again. It’s just a thought.
 
You can confess to any priest you like whenever you like. If you are struggling with one particular problem and you are embarrassed about it, it may be that avoiding that priest is just avoiding the problem. However, that’s more a question of psychology than theology. You say he is someone you like. He would probably like to help you overcome your current difficulty. But the bottom line is that you can confess to anyone and you are not obligated to confess to anyone in particular.
 
I do that all the time. I completely understand. The priests at my parish are always wonderful but it’s still very embarrassing for me and I feel like they know it’s me even behind the screen, stupid as that might sound. Bottom line though, if you feel you’re in mortal sin get to confession ASAP, wherever you feel you need to.
 
I totally get that it;s embarrassing and you’re probably wondering “what this priest going to think of me”. Trust me when I say he’s not going to get annoyed, or think less of you because you’re coming back with the same sin over and over. the brutal reality is that most sin is habitual and you’re far from the first in that situation. Still, while you certainly have the right to a confessor of choice, there’s a humility in coming back before the same priest - in fact it’s humbling for the priest too! He’s probably thinking what I would be thinking “thanks be to God for a sinner who knows their need of the Lord’s mercy”!
 
You can go to whatever Catholic priest who has faculties that you want to for confession. You owe no one any explanation as to why.
 
Yes, you may change or select confessors out of embarrassment, or any other reason.

The choice of confessor is completely that of the penitent. That’s the law.

That’s not to say confessor-hopping is a good idea, but that’s something you need to judge for yourself. But in and of itself it is perfectly fine to go to any confessor you choose.
 
The requirement is to confess your sins to a priest, and do so with supernatural motive for repentance and firm purpose of amendment. As long as you meet these criteria, you can go to Confession to any priest who has not been ordered not to hear Confessions, and you can do so face-to-face or anonymously according to your preference.
 
You can go to whomever you want. However, sometimes embarrassment helps us to curb the sin.
 
I’ve had a priest who did not shy from telling the congregation, without naming specific people, rough numbers of how many people skipped Sundays and other holy days of obligation, and comparing it to the very low number of people going to confession. To make the point that there was a disproportionately larger number of people likely committing mortal sins one week, returning the next and receiving the Eucharist, vs the number of people confessing and receiving absolution for those mortal sins. I’m sure he, and God, would rather have a line out the door of sinners trying to go to confession than people just not going at all. I seriously doubt it would annoy him. I don’t think a doctor would throw his hands up and say “not again, I’m tired of you coming in here for these heart attacks/strokes/etc”!
 
Emtguy89 said:
I’ve had a priest who did not shy from telling the congregation, without naming specific people, rough numbers of how many people skipped Sundays and other holy days of obligation, and comparing it to the very low number of people going to confession. To make the point that there was a disproportionately larger number of people likely committing mortal sins one week, returning the next and receiving the Eucharist, vs the number of people confessing and receiving absolution for those mortal sins. I’m sure he, and God, would rather have a line out the door of sinners trying to go to confession than people just not going at all. I seriously doubt it would annoy him. I don’t think a doctor would throw his hands up and say “not again, I’m tired of you coming in here for these heart attacks/strokes/etc”!
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Well, if Father is assuming they’re not confessing but who’s to say these people aren’t seeking absolution from other priests, much like I do? I go to Confession fairly frequently. It’s almost always never to my own parish priest.

And if people are “skipping” out on Mass to begin with, again, who’s to say they don’t attend Mass somewhere else?

Now granted, maybe this is some parish that’s the only church for hundreds of miles in all directions, but if this is the city, then charity demands we assume the best of people.
 
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Yes it is pretty much one of the few parishes within a reasonable distance. But I think in his perspective it’s unrealistic to assume the best case scenario in everyone’s situation, and it may be a bit harsh but an important warning on a serious topic. I’d rather my doctor always remind me not to do something unhealthy even if I’m not doing it, rather than just not caring at all. And the soul is far more important than the body.
 
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