Is Jesus avoiding me?

[Rocky24]

It just seems like whenever I have a chance to go to Confession, the chance is ruined. Whether my parents find out or the priest is simply not there. I’m just not able to go to confession and it’s really frustrating. Is Jesus avoiding me?

 

[constantconvert]

Remember, you do not have to go unless you’re in mortal sin. I’m sure it is frustrating, but sometimes circumstances don’t work out. Do your parents not want you to go?

 

[LoyalViews]

Our Lord avoids no one. He embraced the lepers! He held the sick and infirm, he avoided NOBODY.

He is the King of Creation, and loves us more than anything, literally. He is not avoiding you. Maybe the Devil is preventing you from confession? Say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin and to your patron saint, ask intercession. Pray to the Divine Infant, and you’ll get to confession!

 

[Turtle_Turtle]

It just seems like whenever I have a chance to go to Confession, the chance is ruined. Whether my parents find out or the priest is simply not there. I’m just not able to go to confession and it’s really frustrating. Is Jesus avoiding me?

I am a trial member, so I do not know if my opinion counts for much here, but I could not stop myself from answering your thread.

Jesus is not avoiding you. It is life that is causing difficulties in going to Confession. Jesus knows your desire that you want to go to Confession. Jesus is right there. Give him your frustrations and cares. He will give you peace in return.

I will pray that things will work out so you can go to Confession.

 

[GEddie]

Our LORD isn’t the author of logistics issues, even in the Church.

If you need confession and desire it, He will make sure you get to it in time for His embrace.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Gods_Peace]

It just seems like whenever I have a chance to go to Confession, the chance is ruined. Whether my parents find out or the priest is simply not there. I’m just not able to go to confession and it’s really frustrating. Is Jesus avoiding me?

I think satan has more to do with preventing you from going. Jesus wants you to go to him with a large yearning of heart. Realize Jesus does not want to hide you from his forgiveness.

 

[Rocky24]

Remember, you do not have to go unless you’re in mortal sin. I’m sure it is frustrating, but sometimes circumstances don’t work out. Do your parents not want you to go?

Yes, I am in deep mortal sin. My parents don’t feel comfortable with me going to confession. They think that if you simply tell God ‘sorry’ all is forgiven.

Our Lord avoids no one. He embraced the lepers! He held the sick and infirm, he avoided NOBODY.

He is the King of Creation, and loves us more than anything, literally. He is not avoiding you. Maybe the Devil is preventing you from confession? Say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin and to your patron saint, ask intercession. Pray to the Divine Infant, and you’ll get to confession!

Is it possible for satan to have the power to do this?

I think satan has more to do with preventing you from going. Jesus wants you to go to him with a large yearning of heart. Realize Jesus does not want to hide you from his forgiveness.

How should I approach confession with a large yearning of heart?
Thanks for all your prayers as well!

 

[englishredrose]

How old are you?
It may be possible for you to arrange with your priest a private confession without your parents finding out?

Jesus isn’t avoiding you at all and being able to say sorry to God privately is okay as God hears and knows you. But I know what Catholics are like for confession and if you personally want to go then you should be allowed to go - its your personal choice to choose that route.

So if you can, ring the priest and arrange a time that mutually suitable for you both without involving the parents. He wont ask you to ask permission of your parents.

Actually I do bother with Confession and when I lived at home my parents never knew - still don’t know from me at least, that I bother with confession.Very few people do in fact. They don’t use it but not bothered either way to my approach but just always been very secretive about it. Every priest we’ve had has been very obliging and allowed me to book a time away from a service that allowed me to be very private - without asking me why. I am glad all ours are done by appointment only because then no one is looking at ‘us’ for seemingly not going etc…

 

[Aeden]

Why don’t your parents feel comfortable with you going to confession? If they are your only means of transportation, then they are committing a mortal sin by preventing you from going to confession. Also, know that Jesus would never NEVER avoid you. He is love and loves you more than you or I can ever know and wants you to go.

 

[Rocky24]

How old are you?
It may be possible for you to arrange with your priest a private confession without your parents finding out?

Jesus isn’t avoiding you at all and being able to say sorry to God privately is okay as God hears and knows you. But I know what Catholics are like for confession and if you personally want to go then you should be allowed to go - its your personal choice to choose that route.

So if you can, ring the priest and arrange a time that mutually suitable for you both without involving the parents. He wont ask you to ask permission of your parents.

Actually I do bother with Confession and when I lived at home my parents never knew - still don’t know from me at least, that I bother with confession.Very few people do in fact. They don’t use it but not bothered either way to my approach but just always been very secretive about it. Every priest we’ve had has been very obliging and allowed me to book a time away from a service that allowed me to be very private - without asking me why. I am glad all ours are done by appointment only because then no one is looking at ‘us’ for seemingly not going etc…

I’m 14
I tried once by calling the priest and I arranged him to administer the sacrament to me. The morning before, my parents told me why I had been in contact with the priest (they had looked through my phone ). I lied by saying that we had a class mass but they didn’t buy it. They told be to never do it again (this was the week before Easter). Now I’ve tried again by going to the school chapel where Father usually says mass. (early in the morning every week) But when I got there, he wasn’t there! He had gone off somewhere else to celebrate mass!

 

[englishredrose]

Please don’t give up. You will get to confession some time

As regards to your phone, my mobile phone, I can delete all traces of any calls or texts that I make so you probably can. If you get into the habit of it then parent may well suspect but that their business and nothing for you to worry about. It isn’t like you are planning something illegal.

But failing that, go to a phone box and ring from there and as you are explain to the priest your situation so he knows not to say anything to your parents if he sees them. By the way you do know confession can be heard anywhere so if getting to church is hard then the priest and you can find a mutual place where you can have confession in privacy.

Or will one of your friends let you use their mobile phone to ring the priest? It upto you whether you tell the friend the whole truth etc. Make sure though that when you are in contact with the priest that he is aware of the total privacy that you need because your parent dissapprove. Priests usually are as obliging as they can be. The severity or not of your sins doesn’t matter because God doesn’t judge them like that and the priest will work with you hopefully so that you can get there and not be given away, Our priest is totally confidential so I can trust him.

Please keep working at it and you will make it to confession this year. Do you have a pastoral care worker at school who you could go and approach, tell them the whole thing and ask if they would set up confession for you with a priest even on a regular basis making it clear about your parents? Or just keep turning up to that mass time and one day that priest may well be there. Please don’t give up because it is important to you.
Peace be with you

 

[Rocky24]

Please don’t give up. You will get to confession some time

As regards to your phone, my mobile phone, I can delete all traces of any calls or texts that I make so you probably can. If you get into the habit of it then parent may well suspect but that their business and nothing for you to worry about. It isn’t like you are planning something illegal.

But failing that, go to a phone box and ring from there and as you are explain to the priest your situation so he knows not to say anything to your parents if he sees them. By the way you do know confession can be heard anywhere so if getting to church is hard then the priest and you can find a mutual place where you can have confession in privacy.

Or will one of your friends let you use their mobile phone to ring the priest? It upto you whether you tell the friend the whole truth etc. Make sure though that when you are in contact with the priest that he is aware of the total privacy that you need because your parent dissapprove. Priests usually are as obliging as they can be. The severity or not of your sins doesn’t matter because God doesn’t judge them like that and the priest will work with you hopefully so that you can get there and not be given away, Our priest is totally confidential so I can trust him.

Please keep working at it and you will make it to confession this year. Do you have a pastoral care worker at school who you could go and approach, tell them the whole thing and ask if they would set up confession for you with a priest even on a regular basis making it clear about your parents? Or just keep turning up to that mass time and one day that priest may well be there. Please don’t give up because it is important to you.
Peace be with you

Hi englishredrose! I will try ringing the priest from school (the church is just across the road) when I have breaks. Thanks so much for your advice and may God bless you

 

[englishredrose]

No problem and really hope it works out for you and you get the appointment in soon. Peace be with you

 

[Joannm]

I hope when you go to confession you let the priest know that your parents are objecting to you going, He may be able to give you advice on how to deal with the situation. I wouldn’t lie to your parents since that is a sin, Try to tell your parents how important it is for you to go to confession. How often do you go? Maybe they just feel you go too often.

 

[Rocky24]

No problem and really hope it works out for you and you get the appointment in soon. Peace be with you

Thanks

I hope when you go to confession you let the priest know that your parents are objecting to you going, He may be able to give you advice on how to deal with the situation. I wouldn’t lie to your parents since that is a sin, Try to tell your parents how important it is for you to go to confession. How often do you go? Maybe they just feel you go too often.

I haven’t been to confession in three years. If I just go in secret to confession without letting anybody know, would I be lying in extent to my parents?

 

[TarkanAttila]

If your parents are denying you a sacrament, then it is your prerogative to disobey them and obey God. They have no right to deny you the forgiveness of your soul.

Are your parents Catholic? Show them the Catechism:

1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

 

[Rocky24]

If your parents are denying you a sacrament, then it is your prerogative to disobey them and obey God. They have no right to deny you the forgiveness of your soul.

Are your parents Catholic? Show them the Catechism:

You’re right. As long as I do it in secrecy, I don’t think it would harm them or affect them that much. They like to pick and choose what the Church teaches and believe only parts of it, but yes they are Catholic.

 

[TarkanAttila]

You’re right. As long as I do it in secrecy, I don’t think it would harm them or affect them that much. They like to pick and choose what the Church teaches and believe only parts of it, but yes they are Catholic.

You possess wisdom beyond your years.

Insomuch as they don’t obstruct your faith, obey your parents. And thank the Lord for them.

But (if they find out you are disobeying them in this regard,) I believe you have the right - the duty - to tell them, with respect, they are wrong, and the Church is right.

It would be wrong to say this simply to have something over them. But they may be putting their own mortal souls at risk.

 

[englishredrose]

Thanks

I haven’t been to confession in three years. If I just go in secret to confession without letting anybody know, would I be lying in extent to my parents?

No it isn’t a sin

I been going to confession since I was 16 and now 43. To this day my parents do not know that I bother with confession. Only one person does apart from the priest. One other person accidently found out as they walked in on us in the vestry. We had vacated there because she arrived early and she did knock but it was clear what we were doing. I do feel more bad for her because she very rarely comes into the vestry before any service. I am a server so it was natural for her to watch me follow him into the vestry as far as she may have been concerned, until she saw what we were ‘upto’. Otherwsise no one else knows I bother and it not a sin just not to say so. Just keep it very quiet that you go and just never let on. None of the priests have given me away at all. So only two people know that I go and none are my parents though I don’t need to keep it from them. Just something that I always done secretively some how. We don’t need to go like you guys because we are anglicans and believe that God forgives sins not the priest but sometimes it is helpful to go I find.

So no it is not a sin not to tell anyone you are going or not going. Just never say a word to anyone basically so it isn’t just that you are not telling your parents

 

[waterbrook]

I am afraid I strongly disagree with the advice given. You are 14 and your parents have a responsibility for your safety and well being. I would not suggest that you deceive your parents in anyway about your whereabouts for your own safety. I am not suggesting you are unsafe in the company of a priest but if you are out in the street or alone in a building you are vulnerable. It is a dangerous thing to do, to be less than open. You have the right to go to confession and a fuller discussion with your parents, a teacher or a letter to your priest may be helpful steps towards achieving this. In the meantime remember that the moment you are truly sorry for a sin, you see forgiven by God, who loves you very much and wants to be your your father and resolve to go to confession when you can.