Mortal Sin as a catechumen

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I was never baptized and I was athiest until just recently. I will begin RCIA this September, and I’ve done well from keeping away from my sinful urges, but tonight I caved and I had intercourse with a girl I met at the gym. I felt horrible and cried hideously afterward. Since I cannot recieve the sacrament of confession and my heart is heavy with sins both long past and recent, what could I possibly do to avoid damnation were I to die before the Easter Vigil? Should I find my own way of doing penance?
 
Ask your local Catholic priest. 🙂

Welcome to the faith.

Right now it might be night depending on where you are. I hope you have already directly repented to God and asked for forgiveness.


Stay prayed up iPaleo. Pray for yourself (And for that girl) and grow in knowledge of your faith.
If lust is a weakness for you try to ask some saints to pray for you about it.
St augustine of hippo for example. 🙂
 
Don’t do that anymore. Quite aside from the sin factor, you could get her pregnant. What then?

We are all sinners. Do your best to make an Act of Perfect Contrition, and keep in mind that when you are finally baptized, this sin, and all your sins, will be washed away. Think of it as an absolute, total “reset” of your soul.

Here is how you make an Act of Perfect Contrition (surprised that the article didn’t provide this):

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
 
My dear brother, you are on the right road. Do not feel discouraged - you should, in fact, expect sin from yourself and not let it “bother” you, while still allowing for contrition, which, if held out of a sincere sorrow for offending God, reconciles you to Him, in view of desiring to use the proper sacramental re-entry into the normal life of the Church (baptism now, and then confession).

Find ways to avoid this sin and others. My standard advice for chastity here (change to fit your circumstances):

There are monitoring programs (like Covenant Eyes) that can help with controlling electronic media. You could try using that with a trusted friend or mentor. Other than that, you need to put distance between yourself and the occasion of sin - keep windows and doors open, take cold showers, reduce (or eliminate temporarily) alcohol use around certain people/in certain situations, etc. Laughing more is also helpful, especially in the moment of temptation (rational delight filling the body - so watch more comedy!) as is fasting and other mild discomfort which distracts the body (holding your breath, biting your tongue, etc.)… just getting up and walking around can also give the space and time necessary to get a grip. Exercise also helps, in various ways, also in the moment… distracting and exhausting the body. Instinctively praying a decade of the rosary (meditating especially on one of the sorrowful mysteries) or singing a verse of a pious hymn will also create the time and strength of will you need to do what is right. Meditate also in the moment on the imminence of death, and always ask for the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph… and ask the Lord always for the help you need. Go to confession as needed, then return to receiving Holy Communion.
 
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God understands what’s in your heart. Talk honestly with him in prayer. Your priest can advise you, but were I to venture a guess as to his advice, baptism will cleanse all sins when you reach that point, but until then, you are entrusted to God’s mercy - he is merciful to those who have a repentant heart when they cannot access the sacraments through no fault of their own.
 
…what could I possibly do to avoid damnation were I to die before the Easter Vigil? …
Catechism of the Catholic Church
1259 For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.
 
‘Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future’ - St Augustine
 
Make a perfect act of contrition. You are already a Christian because you have the baptism of desire. You need to be sorry you offended an infinite God who deserves all your love. You have to want to be sorry. You have to want to never sin again. Get to confession as soon as you can. Welcome to the Catholic Church!
 
God understands what’s in your heart. Talk honestly with him in prayer.
Exactly… confess your sins directly to God. He already heard you when you cried hideously afterwards.

The Holy Spirit is in you, you just have to pay more attention to Him. Ask Him to help lead you away from sinful acts… also pray to God about your fear about not being baptized, God will guide you on what to do.

when you can talk to your priest, where you are going to take your RCIA class.
 
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First off, welcome to the faith! Take advantage of your RCIA and be active in your journey
Secondly, baptized or not, convicted in knowledge of sin or not. Absolutely and 100 percent stop fornicating. It’s a horrible sin. You are jeopardizing your soul and body. Her soul and body, and possibly a babies soul and body. Just don’t do it.
Finally, this is the beauty of the Gospel or “good news”. Repenting and leaving a life of sin is something God smiles upon. It’s something He forgives and saves you from. The Church takes you under Her protective wing during your initiation time. Trust in that and don’t fear.
 
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