Mortal Sins for Non-Catholics

[dje101]

Hi all,

I was just reading a thread about mortal sins. The first answer was to go to the confessor. As an individual who really wants to become Catholic but RCIA hasn’t started yet, what should I do when I commit a mortal sin?

 

[achmafooma]

Greetings from an RCIA graduate .

That’s a very good question. The best thing to do is pray an Act of Contrition (you can search on the web and find a ton of good ones, and they’re in almost all Catholic prayer books) and be honestly sorrowful for your sins and do your best to overcome them.

If you have a habitual sin or if you feel you need counsel, you may of course speak to a Priest as a counselor even though you cannot yet receive the Sacrament of Penance.

The best thing you can do though is what you are already planning to do – enter into full Communion and begin receiving the Sacraments! Baptism (if you aren’t already Baptized) will wash away all your sins. If you are already Baptized, then you will receive the Sacrament of Penance just before entering the Church, which will also wash away your sins.

God bless you, and welcome home!

 

[Batfink]

You may talk to a priest without receiving absolution.

On your deathbed (if, God forbid, you are in danger of death before being received into the Church), you may confess and be absolved.

Otherwise, you can do what any other Catholic would do: pray, read appropriate literature, pray some more, look forward to the time when you can receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation!

Good luck, both with your journey into the Church and your struggle against sin :hug1:

 

[novusCatholic]

As an individual who really wants to become Catholic but RCIA hasn’t started yet, what should I do when I commit a mortal sin?

God knows your heart. Pray and ask for his mercy.

 

[zz912]

As others have stated, pray a prayer of contrition, maybe spend some time in Adoration of the Eucharist, pray a Rosary, and speak with a priest.

Enroll in RCIA, and you will have your First Confession near the Easter Vigil. And don’t fret over unforgiven sins after you have done all this. If something were to happen to you (God forbid), He would know your intention to follow His Church and follow His instructions for receiving the sacraments. God would forgive you of these sins as you had every intention of going to Confession, were following the instructions of His Church, and He will not hold you responsible because He chose to call you home before you could go to Confession.

 

[josephback]

I don’t know whether its generally kosher, but I went to Confession recently even though I don’t start RCIA for another week or so. I was open with the priest that it was my first time and that I was starting RCIA soon. He asked if I was baptized and I told him that I was baptized Lutheran Missouri Synod. Given that I’m starting RCIA soon and trinitarian baptism he didn’t tell me I couldn’t confess. My intent was right. I believe in the priest’s authority of absolution and had sins to confess. Becoming Catholic is a never ending process. If you’re on your way in and you’re open with the priest I don’t think Jesus would turn you away.

 

[josephback]

Of course one should wait for the other sacraments like Communion.

 

[dje101]

Thanks everyone. Its comforting to know that God would take into consideration that I WANT to follow the church if He were to bring me home before I could get to confession.

Its kind of weird being in this protestant/Catholic transition. There are things (like confession and communion) that I deeply WANT to do but CAN"T do yet. Its going to take FOREVER for RCIA to start!!!

 

[novusCatholic]

Its kind of weird being in this protestant/Catholic transition. There are things (like confession and communion) that I deeply WANT to do but CAN"T do yet. Its going to take FOREVER for RCIA to start!!!

I understand exactly how you feel. Just make the most of the process. Learn and absorb all that you can. It will be worth the wait.

 

[dje101]

I understand exactly how you feel. Just make the most of the process. Learn and absorb all that you can. It will be worth the wait.

That’s what I’ve heard from a lot of people. I’m very anxious to join. I’m like “SWEET!! RCIA starts in 3 months!” but then I remember that it’s a 9 month long class. I went to mass last Sunday and was sad that I had to move out of the way of the people in my row rather than go up and get the Body and Blood.

I’ve studied enough that, for someone who has yet to go through RCIA, I find myself already thinking like a Catholic. So when I committed a mortal sin the other day, the first thing that popped in my mind was “what do I do? I can’t go to confession!” In my 100% protestant days, I’d have just been like “well God loves me, I’ll go say sorry, then it’s all good.”

But since I knew I couldn’t go to confession, I figured that all I could do is make a whole-hearted apology to God, prayed a Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Rosary, and rededicated myself to God again. Did the best I could, which is what I believe Christ would’ve wanted from me in the situation.

 

[TrueLight]

That’s what I’ve heard from a lot of people. I’m very anxious to join. I’m like “SWEET!! RCIA starts in 3 months!” but then I remember that it’s a 9 month long class. I went to mass last Sunday and was sad that I had to move out of the way of the people in my row rather than go up and get the Body and Blood.

.

You know I really sympathize with you right? You have three months, I have four.

Most mornings, I’m in the back pew, head covered saying my prayers from my little missal before mass starts. Mass begins and then comes the hard part – communion.

I really wish I could confess too.

There are a couple of mortal sins that I committed AFTER my valid protestant Baptism that I wish I could confess, but not really.

I almost want to start from scratch and get baptized all over again and spare myself the confessions. Or would that be like getting wet?

 

[novusCatholic]

But since I knew I couldn’t go to confession, I figured that all I could do is make a whole-hearted apology to God, prayed a Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Rosary, and rededicated myself to God again. Did the best I could, which is what I believe Christ would’ve wanted from me in the situation.

I personally believe that God was probably very pleased with your response.

I’ve studied enough that, for someone who has yet to go through RCIA, I find myself already thinking like a Catholic.

I understand that the RCIA process seems very long to someone like yourself who feels “ready”. I was the same way. However, RCIA did give me time to better understand the Church’s teachings and over those months, I did grow stronger in my faith and closer to God. Also, understand that even though this is a very personal journey, you will be completing it with others in your class. Hopefully you will develop friendships and inspire one another.

 

[dje101]

I personally believe that God was probably very pleased with your response.

Thank you very much for your encouraging words.

I understand that the RCIA process seems very long to someone like yourself who feels “ready”. I was the same way. However, RCIA did give me time to better understand the Church’s teachings and over those months, I did grow stronger in my faith and closer to God. Also, understand that even though this is a very personal journey, you will be completing it with others in your class. Hopefully you will develop friendships and inspire one another.

I think it just that I’m too anxious. I’m looking forward to RCIA and making friends in the class. Lord knows that I need more Christian friends. I think its just that I feel like I’m at a virtual red light that is taking FOREVER to turn green. I know where I need to go, I know where I want to go, but the stupid light is on a timer and its going to last until August. lol.

 

[dje101]

You know I really sympathize with you right? You have three months, I have four.

Most mornings, I’m in the back pew, head covered saying my prayers from my little missal before mass starts. Mass begins and then comes the hard part – communion.

I really wish I could confess too.

There are a couple of mortal sins that I committed AFTER my valid protestant Baptism that I wish I could confess, but not really.

I almost want to start from scratch and get baptized all over again and spare myself the confessions. Or would that be like getting wet?

Yeah, we’re pretty much in the same boat. Anxiously waiting for RCIA, sadly having to move out of the way during communion. But I haven’t been baptized yet, which has me a bit nervous. So when you commit a mortal sin, is there a particular prayer of contrition that you’d recommend? (and btw, do you do the holy water and sign of the cross when you enter the church? I don’t know what things I’m allowed to do and not to do)

 

[TrueLight]

Yeah, we’re pretty much in the same boat. Anxiously waiting for RCIA, sadly having to move out of the way during communion. But I haven’t been baptized yet, which has me a bit nervous. So when you commit a mortal sin, is there a particular prayer of contrition that you’d recommend? (and btw, do you do the holy water and sign of the cross when you enter the church? I don’t know what things I’m allowed to do and not to do)

You can do pretty much everything in the mass that Catholics are allowed to do except take communion.

I do dip my fingers in the holy water and bless myself when I enter and sometimes when I leave.

I do the genuflections, make the sign of the cross when appropriate, sing or say the creed. I did go up and venerate the cross on Good Friday as well. That’s what makes it so hard. You feel Catholic, but you can’t take communion.

In terms of the prayer of contrition, someone else will have to answer that. I still believe I can go to our heavenly Father and ask him in my own words to forgive me for my sins. I say it sincerely, and resolve do what Jesus told Mary Magdalene, which was to “Go and sin no more”. I know that God knows our hearts.

I wish I could confess, but I don’t believe my soul is in danger because I cannot confess to a priest since it is beyond my control and as the saying goes.

God is not bound by his sacraments.

 

[dje101]

You can do pretty much everything in the mass that Catholics are allowed to do except take communion.

I do dip my fingers in the holy water and bless myself when I enter and sometimes when I leave.

I do the genuflections, make the sign of the cross when appropriate, sing or say the creed. I did go up and venerate the cross on Good Friday as well. That’s what makes it so hard. You feel Catholic, but you can’t take communion.

In terms of the prayer of contrition, someone else will have to answer that. I still believe I can go to our heavenly Father and ask him in my own words to forgive me for my sins. I say it sincerely, and resolve do what Jesus told Mary Magdalene, which was to “Go and sin no more”. I know that God knows our hearts.

I wish I could confess, but I don’t believe my soul is in danger because I cannot confess to a priest since it is beyond my control and as the saying goes.

Good points. Maybe the prayer of contrition is one of those things that you use when you don’t quite know what to say, kind of like when one uses the psalms to pray to God because they are at a loss of words. Thanks for your experiences as well during Mass. I didn’t know what I was allowed to do or not. Looks I can participate a bit more in mass, which I’m excited about.

 

[TrueLight]

Good points. Maybe the prayer of contrition is one of those things that you use when you don’t quite know what to say, kind of like when one uses the psalms to pray to God because they are at a loss of words. Thanks for your experiences as well during Mass. I didn’t know what I was allowed to do or not. Looks I can participate a bit more in mass, which I’m excited about.

Oh yes!

 

[rhalama]

I understand your sadness at not being able to recieve communion. Although I am a cradle Catholic, I have had to forego the Eucharist because of not fasting or othersins that bothered me. And I felt lonely and left out. But it also strengthened my faith about the wonder of the Eucharist, and I sincerely understood what I was missing. It’s like waiting for Christmas to open your gifts. You will, hopefully, treasure it even more. I wish that I had understood as you do the glory of the gift of Jesus. I wasted many years recieving my Lord as if He were just something I did. Now, I wish I would have known earlier how precious the Eucharist is. If you understand how you miss Him, you will love him even more. God bless you as you let His graces fill your soul in RCIA. Make sure you choose a sponsor who loves Jesus madly, and someone who will listen to you as you learn.
:

 

[josephback]

Looking back I was totally unaware that going to Confession before RCIA was a faux pas. I only knew about and accepted the Communion rule. I don’t get why going to Confession by a sincere soon to be Catholic is wrong Considering that this is the prescribed way for forgiveness of sins. Maybe I’m just too Pharisaical on the “correct procedures”. Confession is the ordinary way to be forgiven though.

 

[rebecca123]

Yes, same for me. I also wasn’t aware that confession had to be at a certain time in the RCIA process. I was really convicted by past sins that I learned were not only against God, but the Church as well. I was also baptized Lutheran Missouri synod and of course told the priest that I wasn’t through the RCIA yet. He was gracious to hear my confession and give me absolution. It was a big experience and just made my resolution to convert fully stronger. It also helped me to understand things like apostolic succession and the role of priest, things that we don’t understand in the protestant realm. I’m really thankful to the preist, I was all ready to return to first confession at a later time if he said so. This sacrament is a real blessing.