Naive question about confession

[catholicmolly]

Hi, I have been away from the church for a long time and I’m finally coming home. I have plans to see a Priest in a few days to go to confession. My question is this. If I have asked God to forgive me, does he hear my prayers about other problems before I go to confession. I don’t believe that God is deaf, but I had someone tell me that until I make it to confession I can forget praying. Please don’t flame me if this seems silly to you!!! It’s very serious to me. Thank You

 

[bpbasilphx]

Don’t be afraid of making an auricular confession.

The priest has heard it all before.

Just get yourself there. The Holy Spirit through the Priest will do the rest.

 

[notsmart]

Hi, I have been away from the church for a long time and I’m finally coming home. I have plans to see a Priest in a few days to go to confession. My question is this. If I have asked God to forgive me, does he hear my prayers about other problems before I go to confession. I don’t believe that God is deaf, but I had someone tell me that until I make it to confession I can forget praying. Please don’t flame me if this seems silly to you!!! It’s very serious to me. Thank You

I can’t imagine someone telling you to forget praying.
That seems so weird.

 

[acadian]

Absolutely pray! Pray for the priest to whom you will be confessing. Pray that you make a good and complete confession. Thank God for His awesome mercy and the way His grace is working in your life.

When you go to confession, lay it all out there. Start with the biggest stuff first. Been there, done that. You will be in my prayers.

Welcome home.

 

[rwoehmke]

Praying when in Mortal Sin is still very appropriate. It may be true that what we call Sanctifying Grace would not be given to you until you have confessed, but there are also what we call Actual Graces which God gives to move us to do good. One of those goods may be the desire to confess your sins and to have true sorrow. It is also commonly believed that any increase in Sanctifying Grace can come after you are back in the state of grace. Sanctifying Grace is that which makes us truly able to see God face to face after death and to share in the life of Love lived by the Trinity. It raises our human nature up to a level where we are capable of sharing in the divine nature. It does not make our nature divine.