Pitfalls of weekly Confession

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SianTeresa

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I’ve been going to Confession weekly for the last 3 months. Overall, it’s very helpful to my spiritual life. I don’t suffer from scruples, so that’s not an issue.

I just wondered what you thought about one of the “side effects”. One of the main benefits is that going weekly has given me a greater love for God’s mercy. The flipside is that I wonder if I’m now taking it for granted. Throughout the week, I think “oh, I can add that to my Confession”. Then I think, “God’s being so good to me to forgive me every time, but am I just assuming that I will receive absolution?” One time, I committed a mortal sin and thought “It’s ok… I’ll just confess it”. That was a dreadful thing to do, and I confessed doing that as well. How do I avoid this happening again?

Just to emphasise, I do still want to go weekly: on the whole it is a very salutatory practice - I just want to learn to avoid this potential pitfall, to honestly acknowledge my sinfulness before God but not let his mercy become a “license to sin”. How can I be devoted to God’s mercy, and fear Him at the same time?

I welcome your responses,
Sian
 
I tend to forget quickly what I had done wrong after my confession. If it is a mortal sin, then I should go to confession as soon as I can; if venial sins, I now go about once every 2 or 3 weeks. I used to go once a week; during these 2 or 3 weeks, it helps me more on reflecting those venial sins that I have committed.
 
Some saints went to confession daily or more.
But sanctity is not a straight road. It is different for everyone.
But regardless of the number of times you go, you can’t commit sins thinking like that. In fact a very good manual of examination of conscience I have mentions commiting venial sins in light of God’s mercy or facility of confession. Mortal sins…lets not begin.

So I absolutely encourage weekly confession. In fact I recomend you get a good manual and sit down and write the accusations down and use them to go to confession. People tend to be prideful of their achievements and are insatiable when thinking about themselves, but never do so to reckognize the abysmal amount of defects we have.

To put it this way, the Bible says that the just sins 7 times a day (just it OT is syn. to saint) and St. John Bosco was shown by Our Lady themore vast amount of souls he would have saved had he been more faithful and he is a SAINT!
 
Can you recommend to me the manuals for examination of conscience you are referring to please, Pro Domina? I think this would really help me.
 
Sounds like you are on the right track. Weekly confession is a great thing. I understand what you are saying about not wanting to take God’s mercy and make it a license to sin. Satan’s temptations are everywhere, so sins are eventual. As another poster said, saints have been known to go to confession daily. Do the very best you can to avoid those sins, thank God for his mercy when sins happen, and confess regularly. (It sounds like that’s your plan anyways, which is the conclusion I came to). Good luck.
 
I go once a month, because I tend to confess the same sins each time. Many of which are related to “patience as a caregiver” issues.

I wonder, if weekly confession would be a good thing… in the sense that perhaps I would receive more grace? And be better able to combat my multitude of weak areas?

I just don’t know. I’m a little afraid of my priest telling me that I’m abusing the Sacrament (I tend to go to the same priest, each time). I remember one thread here at CAF… dealing with that issue. Someone said that their priest accused them of “abusing the Sacrament”… through frequent confession? That was very upsetting to read. 🤷
 
It’s true that weekly confession can tempt one to the sin of presumption (which you should confess in and of itself if it happens).

Then again, if I were to confess the minimum once a year, it would be just as easy to find myself, in the days leading up to that yearly confession, tempted towards presumption as well. 🤷

I wonder if making your confessions less frequent - every other week instead, for example - might help.
 
Dear Sian –

There is a wonderful book that comes to mind called The Sinner’s Guide by Ven. Louis of Granada and is available from TAN Publishers. It may help. Sounds like some of the things you’ve asked would be better asked of your Confessor though. Or you could ask you Confessor to recommend one since he already knows you and your leanings.

God bless your efforts in taking your personal sinfullness seriously.

Peace,

Gail
 
Concentrating on what a failure of a Christian I was, worrying about all my sins, all my past sins and all my future sins…pretty much turned me into a wreck.

So, frequent confessions had me overly scrutinize what an awful sinner I was, so basically frequent confessions was not a good thing for me.

Confession is not good for me, not in the least…talk about anxiety riddled!

Thankfully, I’ve gotten over that part of my life.
 
onetimeposter said:
Concentrating on what a failure of a Christian I was, worrying about all my sins, all my past sins and all my future sins…pretty much turned me into a wreck.

So, frequent confessions had me overly scrutinize what an awful sinner I was, so basically frequent confessions was not a good thing for me.

Confession is not good for me, not in the least…talk about anxiety riddled!

Thankfully, I’ve gotten over that part of my life.
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You mean you’ve ‘gotten over’ being Catholic in general, as you’ve said in other threads.

It’s unutterably sad that you threw the baby of Catholicism out with the bathwater of scrupulosity (which priests and even websites can help with if you ask for such help) 🤷
 
MarieVeronica said:
I go once a month, because I tend to confess the same sins each time. Many of which are related to “patience as a caregiver” issues.

I wonder, if weekly confession would be a good thing… in the sense that perhaps I would receive more grace? And be better able to combat my multitude of weak areas?
Click to expand...
I have no good advice, but I will say that Sacraments bring Grace, so it should help you combat your sins. Of course, it might take a little longer than you would like, but keep persevering!
 
It sounds like you have the desire to repent or you wouldn’t even go to confession at all. Even if you’re intentions are not perfect, you are still engaged in a very beneficial spiritual exercise. Try not to scrutinize the situation too much. Just continue to go weekly and enjoy God’s mercy. 🙂
 
Sheeniac said:
I have no good advice, but I will say that Sacraments bring Grace, so it should help you combat your sins. Of course, it might take a little longer than you would like, but keep persevering!
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Thank you, “Sheen”. I am grateful for this encouragement. While it is true, that I (like many here) suffer from scruples… through the wisdom of many members of CAF… I am learning to lean on the Mercy of Our dear Lord, Jesus.

Although, I am 100% scrupulous… I firmly believe that His Love and Mercy are far, FAR greater than my weakness and sins. I would like to pass this on to anyone who suffers from scruples. I view the Sacrament of Reconciliation as one our greatest Gifts, from God. (But, once a month is probably best in my case).

God bless.
 
Can you recommend to me the manuals for examination of conscience you are referring to please, Pro Domina? I think this would really help me.

If you get the book WAY OF A PILGRIM, in the second part “The Pilgrim Continues His Way,” there is a very useful and moving examination of conscience there.
 
GailMac said:
Dear Sian –

There is a wonderful book that comes to mind called The Sinner’s Guide by Ven. Louis of Granada and is available from TAN Publishers. It may help. Sounds like some of the things you’ve asked would be better asked of your Confessor though. Or you could ask you Confessor to recommend one since he already knows you and your leanings.

God bless your efforts in taking your personal sinfullness seriously.

Peace,

Gail
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I briefly read that book. I liked it. It gives a good explanation of things. I second that.
 
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