Question About Confession

[Matt_707]

Hello my fellow Jesus lovin’ Catholics

Quick question…

 My dilemma is that I can never remember half of my sins before going into a confessional.  I truly make an effort and I know that after confession I am still forgiven.  I just don’t want to miss something the priest might have been able to tell me if I had remembered to confess those particular sins, you know?  I need all the advice I can get on my mess-ups.

So I wanted to know: Is it ok to examine my conscience at home and make a list. Then when I enter the confessional, pull the list out and recite it? I’ve done this before, but I want to make sure it’s A-OK.

Thank you guys a bunch. God bless you.

-Matt

 

[Catholicdude92]

I do that. It helps me to make a better confession. I don’t think theres anything wrong with it.

 

[Spencerian]

Hello my fellow Jesus lovin’ Catholics

Quick question…

 My dilemma is that I can never remember half of my sins before going into a confessional.  I truly make an effort and I know that after confession I am still forgiven.  I just don’t want to miss something the priest might have been able to tell me if I had remembered to confess those particular sins, you know?  I need all the advice I can get on my mess-ups.

So I wanted to know: Is it ok to examine my conscience at home and make a list. Then when I enter the confessional, pull the list out and recite it? I’ve done this before, but I want to make sure it’s A-OK.

Thank you guys a bunch. God bless you.

-Matt

Of course.

Just be sure to destroy the list afterwards.

I actually use an iPhone app called iConfess for this. It’s very comprehensive for all pertinent mortal sins that allows me to “bookmark” them should I need to, and then read from a summary. (I just turn off all sound while in the confessional–I don’t want the priest thinking that I’m texting or playing a game while confessing. Might blow the mood. )

 

[Theophorus]

Its perfectly fine, indeed it’s a good idea to prepare before you go, the church only asks that we examine our conscience (catechism 1454) not that we do it just before we get into the confessional.
The list is also fine as it aids us to make a full confession and not be nagged by doubts like you mentioned above.

I don’t know about you but when I get to the church or confessional and realise what Christ is about to do, I get a case of the nerves and can forget some things

 

[Matt_707]

Sweet!

Thank you all for your responses. That iPod app sounds pretty awesome haha… Confession - there’s an app for that. Hahaha

I don’t know about you but when I get to the church or confessional and realise what Christ is about to do, I get a case of the nerves and can forget some things

That is exactly what I go through… Not that I’m nervous about telling the priest, I think I just get a l.ittle jumpy whe i realize I am about to be flat our forgiven for all of my faults.

Thanks again. PAX CHRISTI

-Matt

 

[jmcrae]

Hello my fellow Jesus lovin’ Catholics

Quick question…

 My dilemma is that I can never remember half of my sins before going into a confessional.  I truly make an effort and I know that after confession I am still forgiven.  I just don’t want to miss something the priest might have been able to tell me if I had remembered to confess those particular sins, you know?  I need all the advice I can get on my mess-ups.

So I wanted to know: Is it ok to examine my conscience at home and make a list. Then when I enter the confessional, pull the list out and recite it? I’ve done this before, but I want to make sure it’s A-OK.

Thank you guys a bunch. God bless you.

-Matt

Go for it, yes. Also, if you find that you have a lot to confess, maybe go a little more frequently? So that there is less to confess, each time that you go.

 

[aspirant]

Is it ok to examine my conscience at home and make a list. Then when I enter the confessional, pull the list out and recite it? I’ve done this before, but I want to make sure it’s A-OK.

In my experience, a lot of religious educators seem to discourage this. Perhaps they’re afraid that people are being excessively scrupulous or treating the sacrament mechanically, I don’t know. It probably is good to be sure one isn’t doing something for the wrong reasons.

Generally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a reminder, so long as you don’t lose it or forget to destroy it afterward. My first confession involved a huge list. Nowadays I write notes on my hand from time to time.

 

[dachsiemom2]

I do the list most of the time. First time I went to confession in many years I had an outline on index cards. Since this was a face-to-face confession I asked the priest if it was OK and he said yes but it had to be destroyed b4 I left his office.

A friend of mine went to confession with a list and the priest told her not to bring a list again.

 

[baltobetsy]

I like to work with keywords. Sometimes I write them down; sometimes I memorize them.

If these were my sins:
Stole a hammer from the hardware store
Spent three hours a day watching soap operas instead of doing my housework
Skipped Mass on Sunday for no good reason
Said terrible things to and about my mother-in-law Margaret because I was angry with her
Took my teenage daughter to get contraceptives so she could sleep with her boyfriend

These would be my keywords:
hammer
soap
Sunday
Margaret
pill

Each keyword unlocks a whole sentence about a sin in my mind. I’d write them on a sticky note and chant them to myself so I would remember. Hammer, soap, Sunday, Margaret, pill. Hammer, soap, Sunday, Margaret, pill. These five words would not mean anything to anyone else. When I got to Confession, I would count on my fingers and make sure I said five things.

Works for me!

Betsy

 

[aspirant]

These five words would not mean anything to anyone else.

When I make notes, they’re usually a lot like this. I don’t primarily do it to hide things from other people, though it also has that effect; I do it primarily because that’s all I need to remember.

 

[baltobetsy]

Recently, I had one of those sticky notes with keywords on it. It was light enough in the confessional to read, so I was reading down the list. I got to the last word and could not remember what it stood for! The priest, patiently waiting on the other side of the screen, may have chuckled a little when I looked at that word and said, “Now, what on earth does that mean??” He’s used to people who use lists, so I’m sure that’s happened to him before.

Betsy

 

[aspirant]

LOL. I have occasionally been in confessionals too dark for any sort of note to be helpful, so it is a good idea to remember as much as we can.

 

[JanetF]

I never thought of making a list, but since I get extremely flustered when I walk into the confessional, I will have to try it so I can remember things.

 

[Bookcat]

Hello my fellow Jesus lovin’ Catholics

Quick question…

 My dilemma is that I can never remember half of my sins before going into a confessional.  I truly make an effort and I know that after confession I am still forgiven.  I just don’t want to miss something the priest might have been able to tell me if I had remembered to confess those particular sins, you know?  I need all the advice I can get on my mess-ups.

So I wanted to know: Is it ok to examine my conscience at home and make a list. Then when I enter the confessional, pull the list out and recite it? I’ve done this before, but I want to make sure it’s A-OK.

Thank you guys a bunch. God bless you.

-Matt

One may use a list…or notes in a kind of code…

But remember.

One is ONLY obliged to confess mortal sins (and in number and kind).

Venial sins are never needed to be confessed…though it is recommended that one still come to confession with some venial sins …

It can even be recommended that one does NOT try to say all ones venial sins…but to pick some…that one is contrite for of course…and work avoiding them or doing better…

then one can intend and be contrite for all ones sins in an ending like…"and all the sins of my life …particularly of Y an Z (anger or something one is contrite about)

and of course venial sins can be forgiven in other ways…and long before one reaches the confessional…

of course this is not to say one should not bring some to confession! it is a great gift and is it it very recommended to do so…say every week or month or what have you.

 

[Matt_707]

Wow, thank you all for your posts! Very helpful.

I went to confession this morning; with my list. I asked the priest(who is also my spirtual director) to make sure it was alright and he said of course. Bring your lists if this helps you!

Have an awesome day, dudes

-Matt

 

[steveangels]

Get your hans on a good book detailing the 10 commandments. One that asks questions in detail about all the sins that could have been committed under that commandment. You may need to refer to more than one book. This will help you be more aware of what is considered a sin etc…

You will feel refreshed.

Books on “Examination of Conscience” There are some good ones by St. Hosemaria Escriva’ My spelling on his name may be off a little.

 

[JasJose]

It is always good to have a better preperation before going to confession. If we have the list of ten commandments and the corresponding sins, it is always good. Sit down in a silent place go through them and write down on a piece fo paper. We need to do it slowly, no hurry at all. I think it is better to take the list of sins with oneself while going for confession. And yes, dont forget to destroy the paper afterwards.

 

[marleelynn]

I also make a list of sins and possible sins in between confessions. I go once a month outside normal confession time since I also meet with my confessor for spiritual direction. He doesn’t mind at all my making a list – once done with my confession, I either throw away or shred the list.