Question about my past sins

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brittany_ann

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:o Let’s see where to start with this one… I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church, and when I was about 9 months old, my parents became Protestant, so I did not grow up Catholic. I went to many different types of churches growing up, and as a teenager I decided I didn’t believe in God anymore. Fast forward to about 2 years ago… I met Jon. We started dating. And we got engaged last year. Even though I was an adamant Atheist when we met, I found faith through him and because of him.
I am now going through the RCIA process, and in a few months I will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. I just turned 25 years old yesterday… and I have done a lot of sinning. (Much of it when I was without faith, and didn’t believe I was sinning.) How am I supposed to remember or count all the things I did? I really want to be forgiven and washed clean. I need a fresh start. But I am so worried about this upcoming confession. Help??? 🤷 😦
 
No worries 🙂

The Priest can help you…in addition to your preparation…

Jesus is the Good Shepherd! He loves you! Fear not…fret not…worry not. 🙂

In him is true life!
 
Your priest will guide you carefully through an examination of conscience and what you should be concerned with as the time draws closer. Trust in that guidance and trust that God is merciful and just do your best.
 
brittany_ann said:
:o Let’s see where to start with this one… I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church, and when I was about 9 months old, my parents became Protestant, so I did not grow up Catholic. I went to many different types of churches growing up, and as a teenager I decided I didn’t believe in God anymore. Fast forward to about 2 years ago… I met Jon. We started dating. And we got engaged last year. Even though I was an adamant Atheist when we met, I found faith through him and because of him.
I am now going through the RCIA process, and in a few months I will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. I just turned 25 years old yesterday… and I have done a lot of sinning. (Much of it when I was without faith, and didn’t believe I was sinning.) How am I supposed to remember or count all the things I did? I really want to be forgiven and washed clean. I need a fresh start. But I am so worried about this upcoming confession. Help??? 🤷 😦
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First of all, welcome home!

I would highly recommend to look at a good “Examination of conscience” to help you remember your past sins. Write all sins that come to mind onto a piece of paper and take it to your confession.

Here is an “Examination of conscience”:
fatima.org/essentials/requests/examconc.asp
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There is no need to be worried about the Sacrament of Penance. You will be in our prayers!
 
Put in as much effort as you can, but, of course, it’s unreasonable to expect you to remember all sins, which is why you can say, “I ask for forgiveness and reconciliation for these and all sins I cannot remember.” What is critical is genuine repentance.

Welcome home! You and your fiance will be in my prayers.
 
😃 Thank everyone for your answers and support and prayers. I AM anxious about confession. I have always been afraid of the idea… though I am hoping it will be a good experience for me. My fiance told me that once a priest refused to absolve him because he thought he wasn’t taking it seriously. He said that he was deeply hurt by the experience and it took him a long time to go back. I know this doesn’t happen often, but its just one of those little things… I guess I just worry too much. Runs in the family. Haha. :o
 
You will feel so light-hearted, free, and happy afterwards!
 
Bookcat said:
Steer away from this website! You stumbled in your search for a an examination --on a website not to go to.

Rather get an examination of Conscience from a good source like Catholic Answers shop.catholic.com/product.php?productid=137&cat=25&page=1
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Or you can go to a site like this one and get one for free.

Examination of Conscience

There are many good ones on the internet. Our RE director passes one out each year to the teachers for use during class that is amazing, I’ll see if I can find it online.
 
You do not have to enumerate the exact number of times you did something sinful. If you simply say that you are returning to the Church after a long absence and during this time period “I did this and that so many times that I can’t remember each individual sin.” I’m sure that will be sufficient.
 
Lost_Sheep said:
You do not have to enumerate the exact number of times you did something sinful. If you simply say that you are returning to the Church after a long absence and during this time period “I did this and that so many times that I can’t remember each individual sin.” I’m sure that will be sufficient.
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To the Original Poster:

As to mortal sins one needs to confess in “number and kind” (and circumstance if it changed the sin…like it was your Father you murdered). But yes if one can not remember the number one can do what one can. One can approximate according to ones knowledge. So if one knows one committed murder 3x one says so. If one only knows it was around 15-20 times one says that…or around 5x a month for 10 years…etc. Sometimes one can only say as you noted or say “many many times” for that is what one knows…

We are not expected to be Mr. Spock. No worries 🙂

( PS: Of one forgets a mortal sin…but later remembers it…well one needs to mention it in the next confession…but no worries until then for I assume one was contrite etc for all mortal sins…and just forgot it…so it was indirectly absolved…it just needs to be confessed in the next confession since one now remembers it)

(PS: and of course if one confesses something one is not sure was a mortal sin…one says one is not sure it was mortal…(note the fact that too of what you noted above)
 
brittany_ann said:
Let’s see where to start with this one… I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic and I have done a lot of sinning. (Much of it when I was without faith, and didn’t believe I was sinning.) How am I supposed to remember or count all the things I did? I really want to be forgiven and washed clean. I need a fresh start. But I am so worried about this upcoming confession. Help???
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welcome home
the only thing to worry about is NOT confessing your sins and being washed clean in Christ’s ocean of mercy.

Just tell whatever you can remember, and pray before hand to help you remember. Good place to start is the things that keep you awake at night and make you blush when you remember them.
 
Don’t worry about it… if you’ve forgotten things, including mortal sins, they are still forgiven at the time of Absolution.

If you subsequently remember them, it does not undo the Absolution, just mentally note them and mention them at the next confession you attend. You don’t even have to seek that confession immediately you remember them because they have already been forgiven and if you’re in a state of grace, the act of remembering them does not alter that.

Remember also that if you sinned while in ignorance of the fact that something was a mortal sin, it does not put a mortal stain on your soul (it’s called ‘invincible ignorance’). The law may not recognised ignorance as a defence, but Our Lord, in his infinite mercy and love, does. You are not expected to know something that hasn’t been told you.

And welcome home! We’re so happy to have you back!

hugs
 
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