Quick question about confession

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lefty22

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Is it wrong for me to go to confession without telling my parents that I’m going? I’m 17 and I feel guilty about it, but I’m not sure if my guilt is really grounded in anything. If I’m out anyway, and I just stop by the church for confession on the way home and don’t mention it, is that ok? Thanks 🙂

God bless,
lefty22
 
lefty22 said:
Is it wrong for me to go to confession without telling my parents that I’m going? I’m 17 and I feel guilty about it, but I’m not sure if my guilt is really grounded in anything. If I’m out anyway, and I just stop by the church for confession on the way home and don’t mention it, is that ok? Thanks 🙂

God bless,
lefty22
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Wouldn’t it be better to let your parents know where you are?
 
On vacations when I’m at home (I’m 19 and off at college for most of the year), I don’t tell my parents when I go. I’m not against them knowing, but once you’re not a little kid anymore (and you’re not a little kid) I don’t think it’s really their business when you go to confession. To some families (mine included), saying “I’m off to confession” sounds pretty much the same as “I did something really really bad, but I’m keeping it a secret from you! Just wanted to let you know that I’m a big ol’ sinner.” Then they might start pestering you about stuff that probably isn’t their business.

However, don’t lie and tell them that you’re going somewhere else, I’m not endorsing that. If they ask where you’re off to, no need to lie.

If you wish to take the different route, you can seize the opportunity and use regular Reconciliation attendance as a way to witness for your family. That’s not the way I do it, I’d be much too embarrassed, but it would certainly be a nice way to be a witness to the faith if your family doesn’t usually go to Reconciliation.

Bottom line, don’t need to tell’em if it isn’t their business. But don’t lie, and if they ask, you gotta tell them.
 
Stylites said:
Wouldn’t it be better to let your parents know where you are?
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I should have thought to include this as well. If your parents are the kind who worry a lot when you aren’t at home, or if you live in an area that isn’t super-safe, you ought to tell them I suppose.
 
No, there’s nothing wrong with that, especially i they’re the sort who might make you feel uncomfortable or make fun of you for going. My family did. “Why are you going? What could YOU have possibly done to need to go to CONFESSION??”
 
Just tell them you’re going to Church for a bit. You don’t have to explain specifically why you’re going to Church. Plenty of people go just to pray & reflect. Confession is nobodys business but you, the priest & God.
 
I agree with most of the posters. I don’t think that it’s essential that you tell them, but if they ask, it wouldn’t hurt to let them know and could also be respectful.

One thing that I will point out is that I’m very happy to hear that a 17 year-old is taking it upon him or herself to receive the Sacrament of Penance!!!

Deo gratias for that
 
lefty22 said:
Is it wrong for me to go to confession without telling my parents that I’m going? I’m 17 and I feel guilty about it, but I’m not sure if my guilt is really grounded in anything. If I’m out anyway, and I just stop by the church for confession on the way home and don’t mention it, is that ok? Thanks 🙂

God bless,
lefty22
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Okay I am Anglican but I have been going to Confession since about the age of 16/17 and now 44 years old and my parents do not know that I go still don’t know that I go. (We don’t have to go like many of you guys write about but I have chosen to do so but that makes it harder to admitt that I go. So I simply say nothing at all about it to hardly anyone at all. I have only said as much to the one friend because the current priest has given me a few though pleasant suprises but other than that, one person walked in on us, but other than that no one knows I go. The beauty of Anglican Confessions at our church is that we have to arrange the time though a few do choose before/after a Mass I choose other times and Priests have always been accommodating there. So very few people know that I go at all. Its not lie-ing or anything as you are feeling it as such. Just think of it as an appointment with God if it helps you get over not telling people.
 
lefty22 said:
Is it wrong for me to go to confession without telling my parents that I’m going? I’m 17 and I feel guilty about it, but I’m not sure if my guilt is really grounded in anything. If I’m out anyway, and I just stop by the church for confession on the way home and don’t mention it, is that ok? Thanks 🙂

God bless,
lefty22
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Most definitely, it is ok. It is no-one’s business but your own when you go to confession. However, if you do not tell them you’ve been to confession, I would think they might worry that you are not going - I know I would, so I might ask if you’ve been to confession recently. So, perhaps, at least some of the time, when you are at home and you might be saying something about what you did when you were out, you could casually mention that you dropped into ____ church for confession that day.

IMHO it would be very reassuring to your parents that you are actively looking after your soul (if they are Catholic).
 
You could just say what I always told my parents, “I’m meeting up with someone for a bit.”
 
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