Returning after 10 years--can you help?

[justvictor]

I am 46. My life has been gloomy lately, but a ray of hope exists. I said some prayers, ‘Jesus Help Me’ a few months ago, and even wrote e-mails with that as a topic. maybe the answer come in the form…of radio…I found Catholic Radio and have been listening quite frequently. Ten years ago, I made confession last, and since then I could not completely believe that I could be forgiven for my sins. But listening to Catholic radio, I have heard others pose the same question, “could we actually be forgiven?”, and the answers given made me feel like it was actually possible.

I have been going to mass every weekend, and everything i see and hear has a deeper meaning. I recently watched the Passion of the Christ through new eyes. I want to get involved with “Pro-Life”, Catholic Broadcasting, and even the local church, get involved and financially support. In the past have been interested and in volved in some rather unhealthy universes in the music, photography, art worlds…but I am jumping in head first into the Catholic universe and have found a wealth of topics and directions, so many good ones.

Well, I go to confession again soon. But I have so many sins. Maybe as we get older, we do worse ones. I thought for the sake of expediency, that I group them into a list of 10 or 20…but the list goes on and on. I guess my question is very very general, as one away from confession for a long time, wanting to repent from past wrongs, there seems to be an endless list, maybe 10 hours of discussion might be needed. Any general advice? Thank you.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Don’t get scrupulous over details. You are not expected to remember every sin if it has been a long time since your last Confession. Make a list and read it. Group the sins under headings, for example, lying and the approximate number of times, adultery–the number, and so on.

You are not the world’s worst sinner and you are not likely to mention any sin that the confessor has not heard before. There is nothing to fear. There is much to be happy about–because you are going to be free and clean! You are in my prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.