Returning to the church - a question of conscience

[chris1971]

Greetings!
I’m a 34 year old returning to the Catholic church after 33 years in the wilderness, so to speak. I was baptized into the church at two months of age, but was never raised Catholic - that was a decision I made on my own last spring and I’ve been going through RCIA for the past several months.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time examining my conscience over the past few weeks in anticipation of my first reconciliation - I’ve found myself picking at some interesting questions, and I just wanted clarification on a point that seems trivial, but I really don’t want to overlook anything.
I have the faintest recollection of a conversation I had with an Irish fellow in a bar while in college. I honestly don’t recall the conversation, except that he asked my religious affiliation (at the time, I wasn’t practicing anything!), and i don’t recall my response…I have this fear that I said protestant or something, but can’t remember…in any case, is this something to confess? I distinctly remember feeling like it was a loaded question, and like I said my memory isn’t clear on how I answered…any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[VociMike]

If you can’t remember committing a sin, and no witness has told you that you committed a sin, then there’s no sin to confess. Unless you are deliberately witholding a sin, you have nothing to worry about.

Oh, and welcome home!

 

[DeFide]

chris1971:

except that he asked my religious affiliation (at the time, I wasn’t practicing anything!), and i don’t recall my response…I have this fear that I said protestant or something, but can’t remember…in any case, is this something to confess? I distinctly remember feeling like it was a loaded question, and like I said my memory isn’t clear on how I answered…any feedback would be appreciated.

First off, congratulations and welcome home.

You might pose it to your confessor like this: “I’m not sure I’m recalling this correctly, but I may have sinned against the truth when I told someone I was Protestant even though I didn’t consider myself such and I knew I was doing something wrong by telling him that.”

Notice I’m assuming a lot of stuff that may or may not be true in your case. If you have a tendency toward scrupulosity (search the forums, especially Ask an Apologist), it may be prudent not to overexamine this.

 

[santaro75]

DeFide:

First off, Congratulations and welcome home.

You might pose it to your confessor like this: “I’m not sure I’m recalling this correctly, but I may have sinned against the truth when I told someone I was Protestant even though I didn’t consider myself such and I knew I was doing something wrong by telling him that.”

Notice I’m assuming a lot of stuff that may or may not be true in your case. If you have a tendency toward scrupulosity (search the forums, especially Ask an Apologist), it may be prudent not to overexamine this.

I was away from the church for years too hmm about 15 or so. and i knew better too… shame on me…

BUt i couldn’t possibly remember my sins so i confessed blanket attitudes that would cover all the sins and were probably the source of them anyway. Attitudes such as lust, greed, indifference toward God.

hope that helps

good luck

 

[AquinasXVI]

Chris:

We’re from the same year. Congratulations and WELCOME HOME! The angels and the saints in heaven rejoice in your homecoming!!!

Since this will be the first confession since—look for an examination of conscience or guide to confession book or leaflet. In front of the Blessed Sacrament, go through each commandment and recall all that you can and write them down…so when you go, you won’t forget.

Just a suggestion, say the most difficult and embarassing first instead of saving it for the last for sometimes we peter out in the last instance. It takes tremendous amount of HUMILITY and COURAGE to do what you are about to do…but the blessings on the other side is worth it.

Lastly, find a priest that you know you can trust as far as orthodoxy. Someone known to be a tough confessor would be good.

God bless you man. And hope to see more of you in these forums.

in XT.