Taking in notes to confession

  • Thread starter Thread starter JoyToTheWhirled
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I usually jot a few notes on a piece of paper for completeness. I don’t like that feeling of having forgotten something.
 
I guess you should learn to be more punctual, and you would not have to worry about being 4th in line. Your sins have no priority higher than anyone else’s. If time runs out, it is your fault not your fellow parishioners.
 
That’s not really fair. If there’s only 30 - 45 minutes on a Saturday for confessions and someone knows their confession will take a long time or they want spiritual direction it would be better to book an appointment. Confessions as a general rule don’t take that long. We should think of others waiting too.
 
That’s true, too, but a first confession, especially for an adult who has lived on thie Earth for a fair amount of time and is just coming into the the church, that is something special and should not be rushed.

Joy… did not say how exactly the confession would take place as far as time constraints might go.

My Church has confession 6 days a week, twice a day, quite often, for at least 30 minutes, so that changes the scenario a bit.

That is something rather unique, I suppose. 🙂
 
Last edited:
Joy You have only 25 years, I had 40 years! I wrote down all my sins that I could possibly remember on a piece of paper and set that on fire after I had been to church on Good Friday. Not just being a scout and enjoy playing with controlled fires but also seeing my sins gone.
 
Oh, trust me. I am. I am in the pew 15 minutes before Confessions begin, along with everybody else, and the line forms when Father gets in the box. People see the line and yet choose to use the Confessional for a time of spiritual direction, which it is not for.
 
How do you know what they are using it for? Maybe they have many sins.
I think if the priest needed to “move things along” he would. It cannot be spiritual direction if the priest is not cooperating.
 
Joy it is perfectly acceptable to go into the Sacrament of Reconcilliation, explain this is your first, you have had a lifetime of sin. List off those from the 10 Commandments you have committed, without the details and without exact numbers. After all it’s unlikely we can remember number exactly in this instance. Ie did not respect parents, had bad relationship with sister, fornication , stole , cheated on tax.
And then focus in on the major ones that are big for you. Ie have you murdered, been adulterous, been a bank robber. The sin you struggle with or you have grief over. Ie did the fornication involve adultery. That’s what your focus should be. It’s enough just to say many years of fornication, and now Chastity is to be your focus and perhaps battle,
This way the Priest can help you by focussing in and discussing those.

I came back to the Church after decades. The was no way I would remember or even be aware of everything. And I was absolved of everything, my Priest said confess the major one or two big things you know were wrong in the eyes of God so we could discuss those.
This is because as we continue on our path home to God, we are graced with continuing awareness of our sin.
Even as practicing Catholics we aren’t aware all the time. Ie are we gossiping. Did we insult another.

Yes there are three conditions for mortal sin, however the Sacrament of Reconcilliation gives us such grace we should attend frequently regardless of the grade of sin - venial or mortal. It’s to reconcile with God and rid ourselves of our faults and offences against him.

After your first confession, yes it’s going to be easier to identify and list sins in confession, but even then, details are not necessary. Name it as theft, adultery, jealousy and number.

Don’t get caught up in doing it right or wrong, having to remember, walking out and then suddenly remembering. First confessions are about so much more. They are about true Reconcilliation with God, allowing Him into your heart and soul, turning away from your past life,

Really they are about coming home. They are a joyous occasion.

Divine Mercy Sunday is coming up. The Sunday after Easter Sunday. We should all be going to Mass , Communion and Confession on that day too.
Jesus absolves us of all punishment for our past sin on that day. And we are granted a Plenary indulgence by the Pope too.

I will start a thread on it tonight.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for bringing up Divine Mercy Sunday. My parish brings in several priests for reconciliation. It is the perfect time for everyone to go to confession.
 
I have now been given a bit more information about the retreat next Saturday. It will involve a video about confession, a talk and discussion, Adoration, and finally we will each in turn make our first confession. I am tremendously nervous - I have some whoppers to admit to - but I am so looking forward to being clean again afterwards!
 
Bring in notes but study them, and be prepared to go by memory if the Confessional is really dark. Between nerves, and poor handwriting, and dark Confessionals, I got my first Confession done over the course of a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday in three separate churches; I kept forgetting things, and my notes were terrible.
 
That sounds like me when I came back to the church after many, many years!
 
I’ve taken notes with me before when going to confession because I get nervous and blank. I’ve been told, like others, to destroy it afterwards.
 
JoyToTheWhirled said:
I shall be making my first confession in the next couple of weeks - I have a lot to confess from the nearly 25 years since I was baptized! It feels somewhat overwhelming, and I don’t want to miss anything out. I was wondering if it is ok to bring a general list to prompt me to remember everything? Father C said we don’t have to go into enormous detail of every sin committed in those intervening years, but I am still a little confused about what level of detail is necessary. I mean, as a simple eg. there is a lot of fornication in those years, do I have to list each instance or will the word fornication cover it?
Click to expand...
As a Confessant (just created the word), I tell the detail of my sins. But you must also trust the priest ash his capacity in listening to your Confession/to you. He will generally ask questions (i.e. how many times, when, maybe something linking to your past, what was the actual sin, etc.) For one he helping/aiding you, for that he may by guidance of the Holy Spirit, give you a good prescription of Holy Penance (i.e. Pray Five Hail Mary’s, an Our Father ,etc.) He may also give you some good spiritual help/advice/direction on reading a book or taking time in Scripture. Then, maybe if it’s something basic sound advice can help with, he may give some idea’s (i.e. exercise more, give up sweets/sugars, do an act of charity for someone, maybe see a counselor, etc.)

I’d say just be honest. Even the tel the priest it is your first time. To pray for you. Maybe ask him for a blessing and/or a prayer while in the Confession to make a good and contrite one. And ask him to help you through your Confession. But, not all Confessions will go smoothly I’d pray to God, and ask Our Lady to help you with a priest. To help you going into Confession.

I generally pray to the Father and Mary as I am waiting. Even “O’ Remember Most Gracious Virgin Mary, Never was it known…” before going into Confession (when I am not the first in line 😉
 
Last edited:
I always bring in a written list, because I like to examine my conscience in my own time and in the quiet of my home. Plus, I tend to get pretty anxious before confession, and I once forgot everything I wanted to say!! Never going through that again, haha.
It’s so good to see you back @JoyToTheWhirled! All the best for your confession!
I hope that you experience that beautiful feeling of having all your sins lifted from your soul! I’m sure you will! God bless x
 
Hello.

I just about always bring a list. I have a terrible memory and need a list. Plus I like to gloss over sins saying they weren’t that bad or it was so and so’s fault and not take responsibility for what I’ve done. I also like to handily forget sins that happened during the week - which is why I should do a daily examen. -->Hey! Thank you for this post! I realized I’m not doing my daily examens. Thanks for reminding me. →
Then I rip up the list right after exiting the confessional. If a priest says I don’t need a list I find another priest. There’s something off about a priest not being supportive of a person trying to make a good confession.

What I’ve heard as a guideline is that a good confession can be done in 5 to 10 minutes. The hard part is getting oneself to confession and being really honest with yourself, I think.

My two cents.
 
Spent some time doing an examination of conscience today, and wrote it all down. My first confession is on Saturday afternoon. Looking forward to it.
 
Good for you, Joy! I am glad you are looking forward to it, and not dreading it!
 
Well, done and dusted! It’s quite funny really, I was hoping to confess to the priest I know best, Father C, but it just so happened I was sitting on the wrong side of the church and had to go to Father T who I don’t know so well. You have an idea of how something is going to go, and God has different (and better!) Ideas.

Father T has a real pastor’s heart, and was so, so kind. He heard my confession, and my penance was to spend some time thanking God for how much He loved me. It was perfect, especially as I very nearly ran out of the church with nerves before it was my turn!
 
Thanks be to God for your first experience in confession being so lovely! I hope all of the trepidation and uneasiness was worth it! You must feel like a new person, Joy!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top