Terrified of going to confession

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Megwalters2288

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I have started studying the Catholic belief of confession and the idea of it terrifies me. I have confessed my sins repeatedly in prayer to Jesus and wonder if that is enough. I have never made a confession to a Priest in my life so it is going to be very lengthy needless to say. I know the Priest from the parish I will attend is going to recognize me as we were familiar with each other when I was attended Catholic mass years back. I want to live my faith right and be fully acceptable of the eucharist. I am afraid he will tell me I cannot participate. I am afraid of seeing him after confession and having the awkwardness in my mind knowing that he knows all the bad things I have done. So much anxiety in my mind when I think about it 😫 I think it is partly to do with trust issues I have with people. People can be very much judging Judy’s and I think I need to work out that a Priest will not be that way.
 
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Usually in the confessional there is a screen or at least a covering you can sit behind if that helps. That being said, the priest is not going to bring up your past sins. You have to realize that they listen to EVERYONE’S confessions…and they have heard way worse things than you think (even if you may not believe it). They probably don’t even remember your sins haha!

I don’t get bogged down about going to confession anymore, there was a time when I did, but asking these questions helped me:

What would you be willing to do to receive Jesus Christ himself?

What would you be willing to do to get to Heaven?

Saying your sins in secret to a priest is the least of your worries, especially when they can’t talk about it with anyone outside of confession. There is NOTHING more important than being clean and able to accept the Eucharist. Do not worry, both Jesus and the priest WANT you to get all these things off your chest. That way, when its over, its done. GONE FOREVER.

Just ensure that when you go in, you say it ALL and don’t try to hide anything with “sneaky” wording. If you try to “cover it up” so to speak it’ll make you scrupulous in my opinion later on. (this is what happened with me. Just providing my “pro tips” so you don’t make the same mistake.)

Good Luck and God Bless!

Break those chains of sin!!! it’ll feel great when its over!
 
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When you go a couple of times and you realize that the world hasn’t gone into a tail spin, and you’ve dumped all that junk and don’t have to carry it any more, confession gets easier.

Instead of having thoughts of ‘this is my worst nightmare’, stop yourself, and change it to something positive. Don’t play the negative comments over and over in your head. It’s just your imagination taking off and you’re freaking yourself out for nothing. Really.
 
Often when people are making their first confessions as part of converting to Catholicism, they will be doing so with some guidance in order to prepare them for the experience.

Also, priests do not remember who committed what sin. They hear so many confessions and hear the same sins over and over, they totally forget it all when they leave the confessional. The idea that a priest is going to remember your sin when he sees you is all in your head. I also think that if this priest from “years back” remembers you at all, it’s just going to be some vague memory that you were at Msas long ago, and frankly, he might not even remember that. Priests are very busy and don’t remember every person who crosses their path, especially if years have gone by.

But if it really bothers you then you could go behind the screen and the priest will not know who you are. Or you can go confess to a priest at another parish where nobody knows you.

As for your first confession being long, usually when people are entering the Church at an age older than childhood, they do have a longer confession for their first time. But after that if you go regularly it’s like 5 minutes maximum.

Bottom line is if you’re going to be Catholic you need to confess to the priest. It is not sufficient to just sit in your room and tell it to Jesus. We must use the sacraments that God gave us through His Church. In addition, when the priest is hearing your confession, he’s acting “in persona Christi”, in other words he is acting in the person of Christ hearing your sins. You’re not in the confessional telling your sins to Father X. You’re telling your sins to Jesus.
 
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My first confession (adult convert here) was not only face to face, but, it was with a priest who was a friend far before I started thinking about being Catholic. It was super dooper awkward.

Confession has never been easy for me. I am embarrassed and then when I had a sort of re-conversion there was a VERY difficult confession. Again, ended up face to face with a friend, but, he was so very kind and was really the face of Christ for me that moment.

I usually go behind the screen, it is never “easy”, and the fact I do not like going helps me to avoid sin.
 
And ask Mary to take you by the hand and go to confession together. I know it’s scary (been going for appr 4 yrs now and am 37 yrs old) and maybe you stumble in your words, maybe you cry, whatever it is…it really doesn’t matter. The confessional is about mercy, guidance, comfort, forgiveness. And really, the weight that is lifted off your shoulders after that first confession, it’s just incredible. Just imagine praying for yourself or others after you have just been washed clean from sin, all the merits you receive, it’s just amazing.

Venerable Fulton Sheen has a great talk about confession to encourage you:


I’ll keep you in my prayers and would love to hear your experience. God Bless you
 
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I feel your pain. When I first went to confession after a long absence, I was afraid that the priest would tell me I have no chance at forgiveness and to get out of there.

Remember that priests have heard everything. You name a sin, they’ve heard it. Some even take confessions in prisons! Nothing you say can make him think less of you. In fact, 99.9% of priests praise Jesus that you are there in confession. The feeling you get afterwards is the best feeling in the world too.
 
Rather, turn your thinking 180º - Wouldn’t it be even worse to be called to judgement without having been absolved of your sins?

Those who have examined their consciences, instead of running from confession, often run toward it.
 
Pray for a good Confession. This is a great gift given by God.

And remember what Our Lord said:

Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
 
My first confession was at age 58…I thought the priest and I should have brought a box lunch and a flashlight, because I thought we would have to be there well into the night, and would be hungry! 🙂

Its not going to be that way.

If you should be terrified of anything, in should not be of going to confession, but of NOT going to confession.

Hoping you find peace!
 
There is no reason why you could not on occasion go to another parish for confession. However, if as a visitor and your option is a pre-mass confession, then I would go to that mass has a guest, and perhaps leave some in the collection.

You could also confess to a temporary on loan priest if there is one at your Church. The priests DO NOT divulge confessions of others to each other, in fact, that would be a mortal sin for them.

You could also find a parish that has a regular closed off and doored confessional with a screen so that you are not recognized if that would help. If on a very rare occasion a priest may ask your name, you could use your middle name or first name, but not your last.

But all this as a temporary measure while you find a way to regain your confidence in your parish. The aim is to slowly move back to that environment.

Here is an article from a priest that you may find of help.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1625268/posts
 
Confessing sins to a priest is the same as confessing them to Jesus because the priest is there to act for Jesus and hear your confession physically and absolve you in the name of Jesus. There is nothing to be ashamed about or terrified about. You are seeking and finding God’s love in Confession and God’s forgiveness.
 
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Priests have heard everything in their confessionals. And they’re bound by the seal of the confessional. What a priest hears there, stays there. Nothing shocks a priest. If anything does, he hasn’t heard very many confessions.
 
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