This is my current state of faith. Will my confession be valid?

[CatholicMale7]

Hi Everyone,

I am a Cradle Catholic who has been away from the Church for about a year. I lost touch with it because of my lack of faith.

Recently, I have researched more into the faith and talked to people close to me about the faith.I would like to make a confession and come back and follow the teachings. I would like to change my ways and follow Jesus again. However, my worry is that my state of faith might not make my confession valid. I feel that I want to choose to follow the Church’s teachings again despite not being 100% certain in it. My faith is such that I believe it is likely and possible that the Church has everything right when it comes to the Truth. There is good evidence for it.

At the same time, although I feel that it is likely that the Church is right, I cannot say that I am 100% certain that the Church is the truth, yet I want to follow it as my intellect tells me that it has the best evidence. The problem comes when I am not 100% certain in regards to the Church’s evidence. I feel that I only want to follow the Church’s teachings for myself but for me to vote the teachings into law, I would have to be even more highly assured in my certainty of the Church. Of course, teachings like “do not murder, do not steal” I will gladly vote into law as they are easily known as good and just. But my point is in regards to the more controversial teachings.

I feel that I need to be at least 80% confident that the Church is truth to follow it for myself, whereas, I would have to be 99% confident in the Church to vote some of the Church’s controversial teachings into law and thus, oblige others to follow. Let’s say my faith and confidence in the Church is somewhere between 80-99%.

For example, I believe that gays acts are wrong and I personally will be against them. I will advise people against gay acts. However, I feel that since I do not have 99% certainty that the Church is the truth, I cannot vote gay acts to be illegal. There is a difference in my standards for me to advise someone and to forbid someone. As what if I am wrong? I just caused people needless pain by making something a crime. Thus, if my faith is as such, will my confession be valid? What must a person’s faith be like for a confession to be valid? I would like to receive Jesus in the Eucharist once again, if possible!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my post and giving advice! Also, Is this the right forum for such a question??

 

[jvickers]

This is probably something you should talk to a priest about - both the 80% confidence and whether the confession would be valid.

 

[LateranBasilica]

Remember St Thomas, the Apostle that doubted.
Be at peace, doubts dissipate with deepening of faith.
I pray you find solace and comfort in a timely confession.

 

[Neotric27]

As a wise man once said to me; crush all doubt before it becomes worse.

In other words, when we feel any doubt in the church, whether it be the teachings or the hirearchy, we need to ask God for the grace that we may learn the truth and remove all doubt from our mind. Because when we feel doubt, Satan pounces and slowly expands the doubt, feeding lies into your mind, and it can lead to a loss of faith or worse.

To answer your question, yes the confession would be valid. I had a similar experience to you, the best advice I can give you is examine your conscious and EVERY SINGLE SIN you can remember confess, and mortal sins in number as well. And don’t worry is some sins come back to you after confession, I went to confession only yesterday, and already I am remembering sins that I hadn’t before. God bless you.

 

[crenfro]

Hello.

First things first. Start going back to Mass - weekly Sunday Mass - and go to Confession - monthly is suggested. Confession is a tremendously healing sacrament.

Then start up a dialogue with your priest, with a good apologist, etc. about these other concerns. Sometimes perspective changes a little when you’re in the state of grace.

My two cents.