Trying to return

[jesusfirst]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

Jesusfirst,

Welcome to the forums.

Since you are pentecostal you probably want Scripture verses in order to explain this to you. Here is a great site that is loaded with Scripture verses which explain the Catholic faith:

scripturecatholic.com/

And Confession specifically:

scripturecatholic.com/confession.html

Also I just wanted to note that if you decide to become Catholic that there are some charismatic Catholic Churches out there. I have never been to one, nor seen one, but if you like the Pentecostal worship you may want to look into it. Maybe there is a charismatic Catholic who could better help you out in that area.

God bless you.

 

[Tietjen]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

One other thing that you may not be aware of. You need not ever get “rebaptised.” Baptism is a once in a lifetime sacrament and if you were Baptised Catholic soon after your birth (you said that you were a Catholic family at the time), you need not worry about doing so again.

 

[emeraldcoast]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

Welcome to the forum, Jesusfirst!

I would have a really hard time with “everything is evil”. I am blessed to belong to a Christian Church that you will hear a lot more about God’s grace and love than about guilt, shame and fear. Have you visited any other Christian Churches?

God Bless!

 

[emarc]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

welcome back home:thumbsup: confessing one’s sin to another is biblical. those sites in earlier post are great, one thing i learn from confessing my sin to a priest is humility. Jesus wants us to humble ourselves and it’s not the Priest, it’s Jesus who forgives our sins, only using as his vessel the priest.
God bless.

 

[iceman]

This site is very good. It teaches what we all should have learned when young. Learn the true Catholic faith:

RealCatholicTV.com

There are other good resources as well but be careful when choosing. I have found most who contribute on this website (Catholic Answers) to be astute, truthful and helpful. If in doubt, ask.

Welcome home!

 

[MelanieAnne]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

Hi JesusFirst, good to see you!

The idea of confession to someone and THEY forgive sins may sound a little nutty ~ that’s because that’s not what really happens although it is a common misunderstanding. In any confession of sin the Priest, acting with the authority of Jesus, hears the confession and grants absolution to the penitent. The Priest doesn’t give forgiveness himself, he does it in the name of Jesus. It is Jesus that forgives, not the priest.

The real question is why? Why is it so important that we confess our sins? God already knows our sins, so why do we have to say them, out loud, to anyone? The answer is ~ because we need to. Yes, God already knows, but He wants us to tell Him. When we actually SAY the words out loud, about anything we have done, it is no longer some sort of “thought”, it becomes more real, something we need to take action on. Similar to many of the other sacraments, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is there for US. Reconciliation is a better word, I think, to describe it than confession because what we are doing is reconciling ourselves to God. God doesn’t need it, we do. It’s a gift from God.

 

[jesusfirst]

thank you all for responding. i have been reading; searching. i love to learn.

yes, i was baptised as a baby in the catholic church. so was my husband. but i don’t think either one of our families were really good catholics,

i think they were more like cafeteria catholics. at least i never remember my grandmother explaining the importance of certain things. i.e. the rosary, communion. it was just a given that you had to do them because you were catholic.

 

[Tietjen]

thank you all for responding. i have been reading; searching. i love to learn.

yes, i was baptised as a baby in the catholic church. so was my husband. but i don’t think either one of our families were really good catholics,

i think they were more like cafeteria catholics. at least i never remember my grandmother explaining the importance of certain things. i.e. the rosary, communion. it was just a given that you had to do them because you were catholic.

Your family’s level of active participation within the Traditions and Dogmas of the Church are not an issue in this case. If you and your husband were baptised as babies you do not need to be rebaptised. I would encourage you to speak with your parish priest for further information on this and other issues concerning your return to the Church. Welcome home!

 

[DebChris]

long story short.
i was born into a catholic family, we weren’t good catholics. we converted to pentescostal church about 9 years ago.

i love the charasmatic part of it. the worship music, among other thimgs.

one of the things i don’t like is that “everything is evil” mentality.

i have a teenager now, and i would be crazy to prohibit music. according to pen. teachings any music but worship music, is wordly. i have always disagreed with that, it has always made me feel like a hyprocrite. another thing is that we have moved and we have to start over in the new church, even get rebaptised.

i would like to learn more about catholicism, however from before when i was catholic one of the biggest stumbling blocks was the confession of ones sins with the father. it bothers me. could someone explain this to me. why do we have to confess to someone, and then THEY forgive our sins. i’m not a murderer or anything, just the everyday sins, thoughts, i cuss way too much, that type thing.

thanks in advance

MelanieAnne (#7) gave a great answer to your question regarding the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Remember that even as you confess aloud, it Christ to whom you are confessing your sins. The priest is acting in personna. It is Christ who speaks the words of absolution through the priest.

I keep repeating on different threads regarding this same question the answer from * The Cost of Discipleship* by Dietrich Boenhoeffer. He was a Lutheran minister who died a martyr’s death under Hitler. Confession is a remedy against pride and self-deception. Through our confession of sins, we nail these sins to the cross.

If a person cannot confess his sins before a man, how will he stand when he comes face to face with the King of the universe? The priest, along with penance, also provides spiritual guidance that helps us on our journey.

The Charismatic Renewal is very active within the Catholic Church. The pentecostal churches that came about during the last nineteenth and early twentieth century were the result of mainline churches that did not accept the manifestation of the charismatic gifts. On the other hand, the Charismatic Renewal within the Catholic Church has enjoyed papal approval since its beginning. Those who underwent the Baptism of the Spirit in 1967 immediately submitted to the magisterium. Many stories of the saints talk about the charisms with which they were blessed, the miracles that they performed.

 

[Through_Him]

thank you all for responding. i have been reading; searching. i love to learn.

yes, i was baptised as a baby in the catholic church. so was my husband. but i don’t think either one of our families were really good catholics,

i think they were more like cafeteria catholics. at least i never remember my grandmother explaining the importance of certain things. i.e. the rosary, communion. it was just a given that you had to do them because you were catholic.

There is still rules and disciplines in the Church but if I were you I would just start attending and tell the priest it has been awhile and he may team you up with a couple other people in the Church. It will take some time but be patient. You never know others may follow you back And then you will know what to teach them.

 

[kyria]

I was a bit like you. I couldn’t wrap my head around why we have to confess to a priest and not direct to God. When my daughter did her first reconciliation she urged me to go up as otherwise I would be the only mummy who didn’t go. So I went up and told the priest I didn’t believe in this and had already confessed my sins to God and was waiting for him to say that we shall just sit there and pretend. Well he said some words and then did the absolution and I am thinking what are you doing. Well as he did the sign of the cross I felt the spirit enter my heart like a little whisp. I was thinking golly gosh but that was still not enough to convince me. I just figured God was giving me a sign I was forgiven. So I went back into I don’t believe in confessing to a priest mode and one day was struggling with whether something was a mortal sin or not. So I asked God to help me. I was sitting later contemplating and I felt God’s will. It was to go to Confession and confess this sin that was troubling me. It was very strong and left me in no doubt I had to go. Eventually I did so. And if God’s will was for me to go to Confession then I had to trust that. Another time after Confession, as I left the Church after doing the penance, I felt such joy infuse in me it wasn’t funny.

God got me to see what the darkness didn’t want me to see. A truth I was not able to grasp in my mind, but he got me to grasp the understanding within my heart. And the only way I was able to do that was to actually go to Confession and see for myself. As I kept going to Confession, I realised my soul was changing too.

Also you can’t partake in the Eucharist unless you go to Confession. So if you do come back to the Church and want to take the Eucharist, it won’t do you any good if you haven’t first gone to Confession.

There have been many truths of our Faith that I didn’t believe at times nor necessarily understand, and with Faith in Him in time, He slowly got me to listen and try. By trying what we teach I was able to better grasp in understanding of why we teach it and why our sacraments such as Confession to a priest are in place. As a revert I was often too taught what to do, but never the why we do or how this ties in with God.

If you feel an urge to return then trust that God would be returning you to the Truth and the whole Truth. The Church and her sacraments are Truth. Trust that he would not guide you to only part of the Truth. If you put your full trust in Him, then Trust where he leads and guides you. In my case my heart knew the Truth but my mind had to catch up.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

thank you all for responding. i have been reading; searching. i love to learn.

yes, i was baptised as a baby in the catholic church. so was my husband. but i don’t think either one of our families were really good catholics,

i think they were more like cafeteria catholics. at least i never remember my grandmother explaining the importance of certain things. i.e. the rosary, communion. it was just a given that you had to do them because you were catholic.

the journey of an thousand mile starts with one step. May God Bless you on yur journey home. As far as confession goes I am a nervous wreck before going and I feel so wonderful after i step out from It. the sacrament is so freeing I think that even if I was not catholic I would still go to confession. My Brother just made his first confession a week ago at age 42 he decided it was time to receive communion and confirmation so when he was like I have 40 years of sins to confess and I think he was about 3 inches taller when he came out the weight that was lifted up from him.

Besides did not Jesus tell the 12 , not all the disciples just the 12 to go and forgive sins?