Turning things around

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In a thread I started here yesterday, I asked how many folks on this site have not confessed all of their sins.
The fact of my matter is that I have not confessed any sins in over 40 years.
When I stopped going to confession I was in a bad point in my life. A lot of things were going wrong.
I had some issues with the Catholic Church. For awhile, I thought about leaving the Church all together.
Over the years, I devolved from being a Practicing Catholic to a Catholic In Name Only.
I have continued to go to Mass each Sunday, but have missed some Holy days. I pray every day, especially the Rosary.
For so many years, I have lived my life for me, instead of putting God in the center of my life. I own up to my sins. I have no excuses for them.
But is it too late for me to turn things around?
How do I start? How do I go to confession after 40 years? How can I possibly remember all of the sins? How can I be absolved of sins that I cannot even remember at this point? Do I deserve to be forgiven?
These are things I have been pondering for quite awhile now.
 
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Max, I know you are trying to be helpful. But, put yourself in my shoes.
If you had not been to confession in over 40 years, do you think it would be as easy as quoting something from a Nike commercial…Just do it?
I have thought about seeking counseling first from a priest.
But I mean, how would I go into a confessional and just start reeling off as much sin as I can remember?
I am sure you are a better person that I am, but imagine all of the sins you committed in 2017. Now multiply by 40. Lots to try to remember. Lots to try to confess.
 
Brittany, you have a kind heart and a good way with words. Thanks
 
You have been given true and wonderful advice YNH.
When I go to confession I often add “and for the sins I can’t remember I am truely sorry” .
Up till two days ago all my sins were confessed, it’s an ongoing thing …I’ll probably go again in a couple of weeks time God willing.
Jesus I trust in you .
All the best,and God bless.
 
YourNameHere said:
Just do it?
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But, YNH, that’s all that needs to be done.
YourNameHere said:
But I mean, how would I go into a confessional and just start reeling off as much sin as I can remember?
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Essentially… Tell the priest that “Father, it’s been over 40 years. I may need some help”. The salvation of souls is the business of priests. He will help you.
 
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Great advice by some good people here. Nothing to add except I will keep you (Your Name Here)in my prayers for a return to the fullness of the faith.
 
Just like Maximilian said. Just do it.

What you need to do is take 15-30 minutes and do an examination of conscience to remember the sins of your past. At this point, don’t sweat over the number of times. If you remember something and think you did it a lot, just tell the priest you did it a lot, some or a few times. Don’t stress the actual number.

But after that 15-30 minutes examination, don’t worry about it. Just confess what you remember and you will be clean!!!
 
Thanks, I need all the prayers that I can get.
I know the Holy Spirit is trying to get me to the confessional, but the Devil is doing his best to make me feel unworthy of forgiveness.
 
Jesus said it’s the sick who are in need of a physician. Go to confession, be honest about all the sins you can remember, and as long as you don’t intentionally hold any sins back, they are all forgiven. This is what was told to me by my priest when I made my first confession after not having been to confession in 18 years.

The best gift you can give a savior is your sins! Jesus is waiting for you, He wants to forgive you. When you hear those words of absolution you may experience a peace that you didn’t even know you were looking for or how bad you needed to hear it. You will receive graces that will be like putting gas in your spiritual tank.
 
Talk to the priest. Tell him how long it’s been and what things you’re worried about.
The priest will know what to tell you better than we do.
He will guide you, walking you through it if need be.

And you’ve been rightly told. If you honestly mean to confess all your sins but forget some, then you are still forgiven. If you remember some sins after that, just confess them the next time you go.

I will pray a rosary for you now, and may God grant you blessing. Please do not fear to go to the priest.
 
He did the same thing to me before I went back to confession! But really, when you think about it, in a way it is a formof pride to think so much of ourselves and our past that we alone are not worthy of Jesus’ forgiveness. And we all know pride is one of the devil’s favorite tricks. Add despair to that and you’ve got the same recipe that got Judas to kill himself instead of seek Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness. Don’t fall for it! It is a tried & true tactic of the enemy! We can know Jesus wants to forgive our sins, because He died to do so. If He didn’t want to forgive our sins He wouldn’t have died for us in the first place.
 
You have brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for your Rosary.
I try to pray several Rosaries each day.
Perhaps the Blessed Mother has been keeping a small flame of hope in my soul over all these years through my praying for others, just as you now are praying for me. God bless, You!
 
I just try and keep in my mind that my salvation isn’t a once-and-dine thing. It is a process. Sometimes an excruciatingly slow process. Sometimes even slipping backwards, but I keep trying.
 
I think it was Gandhi who said, “What we can do, we will try to do.” I believe Jesus wants us to give it our best effort in all that we do and say.
 
No it’s not. Just go stand in the confession line. When it’s your turn, go in, say it’s your first confession in 40 years and let the priest guide you.
 
Our pastor happily announced that he heard confession from someone that hadn’t been there in 50 years. “Top that!” Then he said " there isn’t anything you can say that I haven’t already heard before, so don’t let that stop you either."

I too will pray for you.
 
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