Wait until i'm 18?

[BrooklynBoy200]

As a lot of you know, my family isn’t too in to religion. It’s too hard for me to get to church, confession, etc. So is it ok since i’m under 18 to just make a sincere act of contrition and wait until i’m 18 to start getting involved with my church and doing all that? The Eucharist/Reconciliation requirements (once a year, right?) aren’t required of anyone under 18 right?

 

[Ace86]

As a lot of you know, my family isn’t too in to religion. It’s too hard for me to get to church, confession, etc. So is it ok since i’m under 18 to just make a sincere act of contrition and wait until i’m 18 to start getting involved with my church and doing all that? The Eucharist/Reconciliation requirements (once a year, right?) aren’t required of anyone under 18 right?

They are required of everyone who can receive and get absolved and who are Catholic. This includes those under the age of 18. Maybe you could find someone to drive you to Mass?

 

[johnpaul2_fan]

You could call the priest in your parish and try to schedule an appointment for confession if you can’t make it during an allotted time, maybe? Also seeing if you could get a ride, maybe if their is a youth ministry program (at a near by Catholic parish) they may know of someone who lives near you who wouldn’t mind giving you a ride to church.

 

[Mintaka]

I think we should pray that God sends you some Catholic friends. Friends with cars.

 

[teachccd]

As a lot of you know, my family isn’t too in to religion. It’s too hard for me to get to church, confession, etc. So is it ok since i’m under 18 to just make a sincere act of contrition and wait until i’m 18 to start getting involved with my church and doing all that? The Eucharist/Reconciliation requirements (once a year, right?) aren’t required of anyone under 18 right?

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

I heard that when minors are in a state of mortal sin, they don’t need to go to confession and their sins are pardoned when they obey their parents.

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

I always get a little embarassed at confession when i have to say i commited gluttony or had lustful thoughts or something like that. Because it sounds so formal in today’s society. I always think the priest is thinking “i can’t believe he thinks people still confess that kind of stuff, why can’t he just say he was bad and get out of here”. I know it sounds stupid. I don’t know what i can ask for help, but if anyone has any words of reassurance or advice it would help. Thanks.

If you read your posts it seems that you are fearing something. What will happen when you turn 18? Why are you so afraid to tell specific sins? Then you say that you heard that obeying your parents absolves sins. What I think that you need to do is find a friend, relative or someone who can take you to Church so that you can talk to a priest. You seem to seek confirmation here that not going to confession is o.k. Now, I don’t know how old you are but I know that you are under 18 so you need to honor your parents. If they restrict you from going then you need to repect that for now. However it still seems that you can go(oneof your posts stated that you’ve been) so do so and rid those fears. No sin will shock a priest. They’ve heard all of the sexual sins imaginable and criminal sins and all in between. My prayers are with you and I hope that you make it because not to many youths under 18 even show the interest in Reconciliation the way that you do. God Bless you

 

[BrooklynBoy200]

If you read your posts it seems that you are fearing something. What will happen when you turn 18? Why are you so afraid to tell specific sins? Then you say that you heard that obeying your parents absolves sins. What I think that you need to do is find a friend, relative or someone who can take you to Church so that you can talk to a priest. You seem to seek confirmation here that not going to confession is o.k. Now, I don’t know how old you are but I know that you are under 18 so you need to honor your parents. If they restrict you from going then you need to repect that for now. However it still seems that you can go(oneof your posts stated that you’ve been) so do so and rid those fears. No sin will shock a priest. They’ve heard all of the sexual sins imaginable and criminal sins and all in between. My prayers are with you and I hope that you make it because not to many youths under 18 even show the interest in Reconciliation the way that you do. God Bless you

Well i got my parents to take me once, but now they won’t take me again because they think i’m getting too into this and i’m becoming “wierd”. So i was looking for ways that i could be forgiven without confession. And it’s a bit scary to confess sins, since i’m just starting out and there are always huge gaps between my confessions since i can’t go often, making me have to confess many many sins. With i find a bit embarassing. But thanks for the replies and encouragment guys.

 

[teachccd]

Well i got my parents to take me once, but now they won’t take me again because they think i’m getting too into this and i’m becoming “wierd”. So i was looking for ways that i could be forgiven without confession. And it’s a bit scary to confess sins, since i’m just starting out and there are always huge gaps between my confessions since i can’t go often, making me have to confess many many sins. With i find a bit embarassing. But thanks for the replies and encouragment guys.

It is scary (I tend to use the word nerve wracking) to confess your sins. This is perfectly normal. It’s that humility that shows our true sorrow and makes us realize how much we need to turn our lives around. You are not weird at all. I’m a parent and I don’t always agree with my children’s choices but that doesn’t necessarily make their decisions “weird”. You are on the right track. The priest will understand your dilemma and like I said in my previous post, there is no reason to be embarrassed as confessors have heard every type of sin. God Bless you and keep up the good fight. You should be very proud of yourself.

 

[mercygate]

Brooklyn,

If you really live in Brooklyn, you can’t walk 50 yards without bumping into the door of a Catholic Church. Brooklyn is known as “the borough of churches”.

Are you never allowed out of the house unsupervised? Do you walk to school? When I was a teenager, I used to drop in for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament (I wasn’t Catholic, and my parents thought I was weird) on the way home from school.

I could have gone to Mass in the morning had I been Catholic.

If you go to the mall on weekends, chances are there’s a Catholic chapel in there with a priest on duty.

Your history on these forums indicates that you may have a dose of scrupulosity combined with fear of confession. Talk to a priest.

 

[puzzleannie]

So is it ok since i’m under 18 to just make a sincere act of contrition and wait until i’m 18 to start getting involved with my church and doing all that? The Eucharist/Reconciliation requirements (once a year, right?) aren’t required of anyone under 18 right?

the sacraments are required of every Catholic over the age of reason who has been prepared for them. If you cannot get to Mass or the on your own, there is no obligation, but that applies to that specific circumstance, not your age. If there was a rock concert downtown and you could get tickets, would you find a way to get their even if your parents could not drive you? Do you manage to get to the mall, library, and other places you need to be? If you want it bad enough you will probably find a way to get to church. It is called carpool with friends.

 

[BibleReader700]

Brooklyn,

If you really live in Brooklyn, you can’t walk 50 yards without bumping into the door of a Catholic Church. Brooklyn is known as “the borough of churches”.

Are you never allowed out of the house unsupervised? Do you walk to school? When I was a teenager, I used to drop in for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament (I wasn’t Catholic, and my parents thought I was weird) on the way home from school.

I could have gone to Mass in the morning had I been Catholic.

If you go to the mall on weekends, chances are there’s a Catholic chapel in there with a priest on duty.

Your history on these forums indicates that you may have a dose of scrupulosity combined with fear of confession. Talk to a priest.

I don’t live anywhere near Brooklyn. I never intended to become a real member of the forums i just made an account so i could ask one question, and i was looking at something about brooklyn so i made it my name.

 

[mercygate]

I don’t live anywhere near Brooklyn. I never intended to become a real member of the forums i just made an account so i could ask one question, and i was looking at something about brooklyn so i made it my name.

Well, shut my mouth! How COULD I have thought otherwise?

 

[boppaid]

Brooklyn,

If you really live in Brooklyn, you can’t walk 50 yards without bumping into the door of a Catholic Church. Brooklyn is known as “the borough of churches”.

Are you never allowed out of the house unsupervised? Do you walk to school? When I was a teenager, I used to drop in for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament (I wasn’t Catholic, and my parents thought I was weird) on the way home from school.

I could have gone to Mass in the morning had I been Catholic.

If you go to the mall on weekends, chances are there’s a Catholic chapel in there with a priest on duty.

Your history on these forums indicates that you may have a dose of scrupulosity combined with fear of confession. Talk to a priest.

I think it’s important NOT to encourage him to SNEAK to church against his parents wishes. Parents need to know where their children are going for safety concerns if nothing else.

 

[mercygate]

I think it’s important NOT to encourage him to SNEAK to church against his parents wishes. Parents need to know where their children are going for safety concerns if nothing else.

I wasn’t suggesting sneaking. Teenagers should be trusted with some of their time. Dropping in at church for a few minutes would be well within reason.

 

[boppaid]

I wasn’t suggesting sneaking. Teenagers should be trusted with some of their time. Dropping in at church for a few minutes would be well within reason.

Then we agree. I was worried that he would interpret it that way. See, I was under the impression that his parents specifically told him NOT to go anymore. It wasn’t an issue of them not driving him, but rather, of them telling him he wasn’t allowed.

They may view Catholicism as a cult. (Some non-Catholics do.) They may be as upset about him going there as someo f us might be if our children said they wanted to be Christian Scientists, ykwim?

 

[BibleReader700]

Then we agree. I was worried that he would interpret it that way. See, I was under the impression that his parents specifically told him NOT to go anymore. It wasn’t an issue of them not driving him, but rather, of them telling him he wasn’t allowed.

They may view Catholicism as a cult. (Some non-Catholics do.) They may be as upset about him going there as someo f us might be if our children said they wanted to be Christian Scientists, ykwim?

My parents specificaly said no confession
Well they said either confession or mass. one or the other. I tried to explain that missing mass was a sin, so i would just have to go to confession again. They say protestant things like you don’t need to go to confession and it’s silly and stuff.

 

[BibleReader700]

Me and brooklyn are like twins.

 

[mercygate]

Then we agree. I was worried that he would interpret it that way. See, I was under the impression that his parents specifically told him NOT to go anymore. It wasn’t an issue of them not driving him, but rather, of them telling him he wasn’t allowed.

They may view Catholicism as a cult. (Some non-Catholics do.) They may be as upset about him going there as someo f us might be if our children said they wanted to be Christian Scientists, ykwim?

Mmmm. But if I recall correctly, BrooklynBoy’s parents are “Catholic.”

Does that scare you?

 

[Image_of_God]

I asked if I could go to confession over the summer and my family laughed at me…I was unaffected by it. I would like to go a lot more, but no one would drive me.
I have went to confession twice, and each time, it backfired. Both times I forgot to ask what the sastifaction should be.
Please, any advice?

 

[mercygate]

I asked if I could go to confession over the summer and my family laughed at me…I was unaffected by it. I would like to go a lot more, but no one would drive me.
I have went to confession twice, and each time, it backfired. Both times I forgot to ask what the sastifaction should be.
Please, any advice?

As a parent, I am hard pressed to think of what you, BibleReader & BrooklynBoy should do. I do think that all of you need to relax about going to Hell. If you can’t get to confession through no fault of your own, then you are not going to be held responsible.

It may seem like a thousand years until you are on your own and able to go to confession and Mass without offending your parents, but it really is not long at all.

Make an act of contrition. Pray that God will show you the way out of your situation, and respect the parents God has given you.

I know a kid who is now 20, whose parents refused to allow him to become Catholic until he turned 18 – a situation not very different from your own. He is now discerning a vocation to priesthood. All in good time.

God love you all.

 

[BibleReader700]

As a parent, I am hard pressed to think of what you, BibleReader & BrooklynBoy should do. I do think that all of you need to relax about going to Hell. If you can’t get to confession through no fault of your own, then you are not going to be held responsible.

It may seem like a thousand years until you are on your own and able to go to confession and Mass without offending your parents, but it really is not long at all.

Make an act of contrition. Pray that God will show you the way out of your situation, and respect the parents God has given you.

I know a kid who is now 20, whose parents refused to allow him to become Catholic until he turned 18 – a situation not very different from your own. He is now discerning a vocation to priesthood. All in good time.

God love you all.

I just hope i don’t get hit by a bus before i turn 18