What will my penance be?

[b11051974]

Hello,

I am a fairly new Catholic (baptized and raised in a Protestant church and recently received into full communion with the Catholic Church). My priest and the parish director of faith formation did not say I was required to make a confession before being confirmed, but I have since become aware of the necessity of confession and intend to go this Saturday.

Being new to Catholicism I don’t know how everything works yet, and I am a bit worried about penance. Specifically, one of the mortal sins I need to confess involves an offense I committed at work a few years ago. If my employer knew of this incident I would be fired, and would be unable to support my family. Will the priest require that I inform my employer of my actions as part of my penance?

 

[Little_One0307]

Hi,

FIrst and foremost welcome to CAF. I hope that you enjoy your stay.

As to that being your penance, only the priest who you go to Confession can answer that. No amount of speculation as to whether that will be part of your penance or not, is no good. Do not let anything keep you from the Sacrament of Reconcilliation.

Perhaps, and I would counsel you to share in Your Confession everything holding nothing back, I would also share with the priest your resernvations about sharing with your employer what you did wrong. Perhaps he can come up with another penance that you can still do that would not involve telling your employer.

Be at peace. I will be praying that you have a good Confession and that your penance may be in accord with God’s Most and Perfect Divine Holy Will.

God bless.

 

[laszlo]

The only case if the priest will even consider to reveal your sin to anyone else (than through him to God) is, if someone else is punished for your sin and your confession could change it.

In other cases if your sin is against the commandment: Do not steal, or something else depriving other people from their rights, restitution may be required but that could be secret.

The restitution for the rest of the sins is given by the merits of the Church invoked by a few Paters Aves and other prayers.

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The way as the original poster thinks send a message to the cradle Catholics. We tend do believe that the few short prayer resolves everything, and keep sinning. Protestants (the honest ones) know that they have to repent: to change their life and pay for the past in order to be saved. We had to learn from them. This is the ecumenism.

 

[Joan_M]

The only case if the priest will even consider to reveal your sin to anyone else (than through him to God) is, if someone else is punished for your sin and your confession could change it. NOT TRUE. There is no circumstance under which any priest can reveal a penitent’s sin(s) to any other human being.

In other cases if your sin is against the commandment: Do not steal, or something else depriving other people from their rights, restitution may be required but that could be secret. This is correct.

The restitution for the rest of the sins is given by the merits of the Church invoked by a few Paters Aves and other prayers. Actually, the penance given to us in confession does not remit all the effects of sin. That is why we are urged to mortify ourselves - it is far easier to do this on earth than in purgatory.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The way as the original poster thinks send a message to the cradle Catholics. We tend do believe that the few short prayer resolves everything, and keep sinning. Protestants (the honest ones) know that they have to repent: to change their life and pay for the past in order to be saved. We had to learn from them. This is the ecumenism.