Why confession?

[Adam_Costanzo]

I have a question, why can’t we confess to God? Or a saint? Why do we have to go to a priest? I’m asking this because I don’t trust my priest. Apparently he doesn’t believe in giving general absolution (unless there is more than five confessions to hear), but going to a pennance service there’s no guarantee that there’ll be enough people there for him to just give general absolution. I don’t want my dad to know I have something to confess because he’ll ask me what and I really can’t tell him, but this means I can’t go to another Church. What do I do?

 

[Brain]

Sorry, jesus gave priests teh power to absolve, and that is the regular conduit of forgiveness.
but remember that teh priest is bound under pain of being formally kicked out of teh Catholic Church, not to devulse ANYTHING heared in confession. So even if you dont trust him, be confident that he will not do anthing. I am also pretty sure that it is objectivly wrong to demand to know what someone is going to confess, but i dont know how to charitably tell you dad that. unless you are in a burning building, or about to go into battle, the priest should not be giving general absolution.

My pastor is someone I interact with and talk to on a very regular basis. i also go to confession often. he knows my voice, an dhe knows everything that i have told him (small parish), but he NEVER acts as if he is aware of anything I’ve told him. go to 1 on 1 confession, it hurts at first but then you feel much better.

 

[martino]

You dont trust your priest because he doesnt believe in giving general absolution? He is not supposed to give general absolution even if there is 100 people there! I would not trust a priest that would give it.

You are under no obligation to tell your dad what you confess and the priest is bound by the seal of confession, which means he cannot tell anyone anything he hears in the confessional even with a gun pointed to his head.

Just go to confession and be done with it. Stop asking why and just accept that this is the way God designed it. This is the Church that was founded by Christ to carrying out His mission; the forgiveness of sins. Do not be afraid!

 

[mercygate]

***I have a question, why can’t we confess to God? ***

We do confess to God. But we do it in the presence of a priest because that is the way Jesus has provided for us.

Or* a saint? *** Because only God forgives sins. ***

Why do we have to go to a priest? I’m asking this because I don’t trust my priest. Apparently he doesn’t believe in giving general absolution (unless there is more than five confessions to hear), but going to a pennance service there’s no guarantee that there’ll be enough people there for him to just give general absolution.

***Others have pointed out the problem with general absolution.

*** I don’t want my dad to know I have something to confess because he’ll ask me what and I really can’t tell him, but this means I can’t go to another Church. What do I do?***Adam,

Your father should not be asking about what you have to confess. If he asks, you should smile and say that the good part about the seal of confession is that you only have to tell the priest. (Maybe you can do that without making him angry?) If he has a sense of humor? You could say: “You tell me your confession, and I’ll tell you mine.” If I had a kid who was ASKING to go to confession, I would consider myself very fortunate as a parent! God love you!

 

[Scapular]

Adam,

Just tell dad that a righteous man falls seven times a day and that you also fall and need to bring your weakness to the Lord in the Sacrament that the Church has established, the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

When I go to confession, I imagine myself on a dusty road with Jesus and his apostles following him. As Jesus approaches I make plans to ask him if I can be a disciple too. Then I know that he will search my heart and that he will soon know everything about me.

Then I enter the confessional and I confess to him via his priest who acts in persona christi.

Finally, the most wonderful words in this life are the words of absolution. Grant that you will be devoted to this sacrament. Never before have I had power over sin before becoming a Catholic and attending confession weekly.

May the Lord bless your efforts,
Scapular

 

[Steve_Andersen]

Humans are capable of infinite self-deception

I’m sure Jim Jones or David Koresh thought they were going directly to God when they made their fatal decisions.

Going to a priest is a reality check