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pcordero
Guest
I know that it is very helpful in uncovering how sinful you are, but why can’t we ask God ourselves for forgiveness?
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mark_a
Guest
Who says you can’t do that?
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Bballer32
Guest
What I have learned is that we confess our sins to a priest (first of all because it states in the bible several times) because the priest becomes Jesus on earth. We can see Jesus through the priest. How do you know that you are forgiven just praying in your room to God, when you can go to a priest and confess your sins to God through the Holy Spirit through the priest. This way you know that God is listening and there is no sort of evil blocking his response back to you.
In Christ,
Bballer32
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1ke
Guest
Christ established the sacrament of reconciliation.
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mark_a
Guest
Here is a really good post on the matter:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7650292&postcount=22
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7650292&postcount=22
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ConstantineTG
Guest
We need to be reconciled not only to God, but to our brethren in the Church. The priest represents the Church and pardons not only in behalf of God, but of the Church as well.
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ermcma
Guest
Yes, we can and should tell God we are sorry for our sins everyday. (By making an Act of Contrition after an Examination of Conscious). But, for many reasons the Catholic Church has the sacramental gift of Reconciliation that we should use on a regular basis.
Firstly, it is what God wants. Clearly the Gospel of John Jesus says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This directive of Jesus to his Apostles shows us the need for sacramental Confession. Also, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.
Secondly, when we go to the sacrament of Reconciliation, we know we are forgiven. If we tell God we are sorry in our own silent prayer, we do not know if God has forgiven us. In the Sacrament, when we hear the priest say the words of Absolution and we are assured of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Why wouldn’t we want that?
Lastly, like all of the sacraments, the sacrament of Reconciliation gives us grace. The sacramental grace helps us to avoid sinning in the future.
Firstly, it is what God wants. Clearly the Gospel of John Jesus says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” This directive of Jesus to his Apostles shows us the need for sacramental Confession. Also, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says Peter, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.
Secondly, when we go to the sacrament of Reconciliation, we know we are forgiven. If we tell God we are sorry in our own silent prayer, we do not know if God has forgiven us. In the Sacrament, when we hear the priest say the words of Absolution and we are assured of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Why wouldn’t we want that?
Lastly, like all of the sacraments, the sacrament of Reconciliation gives us grace. The sacramental grace helps us to avoid sinning in the future.
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wisdomseeker
Guest
There are many things you can tell God about yourself. but if you sin, you are not only sin agaisnt God but also agaisnt His Church and you must seek reconciliation. the priest offers Sacrifice in attonement for our sins. therefore we must confess to a priest.
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rhiannonh
Guest
I am anglican myself so not Roman Catholic but I use the Sacrament of Confession as I find it very helpful to talk things through with the priest. I will add it can vary I guess to how good a priest is at listening? I don’t know the Roman Catholic confessional responses but I know in ours that there is space for the priest to respond and I have grown because of the responses. Though I have probably grown too, in being able to write my ‘sins’ too.
But I fear a lot of people misunderstand the word sin and think its just to do with anything they have done wrong. Yes it includes that but it the one chance you get to talk about you and your relationship with God without anyone interrupting. It the one chance you get to really share what is on your heart.
Sometimes I do find it hard to know when I’ve crossed the line of what is given as confidential in the confession and sometimes slip up to talking about something related to it in a social setting though these days I try hard not to go there as such as I don’t know where the line is from my point of view or example, I had talked about having Cognitive Behavioural Therepy CBT in confession (which has identified my weak points). Often I am the only one at one service I go to and the other week we as a family were going on holiday that day. Other time I missed I had said an appointment but I hadn’t referred to it in the confession by then. Whether he carefully sidestepped at not asking what am doing by talking about it being his holiday week anyway, I will never know because am discovering he is a very good listening. But am glad he didn’t ask, even to be friendly, didn’t ask what I was doing because whilst this time it was holiday another time may not be. So yes, I can share what is on my heart in confession but I do not know how far to go out of confession when its never been mentioned before hand, knowing that he has to keep the confidence as such.
But yes, as non Roman Catholic and an Anglican I value the sacrament of confession greatly as I know my relationship with God and others do and has grown from doing confession. I tell some people who are non churchy that actually it just like counselling…
But I fear a lot of people misunderstand the word sin and think its just to do with anything they have done wrong. Yes it includes that but it the one chance you get to talk about you and your relationship with God without anyone interrupting. It the one chance you get to really share what is on your heart.
Sometimes I do find it hard to know when I’ve crossed the line of what is given as confidential in the confession and sometimes slip up to talking about something related to it in a social setting though these days I try hard not to go there as such as I don’t know where the line is from my point of view or example, I had talked about having Cognitive Behavioural Therepy CBT in confession (which has identified my weak points). Often I am the only one at one service I go to and the other week we as a family were going on holiday that day. Other time I missed I had said an appointment but I hadn’t referred to it in the confession by then. Whether he carefully sidestepped at not asking what am doing by talking about it being his holiday week anyway, I will never know because am discovering he is a very good listening. But am glad he didn’t ask, even to be friendly, didn’t ask what I was doing because whilst this time it was holiday another time may not be. So yes, I can share what is on my heart in confession but I do not know how far to go out of confession when its never been mentioned before hand, knowing that he has to keep the confidence as such.
But yes, as non Roman Catholic and an Anglican I value the sacrament of confession greatly as I know my relationship with God and others do and has grown from doing confession. I tell some people who are non churchy that actually it just like counselling…
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OraLabora
Guest
It is also an act of humility to confess our shortcomings to another human being. It isn’t always possible to ask forgiveness from those we have offended, but a priest is always available to hear us, and help us open up to God’s forgiveness even when sometimes we cannot forgive ourselves.
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HolyRosario
Guest
The Bible tells us to confess our sins.
James 5:1. " Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved. For the unremitting prayer of a just person prevails over many things."
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