Why must Catholics confess their sins to a priest?

[po18guy]

So are you saying that Jesus found the Catholic Faith to be first and the only fait. All other faiths are divided from Catholics therefore, are not recognized by God?

Before you do anything rash, why not learn the truth of the Catholic faith? Catholicism for Dummies is a highly regarded and easily understood reference to the beliefs and practices of the Church - and the reasons behind those beliefs and practices.

Also, please realize that an awful lot of us have come in from outside of the Church. We studied her and tested her before entering. Knowing the Church as I do, particularly the Sacraments, for me there is no other Church to enter.

 

[Modern_Revert]

The first thing to go on my decades-long hiatus from Catholicism was Confession. My Dad would drop me off at the church door and wait for me-it was mighty oppressive to a 15 year old! Eventually, I learned to bypass the confessional and hide in the bathroom for 20 minutes! I soon taught this trick to my younger brother.

Fast forward three decades to Dec 2012 and my son’s First Penance. We had to be at the church an hour before for the kids to get some final instructions from the PREP director. I wandered toward the front of the church and was given an unexpected gift: the sight of our priests preparing to hear confession. Each was kneeling at the altar, at opposite sides of the church. Each was completely engrossed in their prayer, oblivious to noise and kids and parents. They stayed in their prayerful postures until the penance service began, a full 30 minutes of kneeling! I figured if they take it so seriously, we had better do so as well.

 

[steve_b]

Catholic in quotes (“Catholic”) means to me I am wavering away from this faith. I was baptized Catholic as an infant, even went to a Catholic school. Through the years I have seen much change in the way Catholics do things such as turning the alter around, saying mass in English in lieu of Latin, Priest and nuns manner of dress, placing the Communion host in YOUR own hand, all drinking wine from the same cup, shaking your neighbors hand or hugging in church to show peace.

Have these changed the validity of the mass? No.
W:

When adding to this , when I got married in the late 60’s the church insisted on a certain amount of money to perform the ceremony. They felt $150 wasn’t enough because of the flowers I had put in the church and the bridesmaid attending. They INSISTED ON $250. (Both amounts a lot of money when you were making only $3,500 a year back then). The church also refused to send a Priest to give my father last rights until my mother caught up on the offertory envelopes. My parents were very poor. The church posted on the walls who was behind in donations. I don’t consider a church who has to embarrass you into giving them what you can not afford very Christian…

I have to tell you, this is a first. Am I saying it can’t happen? No. But I’m not automatically going to believe this on face value either.
W:

Now, when looking to this forum for answers in laymen terms, not anyone can give me a yes or no answer as to whether Catholics think they are the only ones who will get into heaven because of their methods of teaching and/or mass. I know they think that the Catholic church is the only true religion and there is non else. So I am assuming that Catholics DO believe THEY are the only ones who will go to heaven, but are just to “afraid” to say it or put it in print.

ONLY God does the judging of one’s soul. We otoh can judge actions. And usually that judgement comes via instruction from scripture, tradition, and the Church.
W:

I don’t think anywhere in the bible it states that as fact. If it does, Who wrote that version of the bible? Another Catholic? This belief is not a good Christian belief. I know I certainly do not want to think that way.

If you’re looking for permission in scripture to go outside the Church Jesus established to look for salvation, you won’t find it.

Otherwise the following warning and consequences for one dividing from the Church would make zero sense.

Romans 16:17-20 , ,
Division διχοστασίας dichostasia = dissension / sedition same word in both Rom 16:17. And Gal 5:19…

Who gave Paul that teaching to pass off onto us? John 16:12-15 , yep it’s Jesus. The one who will judge all the living and the dead. Jesus is telling us in advance, how He will judge those who divide from His Church. I take that dead seriously.

 

[Amandil]

Thank you Amandil.

Your comments have great merit. It may very well be that I may have been brought up Catholic by poor non church going parents, and really am not a Catholic now as an elder adult. Maybe I am just looking for ways to “return” but am finding other religions easier.

Please forgive me but it seems as though this is sarcasm.

Look, I don’t mean to assume anything. I have no idea how you were brought up, but I am aware that the Church during the time you are describing had significant problems with Catechizing and evangelizing its own people.

I think that it is a fair question to ask, do you want a “religion” which is easier, which never challenges you? Or would you rather want a religion which while proclaiming a God which accepts you as you are at the same time loves you too much to allow you to stay that way?

My belief in God, Jesus, Mary, prayer and repentance is strong.

Praise God!

I have read much about confessing to Priests or to confess only to God. I’ll just have to work through this on my own. What matters is how you behaved in this life and whether you have amended your ways with sincerity.

But should you “work through it in your own”? And what matters more; whether you are sincere in believing, or whether or not what you believe, no matter how sincerely you believe it, is true?

What if you wind up sincerely believing something which is sincerely false? While at the same time you knew that the other thing may have been true, but you instead chose to avoid it because you felt that what you instead chose to believe was simply more agreeable when compared to the truth you chose to avoid?

Are we saved by sincerity alone?

 

[po18guy]

Maybe I am just looking for ways to “return” but am finding other religions easier.

What I have learned about various faiths: The false faiths are easy to join and difficult to leave. The true faith is difficult to join and easy to leave. See how many walked away from Christ in John 6 - and they were looking God in the eyes! Before leaving Him, they grumbled “This is a hard saying, who can accept it.” And, so it is with the Catholic Church. The amount of truth in a denomination is inversely proportional to how easy it is to accept. After all, if you can agree with all of its teachings, is it God’s truth that you seek, or your own?

 

[Waivering]

False faiths are all other Christian faiths except for Catholics? It’s not referring to those with false Gods? Many things can be taken many different ways. No where in the Bible does it state Catholics are the only true religion, does it? If so, Which version? Every passage this forum asked me to review seems to all be written by Catholics. Confessing sins directly to God isn’t easy if you are truly sorry. Being truly Sorry is the difficult part. I’ve know Catholics that just say the words of a prayer, not really praying. I seen Catholic go to confession but turn right around and do the same things months later to just go to confession again and confess the same sins over and over.

Yes, I do want a religion that is easy to follow, that keeps God in my heart, and helps continue to make me a better living human being. See anything wrong with that? What works for some won’t work for another. But we as Christians should all be working for the same end result, not condemning others and stating your the ONLY right one.

My struggle in returning to the church may be a long difficult ride. I may just pray and confess as I always have for the last 45 years and as my parent and grand parents have done before me. My husband feel the same way.

I wish you well in the New Year and may God Bless you and yours.

 

[glendab]

Hello Joe

I find not such a requirement in the Bible. As such, I find that a man may confess and be absolved of his sins by speaking directly with God.

I’m curious too - you list your religion as Catholic yet ask this question. Are you a new Catholic or on your way in through RCIA? Haven’t you received any instructions from the usual sources regarding the Sacrament of Confession?

Me, I’m a convert and I love going to Confession. It is the way God pours out His Holy Blood upon my sins and washes them away. As it says in the book of Revelation, I wash my robe in the Blood of the Lamb! The “robe” is my Baptismal garment. When I was on my way into the Church, that particular passage “spoke” to me in my heart and I KNEW that is exactly what I’d do when I failed to keep my part of the Covenant that I was about to enter into when I made my Baptismal promises. I’d confess my sins to the Priest in the Confessional and He would wash my Baptismal garment with His Blood, just like it says! It works! I think it helped to get an actual Baptismal garment to put on that night. It is the same thing when they give a baby a white gown to wear. That actually is what it signifies.

I am strengthened by the Sacrament to fight my faults and failings and yes, I confess every week. It is devotional confession. Have you ever heard of it as a Catholic?

Glenda

 

[glendab]

Hello Waivering. I’m sad for you:

I thought the Apostles where followers of Jesus and teachers. The authority they were granted was to forgive sins in their teachings not to listen to each sin by sin by a person and another person and another person Jesus didn’t even forgive sins in this fashion. Sins are / were forgiven in the Free Grace. Actual confessing to another human in detail of a sin may open the door to them by the Devil in their thoughts. I understand that certain people need a human to talk to be become humble and to actually believe they are forgiven, to relieve their own guilt. The Ministers, Reverends and Priests need to be there for those as are Physiatrists. Other people can show true remorse, regret and sorrow. They can truly repent and become the will and way of God without another humans assistance. Their faith in Jesus and in themselves just COULD be that great you know. Yet Catholics say they still can’t get into heaven because they didn’t confess to a Priest? Therefore, only Catholics that do so will go to heaven? What about all the other Christians? Why did Jesus “allow” so many other faiths? Have we actually forgotten the true purpose of faith and following the way of God?

I’ve read through several of your posts just here on this thread and it is obvious that you don’t believe in personal Confession of your sins to a priest. I can respect that, but as a Catholic, you really cannot be a practicing one and not go to Confession.

Each Sunday, at Mass, when I say the Creed which I am swearing to when I give my assent at the “Amen” after reciting it publically, I am saying I believe in the forgiveness of sins among other things. That means according to what the Church believes and teaches about Confession. All of it, not just the parts I cherry picked from a few Scripture passages I interpreted for my self. If you don’t believe as you should, don’t swear you do on Sunday. Refrain from the Eucharist until you can agree with ALL that is contained in the Creed rather than simply give it lip service on Sunday because everyone else is saying it. Examine what you really believe and when all your doubts have been healed, then present yourself as a Catholic. It is good that you have questions and have begun to be honest about what your really believe. That way, if you keep an open mind, some here can help. I will pray for you.

Glenda

 

[po18guy]

False faiths are all other Christian faiths except for Catholics? It’s not referring to those with false Gods? Many things can be taken many different ways. No where in the Bible does it state Catholics are the only true religion, does it? If so, Which version? Every passage this forum asked me to review seems to all be written by Catholics. Confessing sins directly to God isn’t easy if you are truly sorry. Being truly Sorry is the difficult part. I’ve know Catholics that just say the words of a prayer, not really praying. I seen Catholic go to confession but turn right around and do the same things months later to just go to confession again and confess the same sins over and over.

Yes, I do want a religion that is easy to follow, that keeps God in my heart, and helps continue to make me a better living human being. See anything wrong with that? What works for some won’t work for another. But we as Christians should all be working for the same end result, not condemning others and stating your the ONLY right one.

My struggle in returning to the church may be a long difficult ride. I may just pray and confess as I always have for the last 45 years and as my parent and grand parents have done before me. My husband feel the same way.

I wish you well in the New Year and may God Bless you and yours.

All true Christian denominations have truth in them. Indeed, all religions have some element of truth in them. But, and this is worth pondering: they cannot have the completeness of God’s revelation in them. God does not reveal solely by pen and ink. Jesus sent apostles to teach, not bibles to read, correct? Very little of what those twelve did and said is in the bible - the same applies to our Lord’s sayings and doings. Was the rest of it then lost to man?

God’s word does not return to Him void, and we know that many lives by every word that flows from the mouth of God - not just those which were written. As to the bible, nowhere does it say that everything is, or even should be, in the bible. A book of just so many pages, no matter how inspired its contents are, cannot completely reflect or contain an infinite God.

 

[Avila123]

Dear Waivering,

As this thread moves, I can see that you have a wealth of questions, some of which are coming out in the conversations. Personally I find this good and commendable on your part, especially since the sad fact is that so many of us never learned our faith in our youth, and not everyone is blessed as you are, with the hunger and thirst for discovery. Your situation is not unusual e.g. last Saturday a devout 70 year old cradle Catholic asked for resources to help him defend the faith.

You asked the question where does it say that Catholicism was the faith/religion to follow. At the time of Jesus, His followers were called Christians and that word was enough to describe all His followers for a few years (less than 100 years actually). However, as people are not perfect, some individuals took it upon themselves to interpret Scripture and “go solo” with some very startling results. By startling, I mean ideas that were contrary to the teachings of Jesus and were called heresy. These heretics called themselves Christians causing damage to individual souls and the true faith. The true followers of Christ had to find a way to ensure that everyone knew who was who and the word Catholic emerged.

The word catholic comes from the Greek word katholikos which means universal. The earliest record of the word Catholic being used in relation to Christians was in approximately 107 AD by St Ignatius e.g. just over 70 years after Christ’s resurrection. Here is a secular source on the subject: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_term_%22Catholic%22. I put this in so that you can see how others subsequently used the word.
In no way, am I suggesting that any Christian who does not belong to the Catholic Church is a heretic or following heresy.

On a final note, maybe you feel you have cause to judge others so harshly but only God can judge whether a person has full knowledge of any one of their sins. Is it not simplistic to assume that telling someone they have sinned, pointing to the Bible as evidence is full knowledge of sin? Surely full knowledge is head, heart and soul knowledge - without the heart and soul fully engaged we cannot repent, seek and receive absolution.

May God bless and sustain you on your journey of faith and keep you lovingly and close to Him.

 

[steve_b]

False faiths are all other Christian faiths except for Catholics?

Think about that for a minute.

Did Jesus establish one Church? Yes. [Matthew 16:16-20 (Douay-Rheims Bible, Matthew Chapter 16) Does He want division of any kind from what He establishes? No. In fact please show where Jesus wants ANY division from what He established. Please refer to this prayer of Jesus [John 17:20-23 (Douay-Rheims Bible, John Chapter 17) before answering.
W:

No where in the Bible does it state Catholics are the only true religion, does it?

please respond to this post in a way that shows you’ve opened up all the links before responding.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=11550728&postcount=36
W:

If so, Which version? Every passage this forum asked me to review seems to all be written by Catholics.

Where do you think the NT came from? Please answer that
W:

Confessing sins directly to God isn’t easy if you are truly sorry. Being truly Sorry is the difficult part. I’ve know Catholics that just say the words of a prayer, not really praying. I seen Catholic go to confession but turn right around and do the same things months later to just go to confession again and confess the same sins over and over.

And I know protestants who do the same thing when they “say” they’ve confessed to God.
W:

Yes, I do want a religion that is easy to follow, that keeps God in my heart, and helps continue to make me a better living human being. See anything wrong with that? What works for some won’t work for another. But we as Christians should all be working for the same end result, not condemning others and stating your the ONLY right one.

God didn’t set up a gumball machine, where all one has to do is select the religious flavor that suits their tastes. That’s protestantism. A heresy that came out of the 16th century, to rival all the other great heresies before it.

• gnosticism
• arianism
• pelagianism
• etc etc

God alone is the one who judges souls. Not us. He is the one who teaches about condemnation. He has given tons of warnings to souls what to avoid so condemnation won’t visit them. And God commissions His Church, the Catholic Church to teach and preach the truth [Luke 10:16 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10:16&version=RSVCE). And people make choices who they will listen to. Many surround themselves with those who tell them what they want to hear. Nothing new there. [2 Timothy 4:2-4 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 Timothy+4:2-4&version=RSVCE) All predicted in scripture. They reject the 2000 year old Church that Jesus established and commissioned to teach and to save, because they are being told truth they don’t want to hear.

Truth is not schizophrenic… right for some not right for others. Not to mention
Indifferentism is hugely offensive to God. [Revelation 3:15-17 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+3:15-17&version=RSVCE)
W:

My struggle in returning to the church may be a long difficult ride. I may just pray and confess as I always have for the last 45 years and as my parent and grand parents have done before me. My husband feel the same way.

I wish you well in the New Year and may God Bless you and yours.

prayers ascending for you

 

[Waivering]

No need to feel sorry for me glendab.

I put Catholic in quotes since I believe I am no longer a Catholic since I do not follow the faith. I have not gone to a Catholic church for some time other than a wedding, funeral etc. I do not partake in the Communion as a Catholic in a Catholic church. I was merely looking to get back to church but it is quit clear that the Catholic faith is not really for me. Thanks for your kind words, and fear not that I may be following only part of the Catholic faith and not the entire beliefs (if you will)…

I did like the Popes latest words about us " all being children of one heavenly father, we belong to the same human family and we share in a common destiny. This brings a responsibility for each to work so that we are one community of brothers who respect each other and accept each others diversity". So, however you come to believe in God , repent sins and ask for forgiveness is not to be judged by one faith of another as long as we get there. What works for some may not work for another.

Have a very Happy New year

 

[Miriam1947]

I am strengthened by the Sacrament to fight my faults and failings and yes, I confess every week. It is devotional confession. Have you ever heard of it as a Catholic?

Glenda

Not recommended for those who suffer from scrupulosity.

 

[steve_b]

The word catholic comes from the Greek word katholikos which means universal. The earliest record of the word Catholic being used in relation to Christians was in approximately 107 AD by St Ignatius e.g. just over 70 years after Christ’s resurrection.

The 1st time it was written in literature that survived. It doesn’t mean it’s the 1st time it was used. Ignatius didn’t invent the name.

While it is St Ignatius whose writings we have that proves this, he was bishop in Antioch from Approx 69 a.d. to approx 107 a.d.

When he writes, that’s NOT the first time everything he writes about is understood to be in place. He didn’t invent anything he wrote about. It was already in place. He was a direct disciple of St John. Which means he learned what he wrote about in his letters, directly from an apostle.
A:

Here is a secular source on the subject: -]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_term_%22Catholic%22./-] I put this in so that you can see how others subsequently used the word.
In no way, am I suggesting that any Christian who does not belong to the Catholic Church is a heretic or following heresy.

just a comment here. There is a hierarchy of source materials for making a case. Primary sources are tops on the list.
lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/primary-sources

since anybody can comment, write, or edit a Wiki article, I personally wouldn’t put Wiki on any list for evidence. But that’s just me.

Heres the letter from Ignatius that calls the Church the Catholic Church along with other primary sources for ECF’s using the name Catholic Church forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost…8&postcount=36
A:

On a final note, maybe you feel you have cause to judge others so harshly but only God can judge whether a person has full knowledge of any one of their sins. Is it not simplistic to assume that telling someone they have sinned, pointing to the Bible as evidence is full knowledge of sin? Surely full knowledge is head, heart and soul knowledge - without the heart and soul fully engaged we cannot repent, seek and receive absolution.

May God bless and sustain you on your journey of faith and keep you lovingly and close to Him.

It’s also simplistic to assume a person past the age of reason can’t understand sin. There is no complecated formula.

1791 ignorance isn’t always innocent
1859 feigned ignorance is not ignorance

 

[steve_b]

Not recommended for those who suffer from scrupulosity.

I’d say just looking around the landscape, that’s Hardly a problem for most Catholics … agreed?

 

[Amandil]

No need to feel sorry for me glendab.

I put Catholic in quotes since I believe I am no longer a Catholic since I do not follow the faith. I have not gone to a Catholic church for some time other than a wedding, funeral etc. I do not partake in the Communion as a Catholic in a Catholic church. I was merely looking to get back to church but it is quit clear that the Catholic faith is not really for me. Thanks for your kind words, and fear not that I may be following only part of the Catholic faith and not the entire beliefs (if you will)…

I did like the Popes latest words about us " all being children of one heavenly father, we belong to the same human family and we share in a common destiny. This brings a responsibility for each to work so that we are one community of brothers who respect each other and accept each others diversity". So, however you come to believe in God , repent sins and ask for forgiveness is not to be judged by one faith of another as long as we get there. What works for some may not work for another.

Have a very Happy New year

"[13] "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
[14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. "
Matthew 7:13-14

 

[Cathoholic]

Waivering. You said,

False faiths are all other Christian faiths except for Catholics?

You can only have ONE fullness of the truth Waivering.

If you have a thousand Bible-only Christian groups in the proverbial room, all claiming to have the “fullness of the truth”, all with one or another doctrinal difference, you know at least 999 of them do NOT have “the fullness of the truth”.

There can be other regions with some religious truth but you cannot have more than one “true religion” or fullness of the truth Waivering.

You said,

Many things can be taken many different ways.

Very true. A good reason to have not only written and oral Tradition, but a teaching Magisterium that has Divinely-protected power to correct error.

You also said,

Many things can be taken many different ways. No where in the Bible does it state Catholics are the only true religion, does it?

But without the Catholic faith you don’t even know which books/letters belong in the Bible do you Waivering?

No Catholic Church = No Bible Waivering.

There is no verse in the Bible that says:

Phantom Non-Existent Bible Verse “The books that belong in the Bible are Genesis, Exodus, . . .etc. . . Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, . . . .etc. . . . Jude and Revelation.”

You said:

But we as Christians should all be working for the same end result, not condemning others and stating your the ONLY right one.

Are YOU the only right one on this point Waivering?

Is a patchwork or hodgepodge or collage of “true” Churches the ONLY right view Waivering?

You seem to be stating: “The collage of religions motif is the ONLY right religious motif.”

Or is your statement a self-contradiction?

Confessing sins directly to God isn’t easy if you are truly sorry.

Why? I think it IS easy to Confess my sins directly to God when I am truly sorry (but I do more difficulty Confessing my sins to the Priests).

Yet I want to obey God even when it is difficult so I Confess my sins to “one another” in the context of the “priests” so that as James explicitly says, my “sins . . . . will be forgiven”.

You also said:

Yes, I do want a religion that is easy to follow,

Then you said:

Confessing sins directly to God isn’t easy if you are truly sorry.

Does this mean you refuse to confess your sins directly to God too?

Waivering. You go back and re-read your posts and other’s posts here. I think you know where the truth is. Do you WANT the Truth?

Ask yourself if possibly there is another “rub” keeping you from the Catholic faith other than mere confession to a Priest.

For some it is divorce and remarriage, others it is the fact they refuse to be fruitful and multiply (they want to contracept), others want to wallow in their unforgiveness of what people in their lives have done to them, others it is their stealing habit or pornography addiction, etc. etc. The list is almost endless.

My suggestion is to keep going to Mass. Try going to daily Mass if possible.

Do NOT go to Holy Communion unless you have gone to Confession and your Priest thinks you are ready (this is for your own good—you’ll understand why later).

Perhaps spend some time at Eucharistic Adoration (see this this this and this). Consider doing a little fasting. Maybe bread and water for lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays (better yet, talk to your Priest and see what he says).

I’ll keep my eye on this thread and see if you have any other questions/issues.

1st JOHN 1:5-9 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; 7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God bless.

Cathoholic

 

[glendab]

Waivering, might I make a suggestion?

It seems there is a fundamental disconnect somewhere in what you believe. Neither I nor anyone else can p(name removed by moderator)oint exactly where that is on this site, but it is there, obviously. I suggest you get a legal pad, some sharp pencils and a copy of the Nicene Creed and about four hours of solitude. Set a timer and make sure you won’t be interrupted. Then sit down, pray for clarity and go through the things listed in the Creed that your supposed to believe and write what you think they mean in one column and what you actually believe about them in another column. Try to limit your writing to two or three sentences per item. When you are finished see if you’ve left anything out about what your specific beliefs are, anything special not listed in the Creed that seems important to you.

When you are finished, thank God for giving some clarity and then ask Him for trust. Then take what you’ve written to a priest for a face to face appointment. And as Mary said, do whatever he tells you.

In the love of Christ,

Glenda

P.S. I know if you do this you’ll will be changed and so will your faith.

 

[Miriam1947]

I’d say just looking around the landscape, that’s Hardly a problem for most Catholics … agreed?

Maybe so but it isn’t only the non-scrupulous who read here.

 

[steve_b]

Maybe so but it isn’t only the non-scrupulous who read here.

I’d like to run into a scrupulous Catholic. I know they’re out there somewhere.