Wife not baptized (yet), should she go to confession?

[irisheyes66]

My wife is to be baptized and confirmed this Saturday. During last nights RCIA class she was told that the class should arrive at the church in the morning for rehearsal. At that time, the class and their sponsors will have confession. The teacher told my wife, even though your not baptized you should go through with the confession to “see what it’s like”.

She’s not afraid to confess but we are wondering if someone that has not had the sacrament of baptism should be participating in the sacrament of reconciliation.

We are aware that when she is baptized that evening she will be cleansed of sin.

I guess the question is, is it appropriate to confess without being baptized to “see what it’s like”?

 

[puzzleannie]

she will most likely be doing a walk-through, including very essential support in how to do an examination of conscience, and what actually happens in the confessional, as part of her education. she simply tells the priest she is not yet baptized and he will take it from there.

 

[irisheyes66]

Yeah, they already did the walk-through of the church and discussed confession in a previous class. This Saturday morning is scheduled to be a formal confession.

 

[Brenda_V]

That is interesting. My only suggestion is to follow these directions from the RCIA leaders and have her go into the Confessional, tell Father she has not been Baptized yet but would like to practice so she can get into the habit of going to Confession.

Personally I would suggest you take her next week for the regular Confession times after her Baptism so this time it will be a real Confession and not just a practice one.

I know I did this with my daughter’s friend who was Baptized, Confirmed and made her First Holy Communion at a special Mass during the summer for several of our RCIA candidates who were not quite ready at Easter (or in her case, was in school at Franciscan U. - she wasn’t ready when they were doing their Mass either, she needed the support of her family and close friends). I went first so I could let Fr. know that the person behind me was making her first Confession.

Brenda V.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My wife is to be baptized and confirmed this Saturday. During last nights RCIA class she was told that the class should arrive at the church in the morning for rehearsal. At that time, the class and their sponsors will have confession. The teacher told my wife, even though your not baptized you should go through with the confession to “see what it’s like”.

She’s not afraid to confess but we are wondering if someone that has not had the sacrament of baptism should be participating in the sacrament of reconciliation.

We are aware that when she is baptized that evening she will be cleansed of sin.

I guess the question is, is it appropriate to confess without being baptized to “see what it’s like”?

It is not possible to receive the Sacrament of Reconcilaition without first being Baptized. For those Catechumens being Baptized at Easter Vigil. They should be Catechized during Mystagogy on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and maybe be offered the opportunity to receive the Sacrament about 8 weeks after Easter. Geting into the habit of Confessing every other month or monthly.

 

[John_Lilburne]

Perhaps it is the Second Rite of Reconciliation. This has a communal part of listening to Sacred Scripture. Then there are individual confessions.

The individual confessions are clearly optional:
“22. … Those who will receive the sacrament at another time may also take part in the service.”
“28. … The penitents who desire to confess their sins go to the priest of their choice.”
(Rite of Penance, from The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, pages 536 and 538).

Without baptism she should not be confessing her sins. Certainly she cannot receive absolution of her sins.

She can benefit from Mass (without Communion, perhaps without the Liturgy of the Eucharist) without being baptised. In a similar way should could benefit from the first part of the Second Rite “Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution”.

 

[geekborj]

My wife is to be baptized and confirmed this Saturday. During last nights RCIA class she was told that the class should arrive at the church in the morning for rehearsal. At that time, the class and their sponsors will have confession. The teacher told my wife, even though your not baptized you should go through with the confession to “see what it’s like”.

She’s not afraid to confess but we are wondering if someone that has not had the sacrament of baptism should be participating in the sacrament of reconciliation.

We are aware that when she is baptized that evening she will be cleansed of sin.

I guess the question is, is it appropriate to confess without being baptized to “see what it’s like”?

I would think rightaway that an unbaptized individual going to the Sacrament of Penance just to “see what it’s like” is wrong for two main reasons:

1. It cannot effectively affect her status and it would be better if she gets special “run through” from a priest.
2. Trying to “see what it’s like” is treating the Sacrament just like a movie or a mere “rite”. Sacraments are serious and are “channels of God’s grace” not to be treated as “just” that. Let us treat these holy Traditions handed down from the Lord lest we commit sacraledge.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Perhaps it is the Second Rite of Reconciliation. This has a communal part of listening to Sacred Scripture. Then there are individual confessions.

The individual confessions are clearly optional:
“22. … Those who will receive the sacrament at another time may also take part in the service.”
“28. … The penitents who desire to confess their sins go to the priest of their choice.”
(Rite of Penance, from The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, pages 536 and 538).

Without baptism she should not be confessing her sins. Certainly she cannot receive absolution of her sins.

She can benefit from Mass (without Communion, perhaps without the Liturgy of the Eucharist) without being baptised. In a similar way should could benefit from the first part of the Second Rite “Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution”.

I would agree that the experience of Exmaination of Conscience and the Liturgy of the Word would help prepare her for Baptism. But she cannot participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.