Worried about my confession

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Well after having been to a couple penance services in my life time, where one pesron uses up the entire time in the confessional and everyone else was not able to go to confession, I can understand a priest cutting a person short, especially when the list is veniel sins at best or just repetative.

After being burned before, I no longer go to penance services.
I rather go to confession on scheduled days.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Well after having been to a couple penance services in my life time, where one pesron uses up the entire time in the confessional and everyone else was not able to go to confession, I can understand a priest cutting a person short, especially when the list is veniel sins at best or just repetative.

After being burned before, I no longer go to penance services.
I rather go to confession on scheduled days.

Jim
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That’s very true! I think it’s important to try to be concise, and also to trust in the mercy of our Lord! If you want a counseling session, the confessional is not the time for it, especially with time contraints and people in line.
 
Not meaning to sound like a blanket statement, it seems like the Penance service attracts those who confess only once a year. Again I emphasize that this does not pertain to all as I go regularly and do attend penance services. That being said, I would, as others have, suggest more regular confession and use the penance service as an addition to an already well received sacrament. Bringing in a laundry list of a years worth of sins takes the beauty out of this sacrament of healing. We sin daily and we need to acknowledge this.

Most people start with the mortal sins and the priest can tell when one is moving into a list of venial sins which can be forgiven in the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Never worry about your confession as all sins are forgiven. If, however, you are still concerned go back next week. NOT next year. My kids apologize to me more than once a year and they no way near offend me the way that I can offend our Almighty God who deserves all my love.

I give talks on this Sacrament and cannot express in words its necessity. Please anyone reading this ask yourself, when was the last time I went to the ministry of the Church and asked God for forgiveness?? ( John 20:19-23)

Remember, God loves you. He knows what’s on that list from all eternity.Your shredding of that list could not destroy your sins as much as God’s mercy did. Peace this Holy Week…teachccd:)
 
I’m all new to this—just baptised and became Catholic last Easter. It has been a beautiful and fulfilling–thought-provoking year!

As I understand confession and sin, as it were–(-my Priest is quite willing to give any info you need in a very concise manner-)-- It sounds to me, that you had a laundry list of “mis-deeds” and that many of those mis-deeds may come from the same “sin”—like: driving over the speed limit, short tempered at work, snappy with the kids, etc—all due to the sin of impatience. ???

Father and I spoke about this prior to my confession and he said that to change a behavior is one thing, to change sin is another. I am quite guilty of impatience and most of my “issues” come from that—it is easy to tell myself to take a deep breath when my 5 year old is persistent in his needs in an incovenient time, or to drive slower and less aggressive, but to remind myself of the virtue of patience??? Much harder!! I am working on it though!🤷

I find a laundry list feels just like that–laundry! But, I am sure you were dismayed when you were trying to do what you needed and what you felt was right. I think acting as a role model for your children must have been difficult too!

I choose to not attend the Penance services, but make an appointment with my Priest, as he knows me well and I am still a bit new.

Good luck, Happy Holy Week—what a beautiful reminder of why our lives matter.🙂
 
SidingSister said:
I’m all new to this—just baptised and became Catholic last Easter. It has been a beautiful and fulfilling–thought-provoking year!

As I understand confession and sin, as it were–(-my Priest is quite willing to give any info you need in a very concise manner-)-- It sounds to me, that you had a laundry list of “mis-deeds” and that many of those mis-deeds may come from the same “sin”—like: driving over the speed limit, short tempered at work, snappy with the kids, etc—all due to the sin of impatience. ???

Father and I spoke about this prior to my confession and he said that to change a behavior is one thing, to change sin is another. I am quite guilty of impatience and most of my “issues” come from that—it is easy to tell myself to take a deep breath when my 5 year old is persistent in his needs in an incovenient time, or to drive slower and less aggressive, but to remind myself of the virtue of patience??? Much harder!! I am working on it though!🤷

I find a laundry list feels just like that–laundry! But, I am sure you were dismayed when you were trying to do what you needed and what you felt was right. I think acting as a role model for your children must have been difficult too!

I choose to not attend the Penance services, but make an appointment with my Priest, as he knows me well and I am still a bit new.

Good luck, Happy Holy Week—what a beautiful reminder of why our lives matter.🙂
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Welcome home!! You’ve come a long way in one year. Many cradle Catholics should take note…Peace this Holy Week…teachccd:)
 
What I don’t see is how we get two pages’ worth of sins. A year’s worth of mortal sins can be confessed in less than a minute without compromising the integrity of confession.

“I masturbated an average of twice a week for the past year. I had an affair with two different women and slept with them twice a month since my last confession. I have been shoplifting goods worth 10 to 15 dollars every weekend for the past 8 months. I’ve received Holy Communion every Sunday in a state of mortal sin. I’m so sorry for these sins, I firmly resolve not to commit them again, and I beg for absolution and penance.”

With this, you’ve properly confessed 196 mortal sins in under a minute.

I for one hate long confessions by the ones ahead of me, because I know they’re taking longer than necessary. If they want more time, they ought to schedule a one-on-one confession outside of skeds. But as a courtesy, sticking with mortal sins can take less than three minutes, even for a lifetime of sins. The counseling can come later.
 
Now that’s my kind of confession. I like them short even when they cover a lot of sins. Your example is specific, to the point, brief, and not vague.
 
porthos11 said:
What I don’t see is how we get two pages’ worth of sins. A year’s worth of mortal sins can be confessed in less than a minute without compromising the integrity of confession.

“I masturbated an average of twice a week for the past year. I had an affair with two different women and slept with them twice a month since my last confession. I have been shoplifting goods worth 10 to 15 dollars every weekend for the past 8 months. I’ve received Holy Communion every Sunday in a state of mortal sin. I’m so sorry for these sins, I firmly resolve not to commit them again, and I beg for absolution and penance.”

With this, you’ve properly confessed 196 mortal sins in under a minute.

I for one hate long confessions by the ones ahead of me, because I know they’re taking longer than necessary. If they want more time, they ought to schedule a one-on-one confession outside of skeds. But as a courtesy, sticking with mortal sins can take less than three minutes, even for a lifetime of sins. The counseling can come later.
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That’s very nice, or it would have been nice, because that’s exactly the way I intended it to go, but unfortunately I didn’t even GET 3 minutes. I didn’t have 196 mortal sins. I had 3 very basic ones. I mentioned the first two things, like 10 seconds tops, and I was cut off. That was my point. I didn’t even start on any of the other stuff, which would have taken all of about 2 more minutes. I was totally going to generalize exactly like that. I didn’t need a scheduled meeting, I wasn’t asking for or expecting any kind of counseling and there was nobody behind me in line to inconvenience with whatever time I took. It had nothing to do with how many sins I had, I never even got to any of them. He generalized my list down to nothing, stopping me every time I spoke 3 words. He talked for 5 minutes! Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the things he was telling me, I truly did, but I had a couple things I needed to get off my conscience, you know? I just felt like I needed to actually speak them out loud. That’s just how I’ve been taught to confess.

Oh well, live and learn. Many thanks for all the replies 🙂
 
LindaJM said:
That’s very nice, or it would have been nice, because that’s exactly the way I intended it to go, but unfortunately I didn’t even GET 3 minutes. I didn’t have 196 mortal sins. I had 3 very basic ones. I mentioned the first two things, like 10 seconds tops, and I was cut off. That was my point. I didn’t even start on any of the other stuff, which would have taken all of about 2 more minutes. I was totally going to generalize exactly like that. I didn’t need a scheduled meeting, I wasn’t asking for or expecting any kind of counseling and there was nobody behind me in line to inconvenience with whatever time I took. It had nothing to do with how many sins I had, I never even got to any of them. He generalized my list down to nothing, stopping me every time I spoke 3 words. He talked for 5 minutes! Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the things he was telling me, I truly did, but I had a couple things I needed to get off my conscience, you know? I just felt like I needed to actually speak them out loud. That’s just how I’ve been taught to confess.

Oh well, live and learn. Many thanks for all the replies 🙂
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Sounds like the priest was in a rush. He shouldn’t have done that anyway.

Nevertheless your sins were forgiven since you did your best to keep your end of the bargain. You may want to make mention of them at your next confession, simply citing that you were cut off prematurely prior.

And don’t wait a year in between confessions. Once a month is fine, more frequently if necessary.
 
LindaJM said:
That’s very nice, or it would have been nice, because that’s exactly the way I intended it to go, but unfortunately I didn’t even GET 3 minutes. I didn’t have 196 mortal sins. I had 3 very basic ones. I mentioned the first two things, like 10 seconds tops, and I was cut off. That was my point. I didn’t even start on any of the other stuff, which would have taken all of about 2 more minutes. I was totally going to generalize exactly like that. I didn’t need a scheduled meeting, I wasn’t asking for or expecting any kind of counseling and there was nobody behind me in line to inconvenience with whatever time I took. It had nothing to do with how many sins I had, I never even got to any of them. He generalized my list down to nothing, stopping me every time I spoke 3 words. He talked for 5 minutes! Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the things he was telling me, I truly did, but I had a couple things I needed to get off my conscience, you know? I just felt like I needed to actually speak them out loud. That’s just how I’ve been taught to confess.

Oh well, live and learn. Many thanks for all the replies 🙂
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I’m sorry that you had this experience. I think if you have a relationship with that Priest or if not, go to your Parish Priest to finish what you started. Being in a state of unrest is not good for anyone and I applaud your efforts. Sounds like it is still unresolved, and you have every right to get what you need by letting go—verbally and otherwise–the things you wish to repair between you and God. What better week to realize our humanity, huh? Good luck with it. I hope you find some resolve.
 
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