Confession

[mpalasp]

So I have a few questions..... How do you phrase things when you go to confession? Are there certain words you are supposed to say? And can a non-catholic go to confession?

[Cam42]

[quote name='mpalasp' date='Apr 21 2005, 06:06 PM'] So I have a few questions..... How do you phrase things when you go to confession? Are there certain words you are supposed to say? And can a non-catholic go to confession? [/quote]
There are various methods of "phrasing things" when you go to confession...some employ lists, some employ emtional outbursts, some are very exact and some are not. It is really up to the penitient.

However, there are a couple of things that one must always do. First, one must always confess all mortal sins. Secondly, one must always make a good act of contrition. It need not be perfect, within the bounds of the sacrament, but it must be good. That means there should be a firm resolve to sin no more.

This is the Act of Contrition:

O My God, I am heartily sorry, for having offended thee.
I detest all my sins for I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.
But most of all, because I have offended thee, My God, who art good and deserving of all my love; I firmly resolve, with the help of thy Grace to amend my life, do my pennance and sin no more.
Amen.

There are other versions, but this is the basis.

Can a non-Catholic go to confession. Short answer, no. The longer answer, anyone may approach a priest for counselling. This counselling can be confession for a Catholic, but not a non-Catholic. The non-Catholic cannot receive absolution, because he is not bound to the Sacraments and the Church in the way that one who is Catholic.

I would never tell a non-Catholic to NOT seek the advice of a priest, if that is how he feels, however, I would counsel him to know that there is no sacramentality to this.

Cam