Confession scares the living day lights out of me!

[Mickey's_Girl]

Here is the tale of my first confession (scroll toward the bottom of the entry):

[url="http://phorum.phatmass.com/index.php?showtopic=31071&hl="]My First Confession[/url]

For the first one, I went "anonymous," at a different parish. I've only been once since then, but I went to my own priest, face-to-face. I found that once I got the "big" sins confessed (of which I had several, being an adult convert from Protestantism), it was much easier to do "maintenance" confession with my own priest, whom I admire, respect, and like. And it wasn't scary, like the first time CERTAINLY would have been.

I am praying for you! Let us know how it goes!

(And yes, excommunication is the penalty for a priest telling--even if they're under pain of death. They'd have to be a pretty horrid priest to even think about it. Not only that, but my priest told me that they weren't even allowed to bring it up to YOU. No "So, how are you doing with X?" reminders later. That was comforting.)

MG

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

I'm afraid to go to. I want to go this saturday, but im afraid i won't remember all my sins, and the like, im also afraid i won't know what to do, ive never really seen the inside of a confessional before. how do you sit in it? I am not really that afraid of talking to the priest though, im just afraid i won't do it right.
I also want to get some of my sins undercontrol and be sorry for them before i go.

sam

(ps. I am an alien now!)

Edited May 10, 2005 by Extra ecclesiam nulla salus

[Lil Red]

don't wait! go, go, go!!! i'm always scared every time i go (not because of the priest or anything, but because of my own sinful nature). we have some different examination of conscience sheets available here at phatmass ([url="http://phorum.phatmass.com/index.php?showtopic=7676"]here[/url]), each one a little different. i would suggest doing a nightly examination before you go to bed, that way, when you go to confession, you know what you need to confess without stumbling.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Lil Red

[Mickey's_Girl]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='May 10 2005, 05:32 PM'] I'm afraid to go to. I want to go this saturday, but im afraid i won't remember all my sins, and the like, im also afraid i won't know what to do, ive never really seen the inside of a confessional before. how do you sit in it? I am not really that afraid of talking to the priest though, im just afraid i won't do it right.
I also want to get some of my sins undercontrol and be sorry for them before i go.

sam

(ps. I am an alien now!) [/quote]
It might be a good idea to go to the church and check out the confessional before the day of...my church is open during the week, and so this would not be hard to do. Perhaps yours is the same? Each confessional looks a little different. As far as I know, they all have a screen or curtain you can kneel behind, if you want to stay anonymous, and then on the other side, the priest has a chair he sits in, as well as a chair facing him, if you want to go face-to-face.

Some churches also have the old ones, where you have the two sides with a screen in between. But the priest doesn't always sit there if they have them. You can ask at the church office, or look for a sign.

The day of confession, there's usually a red ("taken") or green ("open") light to tell you if someone is in the confessional or not.

I hear you about wanting to get sins under control before confessing--I worked on that before my first confession! But don't be afraid to go, even if you don't have the habit of virtue down pat. If you are sincerely sorry for your sins, and intend (with the grace of God) not to do them again, then you will make a good confession.

Even if you commit the same sins again, God will not be shocked. He knows your heart, after all, and many sins take lots of sincere effort before they are conquered. I can testify to this. Your heart and your effort are the issue here. If you sin again, go to confession again. If you have trouble feeling true sorrow for your sins, you can ask God to help you feel sorry. He will help you. Also, focusing on the passion of Christ and the price he paid to redeem us from sin often brings home the reality of how bad sin is.

This may be relevant here: I have found that asking for the intercession of saints, and in particular Mary, is a vital part of conquering sins against purity (whether of thought or of action). Mary has helped me a lot. Also, I have a list of about 10 or so saints I feel close to (my patron saint, my parents' patron saints, St. Francis, other saints who are patrons of those struggling with sexual issues), and whenever I feel tempted, I run through the list, asking each one to pray for me. It helps!

Also: it's perfectly okay to bring a slip of paper with your sins on it--but BE SURE to destroy it when you're done!!! I wrote mine in a sort of code. :ph34r:

Prayers for all those struggling with temptation or worrying about confession.

MG

Edited: I see that Lil Red posted the link I was looking for. Yay!

[Theoketos]

John 3:20-21 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

[Scofizzle]

hey I deal with teens who don't know how to go to confession all the time. The easiest thing to do is go in and say to the priest that you dont know how to go to confession and he will walk you through it.....

[Lil Red]

MG....i posted the link above on how to make a good confession. [url="http://phorum.phatmass.com/index.php?showtopic=7676"]here[/url] it is again.

[Mickey's_Girl]

LOL! Thanks, Lil Red.

A reminder: Confession is a sacrament that *imparts grace*. When you confess and receive absolution, the Holy Spirit is giving you grace that will help you not to sin again! That's not to say you *won't* sin again, but all grace helps the process. (Besides, who couldn't use more grace?)

MG

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

thanks y'all. I have been praying to Mary more and wearing a meracolus medal, and it has helpt with the sin of lust, a lot. I think that after i find all the sins i can think of i will go on saturday.

Thanks guys

sam

[Ash Wednesday]

I try to approach confession like a child -- honest, but not fearful -- and with a prayerful and trusting heart.

[philothea]

I was baptized at 21 years old, after many years being terrified of anything openly religious. I knew I'd be petrified when it came time to go to confession, so I decided to do it about a week after I was baptized.

I was going to a rosary and benediction with my sponsor/godmother, and she said that the priest who heard confessions there was incredibly nice. So I went...

I was so scared I literally couldn't speak. Seeing how pathetic I was, the nice priest asked a few yes-or-no questions I could nod or shake my head to. I think I squeaked as an act of contrition.

I've gotten over being so scared. I love going to confession, though I do get all jittery ahead of time, still.

[JimFurst]

I don't go to confession anywhere near as much as I should. I'm glad you posted as it has reminded me that I've got to take advantage of this important sacrament more often.

As a youngster I went quite frequently. After you do it a few times you'll find there is nothing to fear. Its unlikely that there is anything your confessor hasn't heard before, and he'll help you through it. There is nothing like being able to tell someone "anything."

Believe me, your priest won't want you to "never want to come back again." It will be fine! It will be a good experience; I can say that with confidence.

Jim

[PennyLane]

Someone once said to me: If it's hard for you to confess some of your sins, you haven't forgiven yourself yet.

God already knows the sins you commited and He knows you aren't perfect. He'll only forgive you after you forgive yourself!! If you keep dwelling in a sin, it isn't forgiven.

God blessss everyone!!

[musturde]

There are some confessionals where u dont have to go face to face with the priest so ur identity is hiden. No reason to do so though, the priest has most likely heard practicly every sin already and will forget yours soon since he has to give confession to soo many people.

[Crispy]

i for one can vouch for the greatness of confession. when i started to go, i was in rough shape (nothing i plan on describing....just, no) i felt so weak and afraid. but i found that the more i went, and the holier i kept myself, the less i had to be afriad, even when i would slip and sin again. now, tho me, theres jus something about going into that confessional and doing what i know God wants me to do, and i do it. even when ive had some rather, hmm shall we say innnnterrressting things to confessm, i knew i had to do it and i did it. and let me tell you, theres no better feeling than walking out of that confessional knowing God is smiling a 20-foot smile for doing the right thing. its then that i feel a true Man of God. blessings, and be courageous!