Comments on: Why should I go to confession? Doesn’t God already know that I’m sorry for my sins?

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:20:14 +0000

Phil, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Catherine, please don’t be afraid. I was down that path myself many years ago, and was terrified to go to confession, yet I, too, still felt “dirty” and “bad”. Of course this is not the case, and God has already forgiven you. But go, anyway, because you will truly feel forgiven and able to go on with your life. What a great relief to be reconciled with the Lord who loves you above all, and to be reconciled with the church. I would not receive communion during that time, and that, too, was killing me. I longed to receive Jesus’ body and blood, but wouldn’t. That was many years ago, now, and I am in such a different place in my life. You don’t have to do face-to-face, they still have the screen. It’s ok. Do not be afraid. God loves you, and the priest is there to pull you out of the darkness, not to make you feel shameful or guilty, but rather to free you from it. Please do this for yourself and for God, and then move on with your life, putting those sins behind you. Remember, you are human, and certainly not the first from which the priest has heard these things (and worse!!!) from. God bless you and you will be in my prayers!!!

By: Phil Fox Rose

Phil Fox Rose — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:12:33 +0000

Catherine, I know the step of telling someone else can seem so formidable, but it is by keeping it a secret that you are letting it continue to harm you. Secrets fester. Bring it into the light. What you are experiencing, as you continue to hide this, is a disconnection from that of God in you. You are in conflict with your own conscience, as you said. Confession is called Reconciliation because it brings you back into relationship with God, and with that of God in you. It would be wonderful if you have a priest you feel particularly close with to see about it, but if that’s not the case, or if you simply can’t bring yourself to tell someone who knows you, consider going to a priest you don’t know at all.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:54:08 +0000

I fell away from God a few months ago, by hanging out with the wrong crowd. I went down a path of destruction. Tried drugs, premaritial sex, stopped going to church. For 3 months now, I have changed. I have gone to church every weekend, made new friends. However, one thing is killing me right now, my conscience. I am so sorry for what i did to God. I am so embaressed and ashamed. I cry all the time about it. I can’t forgive myself for what i did. I don’t want to go to a priest because i feel like i will be judged. I don’t want him to know what i did. I prayed to God for forgiveness, but i don’t feel cleansed. i still feel dirty and for my mistakes. I don’t know how to make my conscience stop..

By: Mike Hayes

Mike Hayes — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 05:50:30 +0000

Arnie,
I’m not sure how that sentence reads “relativism” in your mind, but keep in mind that many readers here are not Catholic, but rather exploring their connection to a faith tradition. The point that Fr Joe makes is that sacraments are tangible signs that we use to show how much God loves us and that that love isn’t amorphous and distant but rather it is real and can be felt in the here and now.

By: Arnie

Arnie — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:43:58 +0000

Above, it was written, “We Catholics believe that God has given us the sacraments as a way of showing that we are receiving”

Why is it written like we’re relativists! We must embrace and believe it is the universal truth. Rather…

“God has given us the sacraments as a way of showing that we are receiving…”

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:41:01 +0000

John 20:21-22… The first thing Jesus says to the Apostles on Easter!

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:45:35 +0000

I don’t think you should go. Confession is a practice invented by man, not God. Confess your sins to God, not man.

By: Theresa

Theresa — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:21:45 +0000

To prepare yourself for confession takes time and reflection. Without the Sacrament, most people may feel sorry, but they don’t sit down and adequately reflect on how they have been disobedient and on how merciful God is. When you have to reflect, it will be a much more real act of contrition, lest one falls into the “sin of presumption” also. It is easy to say, “God loves me and forgives me”, but He gave us confession so we can show are love for Him, too, so we will not be presumptive. He wants us to experience His Mercy throught the persona Christi of the Priest. More could be said.

By: Xavier

Xavier — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:51:04 +0000

I always thought of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a most touching testament of Jesus’ love for us. Of course, God’s forgiveness cannot be limited to one only way of deliverance, and I believe that we are instantly forgiven the moment we are truly sorry for our sin. The problem –with me, at least– is that is sometimes not easy to know if I’m truly sorry. But there I have this amazing gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, through which I can be certain of God’s forgiveness. He guarantees it. He promised it.