confession in the catholic church

I've always been curious what the Church expects (or commands or teaches) should happen after a mob boss or child molester confess their crimes to a priest. It would seem that they should have to not only confess to a priest, who represents the Church, but also to the police, who represent Public Society. This has gotta happen to priests, occasionally...any Catholic moral theologians out there who can answer this question? It would be prudant of the Magisterium, imho, to clarify this in light of the recent scandal in the U.S.

Actually, this is something that you should ask an expert about. In this case, an expert on Canon Law. Canon Law usually settles most disputes for us Catholics.

2006-06-26 21:33:40 by Zigga

The Catholic Church has installed a new automatic confession service.

Lets say I believe in God but don't belong to a church. I believe in the concept of an almighty God cause it's the same God right...no matter if you're a muslim, protestant or catholic.

Now lets say I'd wanna confess my sins (in a confession booth). Would I have to be a catholic to do so?
I'm just asking cause I was wondering how the act of confession works etc. It's not a personal question just curious...

Technically speaking, you would have to receive the sacrament of Baptism as a Catholic first. However I'm sure any priest would be willing to sit down and listen to you.

2009-07-21 08:02:14 by simich

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The confession of sins

1455 The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.

1456 Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly."54


When Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know."55
1457 According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58

1458 Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.59 Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:60


Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear "man" - this is what God has made; when you hear "sinner" - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light.61

2009-02-13 21:18:26 by Yoda

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If so, what was your reason for doing so? And what was the experience like?

(I'm referring to people who were non-Catholics at the time they actually went to confession).

Thank you for in advance for your answers,
Joe Z

answer: No. I respect the religion and wouldn't go through confessional unless it was my first one in anticipation of converting to Catholicism. I have attended Catholic mass - holiday, general and funeral ones.

2008-12-23 17:54:46 by away

*how do you start off the confession(what if you dont start like that?)
* what types of things do you confess (give examples please)
* is it wrong to bring in a list of things to confess (because i know i'll get nervous and not remember what i want to confess)
* do you exit the booth with the priest? does he wait for you? do you see him afterwards?
* what amount of time is too long, or too short.

thanks
i havent gone in many years since i was little, i want to go now.

also,
it it wrong not to confess and then get the bread?

Examine your conscience FIRST before entering the Confessional
Many use the Ten Commandments as their guide or the Seven Deadly Sins. You examine these with your personal actions in mind

Tell the priest that you are new to Confession, he will help you.
Sins can include lying, stealing, adultery, rejecting God, coveting your neighbors goods or even their spouse, dishonoring your parents or supervisors, cursing, anger, impatience, hate, racism, abortions, etc.

I bring a list every month and burn it when I am finished at home.

the priest usually waits for others in line to hear their confession so no you leave on your own. But if you want to speak with him afterwords he is available as a spiritual adviser

There is NEVER a time limit.

You must confess to Receive Jesus Body Blood Soul and Divinity

For my brother in Christ - Chris:

Confession is very clearly set forth in Scripture. See Matt. 9:8 where the authority to forgive sins "was given to men." See also John 20:21-23 where the Lord, after the Resurrection, breathes on the apostles and says "whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you retain are retained." Jesus gave the apostles the authority to forgive sins.

See also James 5:14-16. This is a verse Protestants also ignore because it doesn't fit anywhere in their theology. First, in the first two verses (14-15), James is talking about the sacrament of the sick. The priests are called and they anoint the sick person with oil and pray over him and forgive his sin (another example of man having the gift of forgiving sins). Then, in verse 16, James says "Therefore, confess your sins to one another..." By using "therefore," James is connecting verses 14-15 to 16. This means that, just as the priests are called upon to forgive sins in the sacrament of the sick, the priests are also called to forgive sins in the sacrament of confession.

No Scriptural support?

It is amazing how so many Protestants ignore these passages. That is because these Scriptural passages all support the 2,000 year-old Catholic teaching.

2009-04-30 15:38:27 by ♪ live love music ♫♪