St. Mary of the Seven Dolors 208 East 5th Street P.O. Catholics also believe that the sacraments are an outward sign of an inward grace. ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL. Part I: Why Do We Need Confession and What Is Mortal Sin? Relevance. Non-Catholics, and even many Catholics, often ask whether they can confess their sins directly to God and whether God can forgive them without going through a priest. Penances also tended to be performed before rather than after absolution, and they were much stricter than those of today (ten years’ penance for abortion, for example, was common in the early Church). I don't want to live this way, God, and only you can help me!" The Sacrament of Confession is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. Here they reflect on how well they live a “Christ-like life”. The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church, Everything You Need to Know About Easter in the Catholic Church, The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, Learn About Last Rites and How They're Performed. He has written about Catholicism for outlets including Humanitas and Catholic Answers Magazine. General Absolution helps with those who might be receiving while in a … I believe that my forgiveness is determined by God, not by the church. This is especially the case when it comes to committing mortal sins, which cuts our relationship with God. The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. (See  The Precepts of the Church for more details.) This is a sacrament given to us by Christ and is a healthy spiritual practice for believers. January 11, 2017 K. Albert Little Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! On the most basic level, of course, the answer is yes, and Catholics should make frequent acts of contrition, which are prayers in which we tell God that we are sorry for our sins and ask for His forgiveness. A headline in the Catholic-sponsored Our Sunday Visitor answers, “If you can’t go to confession… In reconciling us to God, it is a great source of grace, and Catholics are encouraged to take advantage of it often. It's embarrassing! That is why the Sacrament of Confession is sometimes called the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this case, the outward sign is the absolution, or forgiveness of sins, that the priest grants to the penitent (the person confessing his sins); the inward grace is the reconciliation of the penitent to God. However, the early Church fathers are clear that through the Sacrament of Confession – sometimes called Penance or Reconciliation – our fractured relationship with God is able to be restored. Church Teaching On Divorce & Remarriage Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’”. Therefore, we go to confession because it is a sacrament given to us by Christ, and it has always been a practice of the Church. What does it mean? Why do Catholics go to confession? The Church has long taught that the confession of sins and absolution should happen in one place. Pastor: Father Timothy Forget Phone: 402.329.4200. Breathing on them, he said: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Why Do Catholics Go to Confession Anyway? It says in the Bible that the only way to the Father is through the Son (Jesus Christ). We may be hesitant to tell our sins to someone we also socialize with at church suppers. Because it is God’s plan for people to face their sins, acknowledge the wrong they have done, and seek forgiveness from a priest, who represents God and has authority from Christ. Some claim that confessing to a priest is not biblical. Three things are required of a penitent in order to receive the sacrament worthily: While these are the minimum requirements, here are steps to making a better confession. He is the author of several books, including Mere Catholicism. A Protestant Christian friend of mine wanted to know why Catholics confess sins to a priest rather than straight to God. The only way out of this downward cycle is to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. Photo Credit: Josh Applegate. Help With Questions On Parenting. And by doing so, we make it even easier to sin some more. The Sacrament of Confession. A good rule of thumb is to go once He breathed on the … Then, in the Sacrament of Confession, grace can be restored to our souls, and we can once again resist sin. Jesus intended this power to be exercised not only by the Apostles, but also by their successors for the good of sinners. Why Catholics Go to Confession. The purpose of Confession is to reconcile man to God. Second, by confessing to a priest, the Catholic learns a lesson in humility which is conveniently avoided when one confesses only through private prayer. Do you agree? Confession is a gift, a means of grace, a way to God, and a way back to God. Why the need for a priest? However, there is no specific requirement that confession take place within a certain distance of a … In John 20:21-23, Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said “Receive the Holy Spirit. As the Father has sent me, so I send you’. We are all born in original sin, meaning the status quo of even the cutest baby on earth before baptism has natural goodness but no supernatural goodness. Thank you. Ian Ker Fr. Box 427 Osmond, NE 68765 Phone: 402.748.3433. WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Magnificat - Delivery to Ireland and Northern Ireland Only, The Irish Catholic Newspaper - Digital Edition, The Irish Catholic Newspaper - Delivery Abroad, The Irish Catholic Newspaper - Delivery to Ireland, US bishops welcome Biden’s repeal of travel ban, Senator Mullen calls for ‘National Voluntary Collection’ as part of mother and baby home redress, Govt ‘see reason’ over ‘sneaky tax on prayer’, WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) teaches that "confession is a necessary requirement for complete forgiveness." Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance.” (CCC 1455-1456). A good rule of thumb is to go once per month. The Irish Catholic is Ireland’s biggest and best-selling religious newspaper. Form action Why Do I Have To Confess To A Priest? I was told to be confirmed and I was told to go through it all. For Your Marriage. 14 Answers. Learn Religions uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Richert, Scott P. (2020, August 25). Why do I have to go to a priest for confession instead of going straight to God? Subscribe Top Ten Reasons To Go To Confession. So what should Roman Catholics do with their unconfessed sin? The sacrament, by its very nature, confers graces that help us to live a Christian life, which is why the Church requires us to receive it at least once per year. Answer Save. This experience of confession of sins to a priest to receive the sign of God’s healing forgiveness is called by the Church the Sacrament of Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Need Help With Your Marriage? Ways To Strengthen Your Marriage. While Catholics are only required to go to Confession when they are aware that they have committed a mortal sin, the Church urges the faithful to take advantage of the sacrament often. This sacrament reconciles us first with God: “The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with Him in an intimate friendship” ( Catechism , #1468). Keep in mind many priests have heard thousands of confessions over the years. Box 397 Osmond, NE 68765. Scott P. Richert is senior content network manager of Our Sunday Visitor. And when he has said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit. We are once more made one with God. Confession was essential to Catholic faith and a badge of Catholic identity. Benefits of doing this the Catholic way First, the Catholic is seeking forgiveness the way Christ intended it to be sought. While the number of people practicing Confession has diminished significantly over the last few decades, it’s important to remember how vital it is in bringing vitality to the spiritual life. The sacrament of reconciliation was instituted to enable the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism, so for those already located within the Body of Christ, and to make it possible for them to receive Holy Communion worthily. "During Lent, many parishes make a special effort to encourage Catholics to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, also known as Reconciliation or, more popularly, Confession. Why not? A remote confession would undermine this idea. And non-Catholics sometimes ask to go to Confession. So why do Catholics confess to a priest? Richert, Scott P. "The Sacrament of Confession." The benefits of confessing to a priest rather than just practicing private Confession are also aplenty: it’s what the Bible and Church tradition teaches; Catholics receive sacramental graces which they wouldn’t receive in a private capacity; the priest can guide the confessor; and finally, Catholics are assured their sins are forgiven. Many people have only ever gone to Confession once or twice in their lives, and while it can seem like a scary prospect to confess all of your guilt and failings to someone else, Catholics can be assured by the fact that everyone is in the same boat and God is calling all of us to relationship with Him. Still, God has a plan of a supernatural beatitude planned for that baby in heaven in both body and soul. The Sacrament of Confession can seem not only a daunting practice for many Catholics but also a bizarre one – privately asking for forgiveness from God for your sins makes sense, but confessing them to a priest seems weird. But my biggest question is about confession. Ian Ker is the leading expert on the life and works of John Henry Newman. Whereas Confession stresses the action of the believer in the sacrament, Reconciliation stresses the action of God, who uses the sacrament to reconcile us to Himself by restoring sanctifying grace in our souls. As it is, few go to Confession, but few do not receive Holy Communion at Mass. Lv 7. It also carried with it the promise of personal renewal. Learn Religions, Aug. 25, 2020, learnreligions.com/the-sacrament-of-confession-542139. No Sacraments take place over the internet, and confession isn't an exception. In a special way, we might appeal to Mary, the Mother of Mercy, to lead us to her Son, to encourage us, as she did at Cana, to do whatever he tells us (cf. tebone0315. It’s not an easy question to answer in a few sentences as it draws upon complex topics about Church history, the meaning of sin, the power of the Sacraments, and the role of priests. When we sin, we deprive ourselves of God’s grace. Jn 2:5). Therefore, we should not only be willing to receive the sacrament but should embrace it as a gift from a loving God. Virtual connection is not a substitute for physical proximity. After all, the Bible says that “there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). The most famous passage to highlight the practice is John 20:21-22: “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. This sacrament originated early in the church’s life, when it became clear that those who had been baptized were not immune to sin. Lesser sins were considered to be forgiven through prayer, fasting, works of mercy, and participation in … During Confession, the priest acts as both the sign and instrument of God’s merciful love for the sinner, and is used by God to administer and communicate absolution. 9. If someone is not Catholic (thus they do not have recourse to the Sacrament), then they can be forgiven, with perfect contrition and confession of their sins to God. For one thing, that’s how the Lord designed the sacrament. While Catholics are only required to go to Confession when they are aware that they have committed a mortal sin, the Church urges the faithful to take advantage of the sacrament often. Yet in most parishes, the lines for the confessionals In fact, most priests are overjoyed that people are coming to confession, and they are eager to offer absolution. Why Do Catholics Practice Confession of Sins to a Priest? In John 20, we read of Christ appearing to the disciples on Easter Sunday. If you know Part I, you can skip to Part II. This is why Pope John 
Paull II said in 2002, 
“…the Church has insistently reiterated that ‘all the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their mortal sins at least once a year’”. It is recommended, though not required, to confess venial sins; this is often the reason why Catholics will go to confession on a weekly or monthly basis. The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the Sacrament of Confession as the Sacrament of Penance. As baptised Christians, we have direct access to God through prayer, and have the ability to repent for any of our wrongdoings – especially venial sins. Don’t we all desire to escape humbling experiences? Why Catholics Go To Confession. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/the-sacrament-of-confession-542139. Please explain what happens when you go into the confessional. [32] Such confessions take place in worthiness interviews prior to baptism into the church , [33] to being set apart for any church … I don't want this in my life anymore! Still, confession was not just something done in silence to God alone, but something done “in church,” as the Didache (A.D. 70) indicates. Common Questions About Going To Confession. But it is also the subject of many common misunderstandings, both among non-Catholics and among Catholics themselves. Mortal Sin, Venial Sin, Confession, and Communion, The Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic Church, Sacrament of Conversion and the Sacrament of Forgiveness, M.A., Political Theory, Catholic University of America, B.A., Political Theory, Michigan State University. By Fr. (The Church … He wants to bring us forgiveness so much that he gave the apostles the power to forgive sins. The Lord does want us to come to him when we fall into sin. Confession is a Sacrament Which Gives Us Grace The Catholic Church teaches that a sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace. Passage to highlight the practice is John 20:21-22: “ Receive the Sacrament of Confession. if. 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