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brian
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 01:57 am |
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| i recently learned that our first confession may be scheduled for sometime in march. for some reason i thought it may have been just before the easter vigil like the day of or before. is this normal?
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 07:56 am |
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Yes, it is normal. A candidate’s general confession is properly done during the 40 days of Lent. Going early avoids the long lines of procrastinators at the confessional and sets the candidate’s mind and heart at ease, so he can look forward to Easter Vigil.
David
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brian
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Posted: Sat Dec 2nd, 2006 06:34 am |
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| does this mean, i could go to confession aagin if i wanted or needed to if i had something more to confess between my first confession and the easter vigil...not that i am planning on any moral breakdown between then and easter, but i am just wondering since i wont be fully catholic but will have confessed once if i could then confess the following week or something?
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Sat Dec 2nd, 2006 08:35 am |
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Yes, one could receive the sacrament more than once. But it’s only a month, and one should return only if he has sinned mortally. Are you planning on anything major?
Understand that mortal sins don’t “just happen.” A person has to be rather obviously out of synch with God. You are not; you are trying to do his will. You’ll make it through just fine without an extra trip.
David
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wmschrader
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Posted: Wed Feb 28th, 2007 03:12 pm |
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| I would encourage you to go to Confession at least monthly. It is a wonderful habit to develop and you will be surprised at the graces you will receive from this wonderful sacrament
____________________
Bill
Glory be to God for all things
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CajunRick
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Posted: Wed Feb 28th, 2007 03:18 pm |
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wmschrader wrote: I would encourage you to go to Confession at least monthly. It is a wonderful habit to develop and you will be surprised at the graces you will receive from this wonderful sacrament
Our Holy Father John Paul II recommended monthly confession as well. It is an excellent practice, but it is not required.
If the parish offers a Penance Service, especially during Holy Week, I would encourage participation in that service for everyone, including those candidates for full communion scheduled to be admitted at the Easter Vigil. Catechumens should attend as well, although it is not necessary for them to confess their sins individually since Baptism will wipe away all stain of sin. Besides, the priest's sacramental absolution is not effective on the unbaptized. Confession becomes necessary only after Baptism.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
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brian
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 02:47 am |
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My RCIA director is requiring even the unbaptized to go to first confession before being baptized simply so they can get used to the idea and have practice at it, and she thinks it is simply a good growing experience for them. Is this a bad idea in anyway? Should the catechumens tell the priest they are not baptized so hew knows not to grant the absolution sunce it is not effective on them?
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 03:13 am |
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As Rick said, the sacrament of penance is of no effect for the unbaptized because they are not yet Christians. If these unbaptized people understand that their experience of confession is just “practice,” it could be therapeutic in a natural way. But it should be carefully explained to them that there is no need to confess any sins committed before baptism because the baptism will cover them. If they choose to confess anyway, yes, they should definitely tell the priest that they are unbaptized. I can imagine what the belabored priest will think of an RCIA director who urged this upon catechumens.
David
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Dona Moyer
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 11:30 am |
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Hi David, after a long absence from this forum. Just want to add my 2 cents worth. When I became Catholic at this time last year, only those of us in my RCIA class who had been baptised had to endure that first confession. The few who had never been baptised did not. It was really scary and really dreadful to anticipate. However, like most things, the actuality of the act was not bad at all. Our priest was very understanding and very helpful, and I believe most of them are. After all, their calling is to minister to us and their role during confession is that of the One who will forgive any and every sin. I go to confession at least every 3 months. I schedule it on my calendar. Of course if I feel the need, I go at other times. It is really strange to me but the one thing I dreaded the most about becoming a Catholic has turned out to be the most rewarding thing to me. Anything that has bothered me is wiped out. I honestly feel like a new person after every confession.
Dona
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 02:43 pm |
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Dona, yes, it’s been a while. Your testimony matches that of the vast majority of converts. Once we get used to it, we find it indispensable. Penance and Eucharist are the two sacraments we can receive frequently, so they are — or should be — our primary sources of grace.
David
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Darlene
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 11:11 pm |
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David W. Emery wrote: As Rick said, the sacrament of penance is of no effect for the unbaptized because they are not yet Christians. If these unbaptized people understand that their experience of confession is just “practice,” it could be therapeutic in a natural way. But it should be carefully explained to them that there is no need to confess any sins committed before baptism because the baptism will cover them. If they choose to confess anyway, yes, they should definitely tell the priest that they are unbaptized. I can imagine what the belabored priest will think of an RCIA director who urged this upon catechumens.
David
David,
The sentence you wrote, which I have underlined, spawned a question within me. Does this mean that when the time comes for me to become Catholic, I need not confess any sins prior to being Baptized?
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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Ruthie
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 11:39 pm |
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Darlene, I don't mean to interrupt the thread and your question to David, but I have to ask - Were you not baptized already? I was thinking of that just today, that it's such a wonderful thing to have been baptized in the Jordan River, where our Lord himself was baptized. Weren't you baptized by your husband in the Jordan River? I was reminded of this when praying the rosary today - the luminous mysteries, the first of which is Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River. What a privelege for you!
Or do I have you mixed up with someone else? I hope not. Anyway, if that is the case, why are you planning to be baptized again?
Ruthie
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Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. (NRSV, Luke 18:17)
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CajunRick
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Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 12:17 am |
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Darlene wrote: David W. Emery wrote: As Rick said, the sacrament of penance is of no effect for the unbaptized because they are not yet Christians. If these unbaptized people understand that their experience of confession is just “practice,” it could be therapeutic in a natural way. But it should be carefully explained to them that there is no need to confess any sins committed before baptism because the baptism will cover them. If they choose to confess anyway, yes, they should definitely tell the priest that they are unbaptized. I can imagine what the belabored priest will think of an RCIA director who urged this upon catechumens.
The sentence you wrote, which I have underlined, spawned a question within me. Does this mean that when the time comes for me to become Catholic, I need not confess any sins prior to being Baptized?
Baptism washes us "whiter than snow." It is not necessary to confess any sins committed prior to Baptism. A person "may" choose to express them to the priest in order to obtain spiritual direction, or to help him understand an overall pattern of sinfulness, but they will not be forgiven by absolution because they have already been forgiven by Baptism.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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brian
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Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 11:26 am |
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What if for some reason a person as an adult gets baptized, but still does not really feel remorse over past sins, and maybe has not converted in their heart. Will Baptism still forgive the sin? Or what if knowing that baptism will forgive their sins they go out an a crazy indulgent sinful binge week. Seems unfair to me that the sins would still be forgiven if they really did not care.
Perhaps this is why the instruction period is so long, so thaty people who are going to be baptized truly understand and fully intend to keep the vows they make at their baptism. But what if they were faking it? Is is possible that they would satill be forgiven, but such people would be likely to keep sinning and therfore end up in need of repentance anyhow?
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 03:52 pm |
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brian wrote:
What if for some reason a person as an adult gets baptized, but still does not really feel remorse over past sins, and maybe has not converted in their heart. Will Baptism still forgive the sin? Or what if knowing that baptism will forgive their sins they go out an a crazy indulgent sinful binge week. Seems unfair to me that the sins would still be forgiven if they really did not care.
Persons such as you describe would be inwardly rejecting the grace of the sacrament even as they outwardly receive. Therefore, even though the sacrament would be valid, it would have no effect until they had a change of heart and repented. This is true of all the sacraments.
A person who does not have the ability to actively receive the grace (situations such as infant baptism would qualify) would passively receive the grace since he is not actively opposing it. Therefore, the sacrament would be both valid and effective.
David
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Darlene
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Posted: Sat Mar 3rd, 2007 01:51 am |
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Hello Again,
To Ruthie, yes I was baptized in the Jordan River, with my husband on one side,and a converted Jewish pastor on the other side. But now I have another question. I was baptized in a Baptist Church before that (total immersion) but had no life style change. I was 18 yrs.old, and did it a week after an altar call. But I didn't really understand what I was doing during the altar call (I just went up because I was encouraged to do so). So a week later, when I was immersed in water and baptized, I did it because the Baptists told me I should.
A few yrs afterward, I repented of my sins and asked Christ to fill me with his spirit. It was at this point that I experienced a genuine regeneration and conversion. I started living as a Christian, praying, reading the Bible, evangelizing, fellowshipping. I turned away from my sinful life style and began living for Jesus Christ. I didn't get baptized in the Jordan River till 14 years later, and it was then that I really took to heart what I was doing and was being obedient to Christ in my baptism, not just doing it because I was told to.
So my question is, which sins should I confess during my first confession? The sins before my first baptism, in which I really didn't appreciate what I was doing but just obeying men and not really repenting of my sinful life style? or all the sins before my second baptism, which I did in obedience to Jesus Christ with a sincere and genuine desire to live for God?
As always, I welcome your comments.
Darlene
____________________
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Sat Mar 3rd, 2007 05:08 pm |
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Darlene wrote:Which sins should I confess during my first confession? The sins before my first baptism, in which I really didn't appreciate what I was doing but just obeying men and not really repenting of my sinful life style? or all the sins before my second baptism, which I did in obedience to Jesus Christ with a sincere and genuine desire to live for God?
Which baptism is the Church accepting as valid? You would take any sins committed after that time to the confessional.
Recall my reply to Brian: a person baptized without proper repentance is still validly baptized, but the sacrament will not be effective (he will not receive sanctifying grace) until he amends his life. So if the first one was administered correctly, it would still be the valid one.
David
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