2006-06-17 09:17:30 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Catholic Church believes that "Only God forgives sin."
When a penitent person asks God for forgiveness, his (or her) sins are immediately forgiven.
Catholics also believe that when someone sins they not only hurt thier relationshoip with God, they also injure the entire church, the body of Christ. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconcilation not only reconciles the sinner to God but with the entire church, including you and me.
With love in Christ.
2006-06-17 15:12:33 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even as a "cradle Catholic" and now a liturgist, I can understand the confusion. Why do we need to confess to a priest when it is God who forgives? God knows there have been times when I would have preferred to confess to a woman.
Try this idea on for size - as human beings, we have a need for connectedness and communication. Have you ever been so much in love that you can't stop talking about your beloved? The talking isn't the feeling, but the expression of it. Cuz hey, that's what we do. When you have a fight with someone you care about, doesn't it feel better to have the closure of a discussion?
So confession (which is only PART of the sacrament of Reconciliation) is the outward expression of the repentance you already feel inside. In the Catholic Church, priests are the particular representative of God who hear the confessions and offer the prayers for healing and absolution. It's not that the priests are "better" or somehow "closer to God" than the rest of us - it's simply part of their role.
Kneeling isn't as common anymore, but when one kneels, they are showing humilty to God. It is not an act of deference towards the priest.
2006-06-17 11:02:09 · answer #2 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Churches usually post times for the sacrament of confession. When you get your first communioin you also have your first confession before then. Some churches have more liberal forms of confession that are more like chatting in a room. We always had a confessional - kind of like two phone booths, dark, with a grate in the wall the priest could hear, but not see you through.
When you go into the confessional, you sit or kneel and say "Forgive me father for I have sinned, it has been x days, weeks, months, years, since my last confession."
THe priest will ask you about your sins and then prescribe a penance, usually a certain number of our fathers or hail marys. you need to be catholic to go to catholic confession, although most priests will listen to anything you say and help you.
2006-06-17 09:28:46 · answer #3 · answered by Stephiony 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let me guess you are one of the few non Catholics in Brownsville. First of the kneeling is not to the priest the kneeling is to God. The priest is not God, he does act en persona Christi, Of not Jesus sometimes spoke to large crowds, sometime just his family of disciples, and sometimes to his apostles. He gave the apostles the power to forgive sin or not, everyone else he said you must forgive. The Apostles were the first bishops. As the church spread it was to hard for the bishop to attend every church, be it in a house, cave, or anywhere else. The bishops ordained priests and deacons to help. To this day the bishop is still technically the pastor of every Catholic parish in his diocese. The power to forgive passed down through the apostolic secession. During confession and act of contrition is said where a person ask God for forgiveness. Confession may also take place face to face and can take play anywhere privacy is assured. I once went to confession in a field next to Wal-Mart. It was slow in the automotive department where I worked ad a pries was having new tires put on his car. A few months later he was drowned in a kayak accident.
2006-06-17 09:54:48 · answer #4 · answered by shakeragroad_2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not catholic, and even I know people don't kneel to a priest during confession. Usually they sit in a private booth. The priest is in another booth and sits and listens.
One reason I would never become catholic is the role of the priest. The bible says nowhere that a priest is needed to be an intermediary between man and God.
2006-06-17 09:23:37 · answer #5 · answered by jack f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is the completion of the sacrement of confession. because a priest is the closest entity to god on earth according to catholics, confession to a priest can whipe away sins with the giving of penence.
2006-06-17 09:22:19 · answer #6 · answered by laureny23 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
faith in Catolicism
2006-06-17 09:22:15 · answer #7 · answered by gridder 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd like to know that----------------it must be really hard
2006-06-17 09:20:53 · answer #8 · answered by tameko_marie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sounds sexual. can i join?
2006-06-17 09:20:25 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋