To all Catholics and those who were once Catholic?

Question

I am curious. Have you ever not told your priests your sins...like something you were too embarrassed or too horrified to tell your priest. Or have you ever told them something you did not do, just to see what their reaction would be? What did you tell them or not tell them?

I am not a Christian. I am asking Catholics not other Denominations. I am asking a specific question if you don't want to answer it Ambassador, then don't.

Answer 1

Yes, I've held back - largely because as a teen I was too embarassed. And if you can't work out about what, you've never been a teenager.

Thinking back, it was rather daft of me, since they'll already have heard everything I've ever done and a great deal worse.

Funny how non-Catholics think confession is an easy deal - it's bloody difficult.

Answer 2

In Catholic teaching, the Catholic sacrament of Penance (commonly called confession or Reconciliation) is the method given by Christ to the Catholic Church by which individual men and women may confess sins committed after baptism and have them absolved by a priest.
In order for the sacrament to be valid the penitent must do more than simply confess his known mortal sins to a priest. He must a) be truly sorry for each of the mortal sins he committed,
b) have a firm intention never to commit them again, and
c) perform the penance imposed by the priest.
There is no reason to omit sins or even more reason to tell them sins you did not committed since you want a forgiveness and you can receive it only by confessing to God who is all knowing.

Answer 3

I have never lied to a priest during the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). That would make the whole thing meaningless.

I do know some people who know their local priest very well and go to a neighboring parish's priest for Reconciliation.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

ummm...Ambassador in Chains thinks confession is incosisentent with Christianity, yet...

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much

I am long overdue for confession, partly due to overwhelming guilt, and partly due to laziness. I've been a baaaad boy. I drink way too much, and confessing to a priest means more to me than confessing to a bunch of people in a smokey room at the local AA meeting.

ECK!

Answer 5

I'm Catholic

You do not need to tell the priests your sin. they are not God. You can tell God your sins alone.

I am Catholic but only believe in telling priests your sins IF it is helpful to you.

Like free counseling

Answer 6

No. But then, I was never really very big on Confession. At one point, I had to say, 'Bless me father, for I have sinned. It has been over 10 years since my last confession...'

Answer 7

Here's the main problem: IF there were a God as described by many of you folks, he already

A. Knows your sins
B. Knows whether or not you repent in your heart
C. Has already decided whether or not to 'forgive' you.

Thus, ANY and ALL confessing whether to Christ or to a priest is a collossal waste of time for all concerned.

Answer 8

Never while I was in the cult did I hold back in the confessional!
More scared of those consequences than the embarrassment caused.

THAT is the kind o grip the Vatican has on all catholics!

Answer 9

Yes, actually. I've held back once or twice because I was embaressed. That, and confession makes me nervous sometimes.

Answer 10

The Reconciliation of a Penitent (or, simply, Reconciliation), Penance and Confession are names given to the first of the two sacraments of healing. It is also called the sacrament of conversion, of forgiveness, and of absolution (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1423-1424).[6] It is the sacrament of spiritual healing of a baptized person from the distancing from God involved in actual sins committed. It involves four elements: the penitent's contrition for sin (without which the rite does not have its effect), confession to a priest (it may be spiritually helpful to confess to another and doing such is actually encouraged within the Church, but only a priest has the power to administer absolution), absolution by the priest, and satisfaction (signs of repentance that help the penitent's growth). In early Christian centuries, the fourth element was quite onerous and generally preceded absolution, but now it usually involves a simple task (in some traditions called a "penance") for the penitent to perform, to make some reparation and as a medicinal means of strengthening against further sinning.

There are several scriptural references to Repentance and Reconciliation or confessing your sins to another...

Mat 10:32 "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.

Luk 12:8 "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God;

Jam 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Mat 16:19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

Mat 18:18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Luk 17:4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Act 3:19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Act 8:22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

Act 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Mat 6:14 "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Luk 17:3 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

And the big one...

Luk 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

Joh 20:23 "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

2Co 2:10 But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ,