i am a catholic but its been 15 years since last confession?

Question

hows this work theres alot of **** in my life i did as a kid as a man as a father just like so many hours of stuff i dont think i should go should i ???

Answer 1

I know how you feel. I too had not gone to confession for quite a long time. When I did, I felt a huge burden was lifted from my soul. If you feel uncomfortable going to the priest in your parish, this is not unusual. Until you can confess to your parish priest, find out what times other parishes are having confession and go there.

Also, to the person who said that Catholics only have to go to confession a minumum of once a year, that is not true. You need to go to confession everytime you sin. If you don't then you are not worthy to recieve the body and blood of Christ. You must be absolved of all your sins first.

Answer 2

You should go! Make an appointment with the priest. Tell him it's been 15 years since your last confession. He will help you. Also, write it all down...that's what I do, that way I won't forget.

Seriously, sit down and really examine your conscience. Here is a website to help you make a good confession: http://youth.stbrons.com/Prayers/guide_to_confession.htm

Do your best to remember the mortal sins and even if you forget some things, if you remember them later you can tell them when you go to confession again.

I always take a copy of the Act of Contrition with me as well...again, so as not to forget.

Please do not let concern for the length of time it's been since your last confession, or the amount of time it will take to offer your confession, keep you from this sacrament. The benefits and graces far outweigh all those things.

Once you begin this, you can take advantage of the sacrament more regularly...plus you'll be able to receive Eucharist again!

Added: Confession is biblical in many ways. In the Old Testament people traveled days to make their way to the Temple and offer their confession, to the priest, and then sacrificed an animal for their sins. Many of them did public pennance, such as wearing sackcloth and ashes. Do these fundamentalists even read the Bible? Also, Jesus gave the Apostles the authority to "forgive sins." In order for someone to be able to forgive or not forgive...then he must know what it is he's being asked to forgive. Obviously a "confession" must take place. http://matt1618.freeyellow.com/confess.html

Answer 3

In the scriptures, the prodigal son wanted all his inheritance and lived a wild life. Sooner or later the money caught up to him and ran out. He had to sleep and eat in the hog pen just to stay alive. One day, he realized I would go back to my father and ask for his forgiveness. When the father saw him a long way, he came running towards him. He said to his father, "Father, I'm sorry for everything I've done. If it's ok with you, I will work out in the fields just like a hired servants." The father said, "Are you kidding me, you're my SON! The father ask his servants to go get the best robe and put in on my son.

Friend, the moment you take one step to God, He comes running towards you.

It doesn't matter how many failures you've done, what matters is how you finish. If your conscience is telling you to confess, then do it. Don't let another 15 years keep you from guilt. You are born Catholic, just do what a normal Catholic would do. And I say this to all believers to just do what you are born to do.

Answer 4

Yes.

Just by asking the question, you are stating your need for forgiveness.

Reconciliation is a sacrament meant to be a healing encounter between God and the penitent, and there is no need to worry about exactly what to say or do.

This is one way how to go to Confession

+ Get yourself ready by making your examination of conscience.

You enter the confessional. You can choose to talk to the priest face to face or anonymously behind a screen.

+ After the priest greets you with the Sign of the Cross make the Sign of the Cross and say: “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (say how long) since my last confession. These are my sins…”

+ Tell your sins simply and honestly to the priest. Don’t be embarrassed.

+ When you are done listing your sins please say: “…I am sorry for these sins and all the sins I can’t remember.”

+ Listen to the advice the priest gives you and accept the penance from him. Then make an Act of Contrition for your sins:

My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
And failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Amen.

+ The priest will then conclude with the words: “Your sins are truly forgiven, Go in Peace”. You respond: “Thanks be to God.”

+ Perform your penance as soon as possible.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1422 and following: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.htm#art4

With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 5

I just recently went to confession after a 25 year leave of absence. Once I decided to go to Confession I researched the internet for easy ways to prepare for it.

Try a Google search with "how to make a good confession" as the search words. It helped me a lot. Making an appointment with a priest is also a good idea since it may take more time than the average penatent individual. Writing down what you remember is also a good idea although my confessor told me that they don't encourage us to write them down seeing as the sins confessed are supposed to remain secret. He told me to just make sure I destroyed my sheet of paper.

Anyway, I sure hope you go ahead with the Sacrament of Penance. I found it to be such a relief. Well worth the time and effort.

God Bless
Robin

Answer 6

If you value your Catholic Faith, and wish to remain in communion with the Church, then you must go to Confession. There are no shortcuts.

However if you do not value your Catholic Faith, and you have doubts about the validity of a Sacramental Confession, then that is a whole different discussion.

Answer 7

I went 15 years between Confessions as well. Should you go? Absolutely you should go. Most people who go 15 years between Confessions bring a lot of baggage with them.

Just imagine being released from having to carry this baggage around. . . It will - quite literally - take a loaf off your shoulders, going to Confession after such a long time.

It takes guts to receive Confession annually. Imagine the courage one must muster in order to go for it after a decade and a half. Do you know who will appreciate this effort more than anyone (other than God Himself that is)? How about the priest who hears your Confession.

Priests must receive Confession as well. They know what it's like to be in your shoes. They understand that it takes courage to confess sin.

More than likely, the priest who hears your Confession is going to be thrilled with you; the fact that you've sought Reconciliation after such a long period of time.

The Bible speaks of there being more rejoicing in Heaven over the repentance of one sinner than the salvation of one who has been holy his/her whole life.

Answer 8

You should go and you should go soon. Catholics are required to confess a minimum of once a year.

Take some time to prepare. Your confession can still be brief. It's helpful to go through the 10 commandments to try to figure out what you need to confess. Confess all mortal sins for sure and any habitual venial sins that plague you.

I converted at the age of 38, so I had a lot more years' worth of sins to confess than you do. You are not supposed to go into detail, but give the general bits -- "I shoplifted 3 times, I once slept with a married person, etc." Whatever it is. At my first confession, I sometimes could not put a number to it, such as, "I took the Lord's name in vain more times than I can possibly count."

Anyway, the first time back will be difficult to prepare for, but well worth the time and effort once you are absolved by the Blood of the Lamb. Thereafter, you should make up your mind to go monthly and "keep short accounts" as it were. Then you're in and out in 2 minutes. Much easier to handle!

P.S. Isn't it rather funny that the JesusSaves person above quoted James 5:16, which CLEARLY states that we are to confess our sins TO ONE ANOTHER and then goes on to say that it's sinful to confess to another person?!?!?! Goodness, what ARE they teaching protestants these days?

Answer 9

First, God's blessing and peace be with you.

I know what you're going through because it was the same for me. I wasn't Catholic all my life but converted when I was 30. By then, like you, I hadn't been to confession in 15 years. I answered a question similar to this earlier and I'd like to share it with you, hopefully it will be of help.

Confession is one of my most cherished sacraments. I wasn't Catholic all my life and I remember when I finally learned what confession was in RCIA, how the Holy Spirit works through the priest to forgive my sins. I told the priest, "Forgive me, father, it's been 15 years since my last confession."

He listened to my sins - two pages, typed print, single-spaced and small print. It took me while, but at the end I remember the words that made warm love trickle through me and tears come to my eyes, "By the authority of the Church, I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

When I walked out I was light-headed and teary-eyed. It was like I'd lost track of where I was.

I went home, and the one thought that kept coming to me over and over was, "I'm forgiven, I'm forgiven...."

Later, I began to realize more what that meant. I'd done things that most people to this day ridicule me for; they won't let the past die and bring my sins to my face. But with God, I thought, it's over. As far as He was concerned, my sins were gone and I was His clean, spirited, beautiful child, and that He loved me. I nearly cannot express how liberating, how healing that was for me.

I go to confession often, usually once a month, sometimes more. At times there's nothing that can compare to the grace and mercy I feel when I leave the confessional. I still struggle with my sins, but God still loves and forgives me everytime. Is there any greater gift?


Never doubt God’s forgiveness. I’ve been dealing with my own sins, habits I’ve had for years and am playing hell to get rid of. I’m reading a book that deals with my struggle, and I read something last night that stuck with me. It said that God’s love for us never changes. He even loves us when we sin. No matter what we do or what we’ve done, we never change in His eyes.

I sat back and thought about it. Imagine that, I’m still His beautiful son even after the things I do.

Go to confession and tell God what is on your heart. He is waiting and hoping to give you His mercy and healing. Yesterday I told the priest in confession how I almost didn’t go because I keep doing the same things and it doesn’t stop no matter what I do. He told me that even if I keep confessing the same things that I should always go to confession because I need the grace and healing from God. Know what? He was right. I spend a lot of time not feeling worthy enough to even approach God in prayer, but He loves me. He loves me even when I don’t love Him, even when I sin. He loves you the same.

Go to confession. It’s the best thing for you.

God bless and take care.

Answer 10

With all the the reason that you should go, time is your enemy since it seperated you from recieving the Grace of the Sacrament. asking Christ for forgiveness in your own prayers is a start, unbinding yourself from these sins is what you get from the Grace of the Christ himself through the sacrament. Just do it as the Nike commercial states. Remember that whatever is said is between you and God, nothing else. God bless you and may your heart lead you to a Grace filled decision.