Questions for Catholics about absolution?

Question

I'm in RCIA and have been told that I can go to confession but I can not receive absolution because I'm not Catholic. I will make my first confession a week before Easter Vigil but at that point I still won't be Catholic until Confirmation at Easter Vigil so what about absolution then? Why wait until then?

If I had been Baptized Catholic before my parents left the church and came to RCIA I would be able to get absolution because I would be considered Catholic. Help me understand why I have to carry my sin through RCIA because of a decision made when I was a baby.

I could understand that I need to have a deeper understanding but I don't understand why it is different for someone who was Baptized Catholic. If someone was Baptized in the church and never went to church again until they were older and went to RCIA they would be allowed to go to confession and get absolution.

Answer 1

Because it's important that you are adequately prepared to receive all the sacraments and understand them. This includes Reconciliation. It may seem like just confessing your sins and being forgiven, but there is deeper knowledge that you may not yet posses, that is necessary. They have the rules and guidelines in place for good reasons...ones that we do not always have the sight to understand at the time. But trust in God. He will see you understand when you need to.

You must go to confession, before receiving Eucharist for the first time. This is so you will be clean and prepared to receive our Lord.

I too went through RCIA too. You are not fully prepared until you have finished the class, gone through the rites and been made your vows to the Church. Receiving the sacraments is a special and holy thing. Just like you should not get married without understanding the commitment, so you should not receive any of the sacraments without the fullness of knowledge and understanding.

You may not understand now, but pray and ask God to reveal to you the knowledge and understanding of his will. There are reasons for everything, so just know that it is not to keep you from absolution, but there is a greater benefit you may not be aware of yet. There is a great deal of grace to be received through obedience. Christ asks us to follow him, he asks us to have faith and not always ask why. I found that as I accepted the Church's teaching...the Lord then revealed to me the understanding of the teaching. Not always before I did it, but often after I did out of obedience.

As you make your way to Easter Vigil...pray, search your heart and dwell on your sins and offenses so that you can make a good confession and be truly ready to receive Christ on that day.

Welcome home.

Answer 2

Only Roman Catholics can receive absolution in the Roman Catholic Church, except under certain defined circumstances. You will not formally become a Roman Catholic until you are confirmed. I'm not sure why they're having you make your first confession before then.

Some people become Roman Catholic at baptism. You are becoming RC at confirmation. Either way, you are admitted to the sacraments *after* you have been received into the RCC. Don't lose heart: soon enough, you will be able to receive absolution - and the Eucharist - to your heart's content!

Answer 3

You don't become Catholic when you're confirmed, you become Catholic when you're baptized.

I don't know the exact rules, but it makes sense to me that you could not receive absolution until you are baptized. The reason is that baptism is the initial cleansing of your sins, including the guilt of original sin. It also initiates you into the Body, the Church. Confession is for the purpose of restoring members of the Body to the state you were in immediately after baptism, in other words, cleansed. You can't be restored to "cleanliness" if you haven't bathed in the first place.

I can certainly understand you being anxious to be baptized and begin receiving the sacraments. But by the same token you can't go around administering sacraments to people who aren't prepared for them, so you have to go through the process.

My kids were baptized as babies, but they still had to go through preparation before first going to confession and First Communion. So being baptized as a baby doesn't automatically entitle you to receive the rest of the sacraments. You are still supposed to go through preparation.

In the meantime, have you spoken with a priest about your desire to go to Confession? I hope you're not just taking your RCIA instructors' word for it.

Answer 4

First of all ... you have every right to expect that God will forgive your sins ... if you are sorry ... and if you truly repent ... absolution or not.

That said ... the Sacrament of Reconciliation ... as well as all the other sacraments (except for baptism) ... are for authentic Catholics only.

In most circumstances ... unless someone has already been planning to become Catholic, and is near death ... church law prohibits the receipt of any sacrament by non-Catholics.

Be patient. You're on the right track, and all will be well.

God knows the desires of your heart. He knows whether you're truly sorry for your sins, and he won't hold you responsible for things that are not under your control ... no matter what.

Ask your RCIA leader and/or sponsor to explain this to you in more detail ... and do it in private ... so there's no more anxiety ... and no further misunderstanding.

Answer 5

I'm not Roman Catholic, but I follow the same confession/ absolution guidelines (I'm Lutheran). This really sounds like one of those situations where it just depends on the particular priest. As far as I know, the RCC counts your Baptism as valid pretty much no matter what church you belong(ed) to, so that's not the problem. I guess the priest just wants you to be confirmed first. Certain clergymen of any and every denomination are funny like that. In my church, private confession is encouraged, but not required, so I don't know. This is just my best guess. Just know that if you sincerely ask to be forgiven, and repent, God forgives. He can and will do it with or without a priest or pastor. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

Answer 6

OK the first part is correct the reason for this is because confession does come before confirmation. The reason for the non-absolution confession is because confirmation is when YOU choose to become a member of the Catholic Church..

I think the next part could lead into debate about infant baptism.

Answer 7

I don't know where your priest is coming from dear but, if that were true NO Catholic could go to Eucharist until Confirmation and all you have to do is watch all those UNconfirmed (because they're not old enough) kids clomping up to the altar every Sunday to know what a load of hogswill THAT is!

First Confession followed by First Holy Communion is what it takes. And in First Confession you get absolved. That's the whole point of the Sacrament!

Seek another opinion from another priest. Possibly another parish. And get clarification!

Answer 8

It seems there is a very conservative breeze blowing in your diocese. Too bad. I'm a baptized Lutheran, practicing Catholic, and I do ALL the sacraments every time. In fact, I have NEVER been refused. So sad that your RC church is not as progressive as my RC church. Or maybe you are just stuck on the 'rules'. Just do it!

Answer 9

it doesn't make sense, it's the Catholic Church full of Religous traditions.

Jesus is the only way to God. He died on th cross so that we might be forgiven. Try a Protestant church that teaches the Bible , not traditions.

Answer 10

Wow! You've really been brainwashed. Find yourself a King James Bible and set yourself free.