Catholics: Do you go to confession?

---

Posted by dpli

hen I am a mystery, and we can agree to disagree. Part of being a Catholic is the infallibility of the teachings and that is something I do struggle with a great deal, especially in recent times, when a very human Church has failed so many of its faithful. I find it hard these days to have confidence in priests I don't know. I don't think it makes me a protestant, I think it makes me a Catholic who questions, reasons and follows my conscience.

---

So you would or would not go to a church based on the piety of the other people who attend the church? And if the people who are leading the congregation are following the rules to the letter? Far be it from me to throw stones (no pun... no pun!) because it took me 4 years at a catholic college (lets call it Hypocrite U.) to figure that out.

Now I go to church because it gives me peace and teaches me to live better. Actually when you pick through the human (read 'man'..tee hee) edits... its actually about the freedom to love God - and the (ultimate) sacrifice he made to give us that freedom. Because though he could force you to go and to love him faithfully, what kind of love would that really be?

the choice is yours. So if you choose to base it on what other people are doing... thats your perogative.

Its sad though, that so many have let the actions of a few evil people color their view of a 2000+ year old religion. If you ask me... its just a way to justify sleeping in on a sunday.


Amen

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga

---

Posted by dpli

hen I am a mystery, and we can agree to disagree. Part of being a Catholic is the infallibility of the teachings and that is something I do struggle with a great deal, especially in recent times, when a very human Church has failed so many of its faithful. I find it hard these days to have confidence in priests I don't know. I don't think it makes me a protestant, I think it makes me a Catholic who questions, reasons and follows my conscience.

---

So you would or would not go to a church based on the piety of the other people who attend the church? And if the people who are leading the congregation are following the rules to the letter? Far be it from me to throw stones (no pun... no pun!) because it took me 4 years at a catholic college (lets call it Hypocrite U.) to figure that out.

Now I go to church because it gives me peace and teaches me to live better. Actually when you pick through the human (read 'man'..tee hee) edits... its actually about the freedom to love God - and the (ultimate) sacrifice he made to give us that freedom. Because though he could force you to go and to love him faithfully, what kind of love would that really be?

the choice is yours. So if you choose to base it on what other people are doing... thats your perogative.

Its sad though, that so many have let the actions of a few evil people color their view of a 2000+ year old religion. If you ask me... its just a way to justify sleeping in on a sunday.


Amen

---

I agree with both of your statements

mary - From that last post can't figure out if you are Jewish or Catholic.

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga

mary - From that last post can't figure out if you are Jewish or Catholic.

---

According to strict definitions, I guess I'm neither. I should found my own religion.

Really though I'm Catholic, but I feel that Judaism laid the foundation for christianity and that politics kept christians from keeping the jewish traditions, and I think christians should celebrate passover, rosh hashanah, etc, all of the holidays jesus and mary celebrated because I don't believe jesus intended to found a religion, but to reform the one that existed, which was judaism. I also have questions about whether Jesus is literally the son of god, as christians believe, or if he was trying to say something symbolic. There's so much room for interpretation. But my honest belief is that it doesn't matter. If you're a good person, then you're a-ok in god's book. If one religion is right, then there are milliosn of people who are wrong, and I don't believe that they all go to hell or something. There's no way to REALLY know if what you believe is truth, you just have to hold on to what's true to you, and if you're wrong God will forgive you. So I kind of feel like it doesn't matter what religion you are. I have a really rich spiritual life going to shul and church, and even incorporating pagan elements... I'm comfortable and happy with that,, and the only thing I have to believe in my heart is that god will look kindly on those of us who try to serve him/her the best way we can in a way that feels right to each of us.

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga

So you would or would not go to a church based on the piety of the other people who attend the church? And if the people who are leading the congregation are following the rules to the letter? Far be it from me to throw stones (no pun... no pun!) because it took me 4 years at a catholic college (lets call it Hypocrite U.) to figure that out.

Now I go to church because it gives me peace and teaches me to live better. Actually when you pick through the human (read 'man'..tee hee) edits... its actually about the freedom to love God - and the (ultimate) sacrifice he made to give us that freedom. Because though he could force you to go and to love him faithfully, what kind of love would that really be?

the choice is yours. So if you choose to base it on what other people are doing... thats your perogative.

Its sad though, that so many have let the actions of a few evil people color their view of a 2000+ year old religion. If you ask me... its just a way to justify sleeping in on a sunday.


Amen

---

I think I may misunderstand some of what you are saying because it is tough to get some of the nuances on the internet. I will say that I do still go to church because of what I love about going, but I choose to attend in a parish where I feel a lot of good things are happening, people make me feel welcome, and it seems that the parishoners are more 'Christ-like' in their attitudes. If that makes me a cafeteria Catholic, so be it.

I wasn't looking for an argument or a heated debate, I just wanted to point out that if one questions things about their religion or their faith, I think it actually contributes to the development of that faith. I don't think it warrants being told that I am not deserving of being part of it anymore.

---

Posted by dpli

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga

So you would or would not go to a church based on the piety of the other people who attend the church? And if the people who are leading the congregation are following the rules to the letter? Far be it from me to throw stones (no pun... no pun!) because it took me 4 years at a catholic college (lets call it Hypocrite U.) to figure that out.

Now I go to church because it gives me peace and teaches me to live better. Actually when you pick through the human (read 'man'..tee hee) edits... its actually about the freedom to love God - and the (ultimate) sacrifice he made to give us that freedom. Because though he could force you to go and to love him faithfully, what kind of love would that really be?

the choice is yours. So if you choose to base it on what other people are doing... thats your perogative.

Its sad though, that so many have let the actions of a few evil people color their view of a 2000+ year old religion. If you ask me... its just a way to justify sleeping in on a sunday.


Amen

---

I think I may misunderstand some of what you are saying because it is tough to get some of the nuances on the internet. I will say that I do still go to church because of what I love about going, but I choose to attend in a parish where I feel a lot of good things are happening, people make me feel welcome, and it seems that the parishoners are more 'Christ-like' in their attitudes. If that makes me a cafeteria Catholic, so be it.

I wasn't looking for an argument or a heated debate, I just wanted to point out that if one questions things about their religion or their faith, I think it actually contributes to the development of that faith. I don't think it warrants being told that I am not deserving of being part of it anymore.

---

I agree with this as well. I believe that if you can ask the hard questions and face having to find the answers, rather than believing things just because you're told it makes your faith stronger.

I agree with this as well. I believe that if you can ask the hard questions and face having to find the answers, rather than believing things just because you're told it makes your faith stronger.

---

I agree too-which is why when a teaching of my religion conflicts with how I live my life or I don't understand it, I research it. I read literature on my church's doctrines-I try to understand the WHY behind the rules, I talk to my priest. Hopefully whatever it is I am questioning I will come to reason & have an understanding of why the teaching exists, if I cannot reconcile it in my head & heart, then I would leave, hopefully that will never happen. (I usually find it is just me being selfish or too prideful) But if after my questioning and soul searching I still do not 'Believe'-then why would I stay? JMO

---

Posted by marymoon

But at the same time, if on thing doens't sit right with you, and you can't reconcile that one thing, like somethine about the way the church is run, etc etc, but you still believe wholeheartedly in god and his message, I don't think it makes you not catholic.

---

This post is about confession in the RC Church, so my response is based on the posters who claimed they did not “Believe” in confession, but considered themselves Catholic. Confession is a Sacrament, not to be taken on the level as – you must cross yourself with holy water, you must not eat meat on Friday’s during lent, you must genuflect when entering the pew.

As a member of the Church, you participate in the seven Sacraments, you may not receive all of the Sacraments-but that is different than saying you do not Believe in them. One of the most important Sacraments of the Church-which clearly identifies you as a member, is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. If you wish to receive the holy Eucharist, you must be in a state of grace (i.e. absolved of conscious grave sin). How can you receive absolution without going to confession and not believing that you can be forgiven of your sins, in the eyes of the Church? It is a grave sin to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin. And, of course, if one “knows” that it's a grave sin to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin, and knows she's in a state of mortal sin, and receives anyway, then that's “another” mortal sin.

Do lots of people ignore the rules? Sure. Do people call themselves Catholic when they don’t really follow the teachings of the church? Sure. These things don’t “make you not Catholic”; they make you look confused. At baptism Catholics receive the holy chrism, they are forever marked with the sign of Christ on their forehead, they will always have that.

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga


Its sad though, that so many have let the actions of a few evil people color their view of a 2000+ year old religion. If you ask me... its just a way to justify sleeping in on a sunday.

---

I love this.

Yeah - sometimes what I'm saying doesn't come across well at all over the internet.


I didn't mean to offend you dpli

---

Posted by Ronkonkomonga

Yeah - sometimes what I'm saying doesn't come across well at all over the internet.


I didn't mean to offend you dpli

---

You didn't at all I just wasn't sure I was getting completely what you were saying.

---

Posted by carlsbride

As a member of the Church, you participate in the seven Sacraments, you may not receive all of the Sacraments-but that is different than saying you do not Believe in them. One of the most important Sacraments of the Church-which clearly identifies you as a member, is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. If you wish to receive the holy Eucharist, you must be in a state of grace (i.e. absolved of conscious grave sin). How can you receive absolution without going to confession and not believing that you can be forgiven of your sins, in the eyes of the Church? It is a grave sin to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin. And, of course, if one “knows” that it's a grave sin to receive Communion while in a state of mortal sin, and knows she's in a state of mortal sin, and receives anyway, then that's “another” mortal sin.

---

What if you are a Catholic who received all of the sacraments, regularly go to confession, mass, etc., but you die with unconfessed sin, i.e., you were going to confession on Monday but you died on the Saturday before?

---

Posted by Katherine121

---

What if you are a Catholic who received all of the sacraments, regularly go to confession, mass, etc., but you die with unconfessed sin, i.e., you were going to confession on Monday but you died on the Saturday before?

---

I am not a priest or theology teacher, but from what I have learned - if you died before you had the oppurtunity of confessing a mortal sin and you had this intention and truly felt sorry for it , I would hope it would be forgiven by God in the after-life. Catholics do believe in an intermediary between life on earth and the after life - purgatory they used to call it. We will all spend time there where things like this will be worked out.

This is an example of why I always try to go to confession before I get on a plane!

I did not always regularly go to Confession, but when I do, I always come out with this inexplicable feeling - so light and so happy and with a huge smile plastered on my face...
you know, I was reading through the posts and someone else described it almost this exact same way and I thought, WOW, I know that feeling, that's exactly how I feel.

I actually just went last week (for the first time in about a year and a half). I'm trying to get FH and I really ready for the wedding. We're having a Catholic ceremony and mass, and it is, among other things, a sacrament to prepare for, for us.

---

Posted by carlsbride

---

Posted by Katherine121

---

What if you are a Catholic who received all of the sacraments, regularly go to confession, mass, etc., but you die with unconfessed sin, i.e., you were going to confession on Monday but you died on the Saturday before?

---

---

Catholics do believe in an intermediary between life on earth and the after life - purgatory they used to call it. We will all spend time there where things like this will be worked out.

This is an example of why I always try to go to confession before I get on a plane!

---

It's not called purgatory anymore? What's the teaching of purgatory based on?

---

It's not called purgatory anymore? What's the teaching of purgatory based on?

---

Sorry - it is still called purgatory-I do not know the biblical reference that purgatory is based on. Philosophically, I think it is based on the nature of a human being needing to be configured to be more like Christ, in order to enter Heaven. For example someone may be a habitual curser-they have gone to confession and are completely absolved of that sin, but cursing is still in their 'nature.' You can't have people running around in Heaven giving people the middle finger now can you? I also think of how Jesus prayed for the dead-if someone has made it to Heaven, they don't necessarily need the prayers anymore, so there must be some waiting room in-between right? This is really way over my head to attempt to explain this, but that is my shot at it.

---

Posted by carlsbride

This is really way over my head to attempt to explain this, but that is my shot at it.

---

Good job.

NEVER WENT SINCE MY CONFIRMATION

I MAY GO BEFORE THE WEDDING