Confession in the Catholic Church.?
359718
No, if you said it, it is covered.  And always add at the end for these sins and the sins that I have failed to mention because I cannot remember them.  Because once the priest offers the absolution, you have a clean slate.  Go forth and sin no more.\n\nAddition:\nI agree also with punkchik below me.  In the sense that if you feel that you need to get it off your chest then say it again for counciling purposes.  But sacramentally you are covered.\n\nAddition:\nI love how people are answering a catholic question with non catholic answers.  The question asker is not asking for an opinion on whether or not they should confess to a priest or not. They are asking if they should repeat the sin again.\n\nI am Catholic and studied 8 years of Catholic Theology.
1013485
Confession is one of the seven Sacraments.  It is a Sacrament of Mercy and of Love.  It is not magic, or mechanical.  What matters most is the true sorrow for having committed one's sins.  If one is truly repentant for one's sins, then that is the essence of Confession.  If one is not, but just goes to the priest to be "magically" absolved, then he will get nothing out of it.  Remember, God sees what is inside the human heart.  We can only truly be repentant of our sins if we have the firm desire not to commit them again.  Of course, this does not mean that we won't -- we may fall again into sin -- but at least there should be a firm desire, at the time of confession, to refrain from all future sin.\n\nIt is a Sacrament of Mercy.  God forgives us, even when man cannot sometimes forgive.  God's merciful Love is infinite.  But He wants us to co-operate with Him.  Our co-operation is our firm resolution to turn away from sin, and our sincere sorrow for having sinned.\n\nWe go to a priest not because a man can forgive sins.  Only God can do this.  But Christ (who is fully God) entrusted this Authority to forgive sins to His ministers through His Church.  The priest is absolving you IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST.  He becomes Christ for you in the confessional.  His personal holiness is not the issue here.  What matters is that he is absolving you in Christ's person.  He has that Authority.  It was given to him by his bishop, who in turn received it through apostolic succession (handed down from Christ to His apostles to their successors, the bishops).\n\nSo next time you go to Confession, remember that love is at the core of the sacrament:  the infinite love of Christ for you.  He is transmitting that love to you through His Church in the Sacrament of Confession.  That is why it is also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation:  it reconciles the sinner to Christ.
941758
Be very careful about "web" priests. Anyone can pretend to be one.\n\nI suggest you walk down to your local parish and have a friendly chat with one in person.\n\nWith love in Christ.
65038
if you're catholic [which i assume you are] you are obligated to tell the sin under penalty of committing another mortal sin for not telling.\nbut why not tell? i know it hurts [trust me] to repeat the sin over to someone you don't know or like, but you will feel so much better, i promise. the priest will have heard the sin before--don't worry--and he probably doesn't care. besides, he'll forget right after. if you still feel scared that he'll think of the sin when he sees you, go to a parish you don't usually go to and confess to that priest.\nthe reason why you just can't say a prayer and not confess is that because every sin you commit, even if it's private or unknown, affects the church as a whole and you therefore have to confess it to a member of the community. you also receive tons of help from God that help you not to commit the sin again. [feel lucky--in the first few centuries of the church, people had to confess their sins in front of entire congregations. yeah, that would suck!]\ni promise that God's forgiveness and the graces that come along with it will be well worth the effort of telling the priest, who acts in the place of Christ.
1107013
I had a child out of wedlock.  I can tell you that some Catholic priests would not baptize my daughter for precisely that reason.  That's one of the reasons I went to one of the Protestant churches.  I asked for and received forgiveness, and it was never considered something my daughter needed forgiveness for.  She has since been baptized.  Neither of us are going to hell for it, at least not according to our church :)
233772
What OPM said. And Mr Cool is partly right about confession being sealed. A priest who reveals anything at all about any confession is excommunicated. This includes alerting the authorities about crimes. This works, because if the penitent is truly sorry for what they have done, they will confess their crime themselves to the authorities.
885664
I agree fully.  It's the Spiritual principle behind self-examination and the Sacrament of Confession/Absolution.  I think it's more that agreeable....I find it absolutely necessary!
466913
A priest is bound by Canon law to hear a confession :\n\nIn reply your question, first of all I find it difficult for a priest to refuse hearing someone's confession. What do you mean by a "closed" confessional...I presume a door or screen?\n\nCanon 986 of the Code of Canon Law makes it clear that priests are to hear the confessions of the faithful "when they reasonably ask for it." Here's the canon:\n\nCanon 986.1 "All to whom the care of souls is committed by reason of an office are obliged to provide that the confessions of the faithful entrusted to their care be heard when they reasonably ask to be heard and that the opportunity be given to them to come to individual confession on days and hours set for their convenience."\n\nAs to the place, Canon 964.1 states, "The proper place to hear sacramental confessions is a church or an oratory (chapel)." 964.3 states, "Confessions are not to be heard outside the confessional without a just cause."\n\nSo there it is! If a priest chooses not to hear a confession in a closed confessional, it is his choice, however, the sense of the canon law seems to be that he should not refuse and every priest is bound to the seal of confession no matter where it is heard.\n\n\nHope this is helpful. Father Arnister
228090
The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
1108760
Oh My!! You confess to the whole church???  Do the people judge you for what sins you have made?? How could I look at the members in the church eye to eye, who have commited serious sins?  I don't think it is meant for us to judge.  How can we not when we hear about members airing their dirty laundry?  I think your sin should be left to God to handle.
558793
Specifically, Catholicism.
554029
I go once a month.\n\nSeeing the same priest is a good thing.  He is familiar with your sins and can make the act of contrition better fit your situation.  You can, if you want, go to a different priest as often as you feel you need to, but I like having the same confessor - I think it helps me keep things in check.\n\nMany parish's have the option of using the confessional, or sitting face to face, you can do either one that fits your mood.\n\nFor those that do not believe in Catholic confession, you must understand that the priest is acting in the person of Christ (persona Christi) when he listens to confession.\n\nHe is not forgiving the sin, rather he is there to tell you what you need to do in your life to make the sin "right with God".\n\nIt is a very important Rite in the Catholic Church.  It is also based in scripture, and if you are interested, let me know, I will tell you where to find it.
1144283
Just confess your sins.
401377
here is a good website explaining it.\nI am not Catholic.
1059761
If you are interested in joining or just learning more about the Catholic Church, contact your local parish and ask about information about their RCIA Inquiry group. \n\nYou can go and ask any questions you want. \n\nThis is the first step in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) but you can stop at any time.\n\nThere is no obligation to become a Catholic.\n\nWith love and prayers in Christ.
1131888
To be fully initiated into the Catholic Church, one must be baptized, confirmed, and receive their first communion. Confirmation happens at an age when individuals are old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to be Catholic or not. One can be baptized in the Catholic Church and then go join another church.
1029123
well, with the catholic church....