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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Help with Confession	Neville	Thursday, January 12, 2012
Question: Dear Bro. Ignatius, I became a Catholic seven years ago (I'm now 50). After so many years that have included periods of casual sinfulness and immorality, in both patterns of behaviour and individual occurrences of mortal sins, I have tried, without success, to address everything in subsequent confessions. With the extremely limited time available for confession sessions it is very difficult to address both current issues as well as deal with 43 years of individual sins. Although I have managed to confess many of my mortal sins from the past, I always feel that there are so many individual occurences of unconfessed sin that I could never be saved. It is a terrible thought when you are lying on a hospital bed attached to an ECG machine - as I have been several times recently. Even the Priest has told me that I should leave the past behind and move on in my Christian life; but how can I when there so many individual occurences of sin from 20, 25, 30 or 35 years ago that I haven't had time to detail during sessions of confession. Please, please, please could you help me to understand what I should do? Thank you and God bless you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D. Dear Neville: The first thing you need to realize is that when you go to Confession and are absolved all your sins are absolved, even the ones you know longer remember. What I would advise is to make an appointment with your priest to do what is called a General Confession. The appointment should be one hour or hour and a half. The General Confession is a life review. You confess all sins you can remember thorughout your life. Once you are absolved, all that baggage is gone. Get on with your life. God promises: (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Hebrews 8:12) For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. God does not lie, He keeps his promises. Thus, when we confess our sins He will forgive us. When He forgives us He no longer remembers our sins. If God no longer remembers your sins, why are you remembering confessed sins? Make an appointment with your priest and let him know you wish to do a General Confession (a life review). That will take care of everything, then move on. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Help with Confession

Neville

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Question:

Dear Bro. Ignatius,

I became a Catholic seven years ago (I'm now 50). After so many years that have included periods of casual sinfulness and immorality, in both patterns of behaviour and individual occurrences of mortal sins, I have tried, without success, to address everything in subsequent confessions. With the extremely limited time available for confession sessions it is very difficult to address both current issues as well as deal with 43 years of individual sins. Although I have managed to confess many of my mortal sins from the past, I always feel that there are so many individual occurences of unconfessed sin that I could never be saved. It is a terrible thought when you are lying on a hospital bed attached to an ECG machine - as I have been several times recently. Even the Priest has told me that I should leave the past behind and move on in my Christian life; but how can I when there so many individual occurences of sin from 20, 25, 30 or 35 years ago that I haven't had time to detail during sessions of confession. Please, please, please could you help me to understand what I should do? Thank you and God bless you.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.

Dear Neville:

The first thing you need to realize is that when you go to Confession and are absolved all your sins are absolved, even the ones you know longer remember.

What I would advise is to make an appointment with your priest to do what is called a General Confession. The appointment should be one hour or hour and a half.

The General Confession is a life review. You confess all sins you can remember thorughout your life. Once you are absolved, all that baggage is gone. Get on with your life.

God promises:

(1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Hebrews 8:12) For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.

God does not lie, He keeps his promises. Thus, when we confess our sins He will forgive us. When He forgives us He no longer remembers our sins.

If God no longer remembers your sins, why are you remembering confessed sins?

Make an appointment with your priest and let him know you wish to do a General Confession (a life review). That will take care of everything, then move on.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum