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Reasons we avoid the Sacrament of Confession

by Dec 24, 2021Sacraments

The reasons are many, all of them real to the penitent. But what awaits you in the sacraments is the all embracing love and mercy of God. Read more…

1 – We may be afraid of looking foolish because we haven’t been to confession in a long time—and are uncertain about what to do. If you fall into this category, you can ask your confessor to guide you

2 – We’re uncertain about what to confess. One solution is getting a good examination-of-conscience guide to help us discern our sins.

3 – We are embarrassed to mention our sins to another person. This is a common feeling because it is hard to admit our failures out loud. Praying ahead of time for the grace to be honest and courageous will help. It also helps to realize that the priest acts in persona Christi, which means that he is standing in for Jesus Christ, who knows our hearts so well.

4 – Many people have been taught there is no need to confess venial sins, and they have not committed any mortal sins—so they don’t go to confession. However, according to the catechism, confession of venial sins is strongly recommended, since it helps us fight against evil tendencies.

5 – Perhaps we struggle with the same sins over and over, and we are ashamed to admit this. It is true that part of a good confession is promising to avoid sins in the future—but we may fall short of the mark. Confession reminds us that God’s well of forgiveness is infinitely large.

6 – We may need more than just a few minutes because we require spiritual counseling about our sins. In this case, it is best to make an appointment to see the priest outside Confession.

7 – We are afraid of shocking the priest. Keep in mind many priests have heard thousands of confessions over the years. They surely won’t be astonished by what we confess. In fact, most priests are overjoyed that people are coming to confession, and they are eager to offer absolution.|

8 – We may be hesitant to tell our sins to someone we also socialize with at church suppers. The confessional has a privacy screen, but if this isn’t reassurance enough, you can always confess to a priest at another parish.  Keep in mind that priests will never divulge to anyone what you have confessed.

9 – We may be afraid the priest will ask us to make changes in our lives.

10 – _____________________ (fill in the blank)

Take a deep breath, pray for Wisdom, and come to Confession.