It has been about 25 years...going to confession tomorrow morn.

omegapd · #1 Aug 7, '12, 8:41 pm

I have always hated going to confession. It was the one thing in our faith that I didn't fully accept. The last time I went was before my Confirmation. Obviously, I was forced to go then. I attended Catholic school the majority of my years and in high school, we were not made to go- so I never went again.

I always felt embarrassed and thought that it was just easier to confess to God when I needed forgiveness. I also suffered from a lot of social anxiety over the years and just preferred not speaking to anyone about the things I had done. Things have changed, though, and I have become much more outgoing the last couple of years. I volunteer all the time at my parish, with different organizations in town and speak to kids on a regular basis. This change in me basically happened overnight and I'm not too dumb to figure out that it was the Lord's work.

I went from the guy who never went outside to the guy who is never at home. It's a great feeling!

Anyway, I have become close to our new Pastor. He's about the same age as me (I'm 37) and we seem to have a lot in common. Like how I was called into service at church, I'm getting the same feeling to go to confession. I ran by the office today and talked with him about it. He basically said that 25 years wasn't the longest lapse that he's heard from and that I didn't need to go home and memorize the Act of Contrition again ( I honestly can't even remember the first line). He made it seem like it'll be just two buddies talking and I think that's what I needed to hear.

Yep, I think I'll be doing this tomorrow morning. Pray for me, please.

EricW.

JaredR · #2 Aug 7, '12, 8:47 pm

That's great! Take care of that soul! I pray that God will give you the grace to make a thorough, honest confession.

Let us know how it goes.

Bravo 6 · #3 Aug 7, '12, 9:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by omegapd

I have always hated going to confession. It was the one thing in our faith that I didn't fully accept. The last time I went was before my Confirmation. Obviously, I was forced to go then. I attended Catholic school the majority of my years and in high school, we were not made to go- so I never went again.

I always felt embarrassed and thought that it was just easier to confess to God when I needed forgiveness. I also suffered from a lot of social anxiety over the years and just preferred not speaking to anyone about the things I had done. Things have changed, though, and I have become much more outgoing the last couple of years. I volunteer all the time at my parish, with different organizations in town and speak to kids on a regular basis. This change in me basically happened overnight and I'm not too dumb to figure out that it was the Lord's work.

I went from the guy who never went outside to the guy who is never at home. It's a great feeling!

Anyway, I have become close to our new Pastor. He's about the same age as me (I'm 37) and we seem to have a lot in common. Like how I was called into service at church, I'm getting the same feeling to go to confession. I ran by the office today and talked with him about it. He basically said that 25 years wasn't the longest lapse that he's heard from and that I didn't need to go home and memorize the Act of Contrition again ( I honestly can't even remember the first line). He made it seem like it'll be just two buddies talking and I think that's what I needed to hear.

Yep, I think I'll be doing this tomorrow morning. Pray for me, please.

EricW.

Good on you mate,great to hear! All the best.

Veronica97 · #4 Aug 7, '12, 9:52 pm

PRAISE GOD!!

**po18guy** · #5 Aug 7, '12, 10:26 pm

The two greatest gifts of confession are the absolution of sin, and the humility that is required to enter into the Sacrament. Of the two, humility is probably the greater.

Praying for you.

Angelsflight · #6 Aug 7, '12, 10:43 pm

I went recently after 32 years. It was rough at first. It got easier. Now I go every week and its much better.

Hang in there, you will get through it fine.

roveau · #7 Aug 7, '12, 10:53 pm

I used to hate confession too. I actually had a longer gap!..... the poor priest. Your priest will guide you through it, as you'll see tomorrow. It'll be the best feeling having a clear slate. I'm praying for you too.

Contra Mundum · #8 Aug 7, '12, 11:19 pm

That's wonderful. Well done!

chris62 · #9 Aug 8, '12, 12:28 am

Walking out of the confessional, in a state of grace, is, quite simply, the greatest feeling in the world.
Ever.

Carolus Martell · #10 Aug 8, '12, 4:27 am

Eric the more times you go to confession the less awkward it will feel for you...and you take full advantage of a powerful sacrament.

SteelSpine · #11 Aug 8, '12, 4:40 am

That's awesome! Congratulations!

Tony

omegapd · #12 Aug 8, '12, 8:52 am

Thank you all for the support and kind words. I did it this morning. I really didn't know where to start- I told the priest that I hoped he didn't want exact dates, times, and sins because I did lots of them hundreds of times over the past 23 years.

So he did help me along- we actually started with the 10 Commandments and worked our way through a lot of different things. I got some things off my chest that I had never told anyone but my wife before. There were some tears and some laughter and I didn't die of a heart attack or from shame.

This opened my eyes some, too. I've read here a few times that people advise someone in my predicament (nervous/embarrassed) to go to a neighboring Parish and confess to a Priest you don't know. For me, that would have been harder and I never would have gone. Knowing that my Priest and I share a friendship made it much easier to talk to him. It really was like "two buddies talking about where I messed up in life". Going to Confession as a kid was much worse than this. I guess it's because you can't see the Priest on the same level as you do as an adult...

Again, thanks! This is something I'll continue to do from now on. It can only get easier!

EricW.

**po18guy** · #13 Aug 8, '12, 2:06 pm

Amen! Praise God.

Aggies08 · #14 Aug 8, '12, 2:10 pm

That's wonderful!!!!!!!

IF it makes you feel better, I STILL bring the "cheat sheet" with the order of confession/prayers on it... and I'm a cradle catholic!

Tampa Dave · #15 Aug 8, '12, 5:31 pm

Great news! One more soul on the path to salvation.