About Catholic Church Confession
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, more commonly referred to as Confession by most Catholics and Christians, should be a vital part of the Catholic faith. Confession is often misinterpreted and looked down upon by many Christians from other denominations. The truth about Confession, though, is that it can be a very uplifting experience as well as another way for Catholics to grow in their relationships with God.
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Locations
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Most confessions will take place in a booth known as a confessional, which is located in a Catholic church. Most churches will designate an hour or two one day per week (usually Saturday) for Confession. Some priests will also hear confessions before a Mass to allow parishioners who couldn't make it to church on the designated day a chance to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Not all confessions must take place in a confessional. Individuals can call up their priest to set up a time when a confession can be heard in the priest's office or the person's home. Confession can also be celebrated by individuals who are bedridden at home or in the hospital.
Features
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Confessionals are split into two parts that are separated by either a curtain or a screen. The person confessing will be on one side and the priest on the other. This keeps the priest from seeing the person who is confessing. Some confessionals, however, do allow parishioners to sit on the same side as the priest while taking part in Confession.
When the person enters the confessional, he should kneel (or sit), bless himself (with the sign of the cross) and say "Bless me Father for I have sinned." The person will then tell the priest how long it has been since his last confession. Then the priest will tell the person to confess his sins. From there, the person will tell his sins to the priest. Once he is done, the person should say an "Act of Contrition." (See "Additional Resources," below.) Once the person has done all of this, the priest will give the person penance. The penance will usually consist of a set amount of prayers (such as The Lord's Prayer or The Rosary) the person must say. The priest will then say a prayer and absolve the person of the confessed sins.
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Benefits
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It is through Confession that Catholics are absolved of mortal sins. A Catholic who does have mortal sins on his soul is not supposed to receive Holy Communion until those sins have been confessed. Confessions are also given by individuals on their death beds. This allows the person to be absolved of his sins and enter straight into Heaven after death.
Confession also lets people start with a "clean slate." Confession helps to rid people of any guilt they may have been feeling because of their sins and also allows them to experience the love and forgiveness offered by God.
Misconceptions
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Many non-Catholics ridicule Confession because they believe that the priest is taking the place of God when it comes to forgiving a person's sins. In actuality, God forgives the person confessing through the priest. This idea comes from the book of Matthew 18:18, where Jesus told his disciples that what they bind and loosen on earth will be bound and loosened in Heaven.
Warning
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Catholics are not supposed to purposely withhold any mortal sins when giving a confession. If they do so, their confession will not be a true and valid one. This is because the person cannot be absolved of a sin that he did not confess to the priest. For this reason, most priests will ask if there is anything else the person would like to confess before the priest prays over the person. See the "Additional Resources" section, below, for a list of sins that need to be confessed.
Expert Insight
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You should never feel ashamed or embarrassed about going to Confession. After all, even the priest you go to sins and he himself has to go to Confession. If you are uncomfortable going to Confession at your own parish, you can always visit a different Catholic church in your area.
Many priests suggest that Catholics should go to Confession once a month. This ensures that the Catholic can take Holy Communion while in a "state of grace" (no mortal sins on his soul) and also frees the individual's mind and heart from the guilt caused by sin.
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