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LucyP
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| Posted: Jan 05 2008 at 12:59pm | IP Logged
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At our RCIA class, the dean said that he thought we should go to confession every 3 months unless we had done something very bad! I asked about going more often - our extended cathechism suggests every fortnight, I know many ladies I know of online and also Holly Pierlot go every fortnight too and I thought that many indulgences need a confession within 8 days before or after. His comment was "I don't know about indulgences".
What do you think?
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SusanJ
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Full disclosure: I am terrible at getting to confession regularly.
That said, it can be a wonderful practice to go to confession more than four times per year. The graces you receive from the sacrament will help you in overcoming habits of sin and help prevent further venial sins.
It is challenging to go to confession frequently. In addition to all the logistical challenges for a mom you also get priests who think you are wasting their time if you don't have a mortal sin to confess. Dh goes weekly and I've had spiritual directors recommend every fortnight or once per month. The danger in going too often is scrupulosity, but a good confessor should help you guard against that.
God Bless,
Susan
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happymama
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it's too bad he "doesn't know" about indulgences... might be a sign that his knowledge of the faith is not too deep, or it might just be a single issue he's neglected to learn about. Which is too bad, because historically there has been a lot of controversy and misunderstanding on that issue!
He surely taught you these basics:
--annual confession during Lent is the "bare minimum frequency" we should all be confessing
--confession brings us many graces to combat even venial sins or personal weaknesses. Therefore, go to confession frequently if you can...
I know many people who try to go monthly or every/other month, it just kindof depends on the need and the scrupulosity of the person and the availability of the sacrament... However, I would keep indulgences "separate" in my mind... If it is your intention to perform something for an indulgence, then consider confession part of the process. I wouldn't say "go to confession every month" just so you can have an indulgence if the opportunity arises... the intent to perform all of the actions together should be there for each indulgence.
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SuzanneG
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Our priest, in announcing our Advent Penance Service, used the example of Pope John Paul II, who went to confession DAILY (or maybe weekly....I can't remember exactly, but I'm almost sure he said "daily")!!!!!
Certainly that is not possible for those of us who do not have a priest living with us  . But I think it gives us a good role model and an idea that frequent confession is def. something to strive for.
He also missed an opportunity to stress that the daily practice of a nightly examination of conscience is a good practice and habit to get into! (Like Susan, "full disclosure"...I'm not very good at this). Which is more in line for the "daily" for those of us without a live-in-confessor  .
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Helen
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Hi Lucy,
We just recently had a thread about indulgences, in that thread there is a link to the Enchiridion of Indulgences.
Our Franciscan rule asks us to confess weekly or if not every other week. I believe the Opus Dei also encourage frequent confession (weekly or biweekly). We are supposed to say "I am a Third Order Franciscan" this helps to explain to the priest why we come to confession often.
I don't get any comments from priests for going often. It helps to keep the confession simple -- just the facts. (I haven't gone as often with this ongoing pregnancy sickness -- which I keep mentioning -- sorry again.)
You hear so many different things now adays from different sources. But, I had a very orthodox priest say to me,
"If you go Daily Mass often, you should really go to confession often as well."
Parents especially - what a wonderful witness to your children, if you go to confession twice a month or monthly. My older children 12 and 14 love to go out to Confession. They always tell me how much better their mood is after confessing. They know they experience the personal touch of Christ Himself.
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Elizabeth
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My parish priest has always encouraged frequent confession. I've never had to explain why I'm there (I'm not a third order anything or a member of a movement) except that I'm a sinner in need of grace. My son lives on campus at a secular college. He meets with the campus minister every Monday morning for breakfast, confession, and spiritual direction. He is blessed to have learned the habit of weekly confession in our parish and he is blessed to have found a friend and mentor in his current priest. His example inspires the rest of us. Pretty cool, how that's working  .
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Helen
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Elizabeth wrote:
My son lives on campus at a secular college. He meets with the campus minister every Monday morning for breakfast, confession, and spiritual direction. He is blessed to have learned the habit of weekly confession in our parish and he is blessed to have found a friend and mentor in his current priest. His example inspires the rest of us. Pretty cool, how that's working .
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What a fantastic situation and I think it is also a testimony to your example Elizabeth!
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doris
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Just catching up and noticed this thread. When I became Catholic the priest suggested linking confession to the major feasts. Sadly lots of holy days of obligation have recently been done away with in the UK, but you can still choose to celebrate them and it then works out at roughly once a month -- which seems like a good rule of thumb, to me. And if you can manage even more often, so much the better.
The Hermeneutic of Continuity blog has an excellent post about indulgences here which indicates that a Vatican document mentions 'about 20' days as your 'window' for saying your confession.
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chicken lady
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We go weekly, seems like common practice around here.
Remember the Holy Father goes daily!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: frequency of confession + indulgences
