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guitarnan
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| Posted: April 22 2010 at 10:37pm | IP Logged
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I need help with this. I've explained everything I know about this wonderful, healing sacrament to my friend and can't seem to find a way to have it make sense to her. I truly feel that if I could, with God's inspiration, find a way to explain this properly, she would consider signing up for RCIA. (Her husband is ready...she's not. He apparently won't sign up without her...)
Please help...perhaps there's a way to present this topic that I have not considered. Transubstantiation, Adoration, and many other teachings of the Church make sense to her, but Confession does not. (??? I am mystified.)
Thanks in advance.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 22 2010 at 11:38pm | IP Logged
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I assume you've gone to the Bible and shown her that confession is there? Have you talked about the historical context? how confession used to be general in front of everyone.. And how now the priest is not only in persona Christi but also a representative of the community?
And what about Scott Hahn's book "Lord Have Mercy".
And you might also want to address some of the fears of going through the sacrament. It wouldn't be the first time that the fear would win out over logic. Sometimes just reassuring someone that it's ok to be scared and uncomfortable will help them say.. yes, it makes sense, and yes I don't wanna, but yes I can get through this too and it'll be ok.
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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dakotamidnight
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| Posted: April 22 2010 at 11:53pm | IP Logged
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I can't find either of my copies at the moment to get you an exact answer, but this is explained very well in the book "Father Smith Instructs Jackson". There are several editions, depending on how traditional she is pick the pre- or post- Vatican II version.
It was also this book that led me to the Church. It used to be used for RCIA classes.
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MelissaClaire
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| Posted: April 23 2010 at 7:18am | IP Logged
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Last week at Mass the priest did what he called a mini apologetics session.
He said when someone asks you, "Why Confession?" you should respond, "John 21". Then when they follow up and ask, "well what does that mean?" you say, "What Peter experienced in person, we experience in the Sacrament."
Simplistic, but it's something my kids have remembered all week and I even heard several moms around town talking about it this week.
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Melissa
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Karen T
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| Posted: April 24 2010 at 6:39pm | IP Logged
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also, coming in as an ex-protestant myself, the way I have explained it to friends when they say "I can just confess directly to God or Jesus and I'm forgiven" I tell them in addition to the Biblical directive for confessing to a priest, it is really humbling and forces you to really examine your sins and repent before going. I think it's very easy to confess in the darkness of your mind and feel you are done with it but having to actually speak the words out loud to someone else is an entirely different thing to me.
Karen T
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: April 24 2010 at 6:53pm | IP Logged
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Nancy,
You really need to back up and get her to understand first that the RCIA is NOT a commitment of any sort to becoming Catholic.
Oftentimes we find people resistant to RCIA because they think if they sign up it means they have to become Catholic. We tell them the first night that we are there to present to them what the Catholic Church teaches. Not someone else's opinion but the full truth from the Church herself. What they do with that is up to them. We will help them move along in the process towards being Catholic if that is their desire but we are also OK with just answering their questions.
I say this because she may not be ready yet to understand confession. A lot of groundwork may have to be laid yet before her heart can understand and sometimes it can thwart the process to try and answer all of someone's questions ahead of time.
I don't know what the RCIA looks like with the parish we are talking about (though I'd be happy to touch base with someone there if needed --director to director kind of thing) but do work on getting her to understand that if she goes to RCIA she can get her questions answered but it in NO WAY commits her to becoming Catholic.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: April 24 2010 at 7:22pm | IP Logged
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This is so, so helpful! You have all given me much to ponder. Sometimes it's hardest to explain the Faith to our closest friends, I'm finding. (I do try very hard to live my faith, but she calls me up with the "Catholic Question of the Week" and so I do have to be an informed friend, too.)
Michele, thank you so much...these are words I never thought to say to her. I am sure you're right, she probably thinks signing up is a commitment for next year's Easter Vigil.
I also need to get copies of all the recommended books and start reading. I was raised Catholic, and I appreciate that an adult learning about this sacrament would have an entirely different perspective.
If (hopefully when) my friend ever attends RCIA, it will be at a wonderful parish in their city. We've been to Mass there many times with them. I know they will receive excellent information...please join me in praying that some day they will decide to sign up for the classes.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Explaining Confession to Non-Catholics
