Chatting about: Confession

What does this teach us about our intention behind our confession? How do we enter into the Sacrament with right intention, especially when confessing a sin that you often confess regularly?
In what way does regular confession, even for mere venial sins, lead to deeper growth in the spiritual life?
Why do you think God has found it important for us to confess our sins publicly (to a priest) opposed to just confessing our sins privately (in our personal prayer time)?

 

Guest1772 (guest): Hi Sistet Susan ! Praying for your upcoming meetings ! Praying for big event in Lake Placid ! Confession is soo important ! Have a great chat tonight ! Driving Mitch back to college shortly ! He took a break at home . A lot of social pressures please keep Mitch in your prayers first year at college ! You are all in my prayers have a wonderful chat tonight ! God Love You All ! Brian

 

Dawn L: About this weeks chat…I found this chapter on confession to be so helpful. Ive not read anything such as this, most examen. but he explains HOW to examen. SSt Francis s de Sales is a great how to do person

Sep 11 2016, 7:19 PM

VisitationSiste: Even his profound book Treatise on the Love of God, has aspects like that

Sep 11 2016, 7:20 PM

Carol Ann: I like that he went in depth too, and went after motive, which is where sin begins

 

Sep 11 2016, 7:22 PM

PM

VisitationSiste: Tomorrow is our day for Confession here, so it’s a good topic to help prepare

Sep 11 2016, 7:23 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) I was watching part of the 9/11 memorial this morning and I heard the name of one of the men from my old parish who lost their lives. One of them left a wife and 5 sons, and in May following the disaster, his daughter. I realized with some shock that she is not a little girl any more, but a young lady.

 

Lisa C: It is very vivid for me

Sep 11 2016, 7:26 PM

Lisa C: I think for NYC people it will not fade

Sep 11 2016, 7:26 PM

Dawn L: were you working there Lisa?

Sep 11 2016, 7:27 PM

Lisa C: I lived in lower manhattan at the time

Sep 11 2016, 7:27 PM

Lisa C: worked there too

Sep 11 2016, 7:27 PM

Dawn L: on this day?

Sep 11 2016, 7:27 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) At the time I lived across the bay from La Guardia Airport. It was spooky not having planes taking off and landing all day for some time. When I heard the first plane after the closure, I was petrified.

Sep 11 2016, 7:27 PM

Lisa C: daughter and nephew were in school there too

6, 7:28 PM

Lisa C: Tanks parked in front of my building and smoke for a week

 

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) If it remains the same, or increases, one needs to examine the sincerity of the purpose of amendment and to see why the stalling or increasing of the frequency. Are there internal or external forces at work.

Sep 11 2016, 7:40 PM

 

VisitationSiste: Are you on confession Judy

Sep 11 2016, 7:41 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) Yep!

7:41 PM

Dawn L: ok. bell reminder, ty Judy!

Sep 11 2016, 7:41 PM

VisitationSiste: This struck me: accuse yourself of that special omission: say, “Having come across a person in need, I did not help him as I might have done,” either through negligence, or hardness, or indifference, according as the case may be.

Sep 11 2016, 7:42 PM

Lisa C: Yes, that one is hard, Mother

Sep 11 2016, 7:42 PM

VisitationSiste: That is what happened to me this week with a homeless person- I got frustrated because I helped her but then it was not enough help and I don’t know what else to do

Lisa C: So many people in need all the time

Sep 11 2016, 7:43 PM

Carol Ann: Because if we just give standard answers, the names of sins we all commit, we have done nothing special and little healing can come from it

 

Dawn L: sometimes just caring about a person, showing love and concern, is the best thing we can do

Sep 11 2016, 7:43 PM

VisitationSiste: and when they come to the door- well one must help- but is there a limit or how do you handle sch things- so that’s matter for confession

7:44 PM

VisitationSiste: esp the week Mother Teresa was canonized! 7:44 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) I think that there may be some fear attached to helping a stranger. There are such incidences of being attacked that one would naturally fear being of assistance.

Sep 11 2016, 7:44 PM

Lisa C: I think we can always pray in addition to what we do

44 PM

Lisa C: Homeless people never attack when they are being helped

Sep 11 2016, 7:44 PM

Dawn L: going deeper into the situation of poverty, I see it is the abandonment a person could feel more deeply, rather than hunger itself

Sep 11 2016, 7:45 PM

VisitationSiste: Confession does clear the soul and give grace- so important to growth in virtue

5 PM

 

Lisa C: I think the Holy Spirit can make us brave to help someone who needs it

Sep 11 2016, 7:45 PM

VisitationSiste: our constitutions call for every 2 weeks

1 2016, 7:46 PM

Ruth (guest): I wish I had a regular confessor or spiritual director again.

Sep 11 2016, 7:46 PM

VisitationSiste: A confessor helps

47 PM

VisitationSiste: This was enlightening too: Again, do not be satisfied with mentioning the bare fact of your venial sins, but accuse yourself of the motive cause which led to them. For instance, do not be content with saying that you told an untruth which injured no one; but say whether it was out of vanity, in order to win praise or avoid blame, out of heedlessness, or from obstinacy. 7:47 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) Regular confession of even venial sins makes us more conscious of our sins, what steps we are taking to eliminate them, coming to greater awareness of our weaknesses, or strengths, and helps us to look at our relationship with Jesus and see if our love is stagnant, growing or decreasing47 PM

Ruth (guest): There is only about 1/2 hr per week scheduled for confession — for the whole parish. So you always feel rushed, in case someone else is waiting. 7 PM

Dawn L: I near always keep my rosary in pocket when I go out. I feel protected, when I turn my heart to our Father, or Mary…

Sep 11 2016, 7:48 PM

Carol Ann: Because until we can get at the root causes and work on thrm, in a sense we are serving the sin, not Jesus

Sep 11 2016, 7:48 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) that’s why it is always good to make an appointment for confession.

Sep 11 2016, 7:48 PM

Dawn L: this is what I found enlightening in his chapter, such as what you just wrote Sr

7:48 PM

 

Sep 11 2016, 7:49 PM

VisitationSiste: yes as Carol said too, the root cause

Sep 11 2016, 7:50 PM

VisitationSiste: or our motives- sometimes we don’t know them

Sep 11 2016, 7:50 PM

VisitationSiste: or even if we do we are too emotionally damaged to know how to begin to change

16, 7:51 PM

Ruth (guest): That’s true sister.

Sep 11 2016, 7:52 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) It’s kind of sad that we have to search so hard for a spiritual director or confessor. We surely do need more priests, and more priests who are trained in spiritual direction.

Sep 11 2016, 7:52 PM

Dawn L: too damaged to know, yes, yet we can do nothing apart from him, so it is grace that heals us.

Sep 11 2016, 7:52 PM

Lisa C: When we think about Jesus saying that the man who even thinks of someone else is guilty of adultery and when we think about St. Paul killing Christians and thinking he was being good before he was converted it seems awful. I think the only power we have to really be good is to ask the Holy Spirit to act through us as much as possible.

PM

Ruth (guest): Since my injuries it seems I am almost always late for everything. (Strangely, I NEVER was when I worked in Troy.) It is nearly impossible, it seems, for me to leave enough time to NOT be late.

Sep 11 2016, 7:53 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes and like the the Jesusprayer. say Lord have mercy on m,e a sinner

3 PM

Lisa C: Everything on our own is wrong

Sep 11 2016, 7:54 PM

VisitationSiste: Do not lightly change your Confessor, but having chosen him, be regular in giving account of your conscience to him at the appointed seasons, telling him your faults simply and frankly, and from time to time–

Sep 11 2016, 7:54 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) But we can do all things in Him Who strengthens us.

Sep 11 2016, 7:54 PM

VisitationSiste: That is almost like a spiritual director

54 PM

Ruth (guest): Today I was complementing myself that I was on time for Mass, even a little early. And for THIS CHAT – in spite of some computer difficulties.

Sep 11 2016, 7:55 PM

Dawn L: I believe it was Sr Mary Roberta who said their is a sign in their place which reads…Surrender to God and he will do everything for you. I hope this is correct, it is what I remember.

Sep 11 2016, 7:56 PM

Carol Ann: Sr, have you ever had anyone say to a person that they must change their director ?

 

Ruth (guest): Well I had asked for the Grace of the Sacrament for that persistent venial sin that really adds up when repeated.

Sep 11 2016, 7:57 PM

VisitationSiste: No Carol, not in my experience BUT it might be necessary in some cases

Sep 11 2016, 7:57 PM

Ruth (guest): I was surprised when I reached the parking lot to find there were hardly any cars there.

8 PM

Carol Ann: In what way, Sr? If it can be generalized to benefit the group.

Sep 11 2016, 7:59 PM

Ruth (guest): Mass had been moved to the Guggenheim, a camp owned by the Diocese of Ogdensburg. And it was the last Mass anywhere in the region. I’d known about it in advance — just slipped my mind. . . Too many other things going on the last few days.

Sep 11 2016, 7:59 PM

 

Sep 11 2016, 8:00 PM

VisitationSiste:  St Jane changed her director- he was too rigid with her and found St Francis

Sep 11 2016, 8:00 PM

Ruth (guest): I led a contingent of others who were mistaken about the location of Mass to the camp.

Sep 11 2016, 8:00 PM

VisitationSiste: If a director does not understand our community or life that mite mean a change

1 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) I think that a spiritual director or confessor needs to be challenging, giving impetus for greater improvement when none is seen. If one is not being challenged, that might be a reason for changing confessors.

Sep 11 2016, 8:01 PM

Ruth (guest): There were some other saints whose confessors were ABUSIVE to them by today’s standards anyway.

Sep 11 2016, 8:01 PM

Carol Ann: This case the person was told we don’t like the direction you’Re getting so you must go to this other person who’s direction we like

2 PM

VisitationSiste: If a Superior or Novice Directress says that it mite need to be considered at least

Sep 11 2016, 8:02 PM

Carol Ann: Judy, i’m lucky. My director and my formation assistant both do that

Sep 11 2016, 8:02 PM

Ruth (guest): I don’t understand, Carol Ann.

Sep 11 2016, 8:02 PM

VisitationSiste: But the reason does not sound good

11 2016, 8:02 PM

Carol Ann: Neither actually

Sep 11 2016, 8:03 PM

Dawn L: how would superiors know what one is confessing? or is this more open in a community?

4 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) I think that this applied to spiritual directors rather than confessors.

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

VisitationSiste: That does not preclude other confessors BUT

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

Carol Ann: Oops, sorry Ruth. I got myself into two trains of thought

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

Ruth (guest): The same confessor for everyone, Sister?

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

VisitationSiste: they might not be “orthodox”

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

Lisa C: Mother, I love the confessor there

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes the same

Sep 11 2016, 8:04 PM

Lisa C: He is so kind

Sep 11 2016, 8:05 PM

VisitationSiste: Sisters are free to approach another priest who comes for Mass for confession

Sep 11 2016, 8:05 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes he is!

5 PM

Carol Ann: Point taken Sr. One director I know is orthodox but open. The other “better” trends to liberal and orthodox? Maybe!

Sep 11 2016, 8:05 PM

Dawn L: merciful

 

Dawn L: as the Father

7 PM

Dawn L: or, actually , as Christ. who is the one we are confessing to

Sep 11 2016, 8:07 PM

VisitationSiste: One gives up many “choices” in religious life- that’s a difficult thing for people

Sep 11 2016, 8:07 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes Dawn exactly

Sep 11 2016, 8:07 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, you have to be careful not to “select” a confessor according to his tendency to be “easy” on you; it is Sanctity that we are seeking . . .

Sep 11 2016, 8:07 PM

VisitationSiste: Yes Ruth very true

08 PM

Lisa C: They represent God so they have to be loving8:08 PM

VisitationSiste: We are all so weak-

Sep 11 2016, 8:09 PM

Lisa C: It is ok to be weak as long as our heart wants to be strong

Sep 11 2016, 8:09 PM

Lisa C: We just have to keep trying to be good

Sep 11 2016, 8:10 PM

Lisa C: God knows our heart

11 PM

Ruth (guest): But a few times I arranged with a retired priest to go to him by appointment. I like him very much; I like his preaching even, when many others find him too long-winded. (Maybe like me!?) But it seemed he came from a different world — had very little understanding . . . And I could see that it was really difficult for him. 12 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy)Regarding the necessity of confessing to a priest rather than just mentioning our sins in private prayer. Sin is an offense against the entire Body of Christ. If you break a leg, your whole body is affected. All of you feels the pain, and all of you is fatigued by the strain of walking on crutches. In the Body of Christ, even the most private of sins wounds the entire body. As the individual sinner is weakened by the sin, the whole Body of Christ is weakened by the weakness of one member.

Sep 11 2016, 8:13 PM

Ruth (guest): Both getting there and yes, somehow, to hear what I was struggling with and how I was trying to grow in the spirit.

Sep 11 2016, 8:13 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy)The priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation absolves sin the person of Jesus and receives the contrition of the sinner as representative of Jesus and of the whole Church

14 PM

VisitationSiste: powerful Judy- so many people get stuck on this point

Sep 11 2016, 8:14 PM

Dawn L: good reply Judy! I had thought more along the lines that confessing by yourslef would do little to benefit growth in virtures. It can show you, or me I mean, point out my pride, in thinking

Sep 11 2016, 8:14 PM

Ruth (guest): You are so good, Judy at keeping us on, or drawing us back to the topic. I admire that very much

8:16 PM

VisitationSiste: It is proper to tell our sins to the Lord and ask forgiveness immediately but then also to go to Confession

Sep 11 2016, 8:16 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) Dawn, that it also a good point. We can so easily be blind to our real state and need the eye of another, as it were, to show us where we are in error.

:17 PM

Ruth (guest): Recently — after I’d confessed about lateness — a woman I know told me, “We are so tired of your being late!” although at that time, I was actually earlier than usual and on time.

Sep 11 2016, 8:17 PM

VisitationSiste: and we need to have sorrow

 

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) As I said, the two intentions for confession must be sincere sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment.

Sep 11 2016, 8:18 PM

Lisa C: Once I was wondering about this….if we can suffer in reparation for the sins of others, is the guilt of that sin ours too…. then I thought Jesus suffers for us and the guilt is not His….but something of a connection has to be there if we can suffer for others….and I think Judy hit on it…the damage affects all of us

Sep 11 2016, 8:18 PM

Ruth (guest): It bothers me wo much that I have to struggle not to hate myself because of my faults.

Sep 11 2016, 8:18 PM

Dawn L: true contrition. at the time. but isnt it important to know once we have repented, we are to believe and accept Gods goodness and love

Sep 11 2016, 8:19 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) If Jesus does not hate us for our faults, then we should not hate ourselves. Chastise ourselves, yes, but hate ourselves, no.

Sep 11 2016, 8:19 PM

Lisa C: Ruth, God does not hate you for your faults. He loves you in spite of them. Can you condemn yourself if God will forgive them?

Sep 11 2016, 8:19 PM

Dawn L: I think st frncis says we are to hate our sins Ruth, so maybe that is good

Sep 11 2016, 8:20 PM

Lisa C: Parents love their children in spite of mistakes…

Sep 11 2016, 8:20 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) And there is that old saying, “Hate the sin, but love the sinner.”

8:21 PM

Ruth (guest): I sometimes have to reverse a saying and tell myself to be at least as gentle with and forgiving of myself as I would be of others, and remind myself of what you just said Judy and Dawn.

Sep 11 2016, 8:22 PM

VisitationSiste: A priest I once knew carried the sins of others, so to speak and he did reparation for them

016, 8:22 PM

Dawn L: did we do # 2? how do we enter confession with the right intention.. 3 PM

Lisa C: We do not share the guilt of others’ sins just the hurt

Sep 11 2016, 8:23 PM

VisitationSiste: We want to please the Lord and do His will

Sep 11 2016, 8:23 PM

Ruth (guest): I’ve heard of that, too, Sr Susan. Someone who had not been to confession for a long, long time, and had some pretty serious sins was surprised at how little the penance was.

3 PM

Ruth (guest): The priest shared that that was because he would be doing penance for the repentant sinner too.

Sep 11 2016, 8:24 PM

Dawn L: that is sacrificial love, these priest

Sep 11 2016, 8:25 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, it is how the priest very concretely stands in the place of Jesus.

:23 PM

Ruth (guest): The priest shared that that was because he would be doing penance for the repentant sinner too.

Sep 11 2016, 8:24 PM

Dawn L: that is sacrificial love, these priest

Sep 11 2016, 8:25 PM

Ruth (guest): Yes, it is how the priest very concretely stands in the place of Jesus.

Sep 11 2016, 8:26 PM

VisitationSiste: There is a mystical work on Confession, by that name by A Von Speyr- very good.

Sep 11 2016, 8:26 PM

Guest6252 (guest): (Judy) I covered B of the first question about entering confession with the right intention. I spoke of seeing whether the frequency of the sin has remained the same, increased or decreased. If it has decreased, we can be sure that our purpose of amendment is working. If it remains the same, or increases, we have reason question our purpose of amendment.

 

VisitationSiste: http://www.ignatius.com/Products/CONF-P/confession.aspx

Confession Paperback – Adrienne von Speyr : Ignatius Press

Sep 11 2016, 8:27 PM

Ruth (guest): As psychiatrist I often hear “confessions” and I tend to “carry the individuals to the Lord in prayer.” It’s hard to completely “turn it over to the Lord” — even months after I am no longer responsible for the care of these individuals. They are a sort of prayer burden, sometimes even for years and years.

Sep 11 2016, 8:27 PM

Dawn L: ty for book…oh for link to!

Sep 11 2016, 8:28 PM

VisitationSiste: Some of the many areas covered include conversion, scruples, contrition, spiritual direction, laxity, frequency of confession, the confessions of religious and lay people, even the confessions of saints. One of the most complete spiritual treatises ever written on confession

 

Carol Ann: What a wonderful book! Thank you!

Sep 11 2016, 8:28 PM

Lisa C: Who is Adrienne van Speyer

Sep 11 2016, 8:28 PM

Lisa C: von

Sep 11 2016, 8:29 PM

VisitationSiste: The Confession of the Saints | by Adrienne von SpeyrPrint-friendly versionChapter 11 of Confession, by Adrienne von SpeyrHoliness is found at the Cross. It is actually the preeminent holiness, of which the dying Son of God offers a final, comprehensible proof. There he is both the God who left his own glory with the Father and the man whom God made holy in every respect. Every element of holiness comes from and is of the lineage of the Cross, even that of the untouched and innocent ones, the ones who, if

Sep 11 2016, 8:29 PM

Dawn L: a perfect accompaniment! to this week and maybe next couple weeks topic

Welcome to our Living Jesus Chat Room. Just sign in, using any of the methods below.

Sep 11 2016, 8:30 PM

VisitationSiste: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrienne_von_Speyr

Adrienne von Speyr – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia