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Hi, Ron —
Thanks for the question.
I just wanted to clarify Mary Ann's answer a bit.
When the Church talks about General Confession, it uses the term in two distinct ways.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia by Father Peter Stravinskas.
General Confession:
- The repetition of some or all of a penitent's previous confessions, either:
- because some previous confessions were invalid, or
- in preparation for some important step, such as marriage or the reception of Holy Orders.
- Under certain emergency circumstances, the confession associated with the granting of general absolution, but only with the intention of making a private confession of any grave sins at the earliest opportunity.
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I would include a third definition:
- A recollection of all of ones past sins over an extended period of time, with a priest in the sacrament of Confession, usually after being away from the proper practice of the Church's faith, with the intent of repenting and rededicating one's life to the practice of the faith and service to the Church.
The form and the matter for the Sacrament of Confession is:
Confession
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Form: Acts of the Priest saying: God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
Matter: Acts of
the Penitent: Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction for sins. |
Along with the matter (or acts of the penitent listed above) is making a firm purpose of amendment not to commit those sins again. If someone is struggling with certain habitual sins, they can also mention (after confessing their sins) the desire to make a better firm purpose of amendment not to commit the sins they are struggling with.
As Mary Ann pointed out, one should make an appointment with a pastor or priest for this, as it can be time consuming.
I admire you for doing this and encourage anyone who has been away from the Church for an extended period of time to follow Ron's lead!
Like my colleague Eric said in another posting:
Remember that the Confessional is a tribunal of mercy and healing,
not of judgment. The point is not to accuse you or impose guilt; the point is to relieve guilt and apply the balm of mercy to sins so that they might be healed.
It will:
- resolve any unaddressed issue on your mind, and
- put your mind at peace, which is what Confession is all about.
Mike
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