Frequent Confession
Today I came across a blog 7 Reasons to Frequent Confession during Lent. The article mentioned that Pope John Paul II went to Confession every week. This reminded me of something I discovered many years ago when one of my children was preparing for First Confession and First Communion. This child was fidgety during Mass and the sacramental classes and the parish priest told me that he felt she should wait until the next year as he didn't feel she was "ready".
My heart sank because I knew what it would do to her self-esteem to be stood down a year when all the other children her age would be receiving the Sacraments. At the same time I agreed that she should understand the importance of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
The priest agreed to my suggestion that she should make her First Confession with the other children and that I would bring her to the Sacrament every week. He would let me know his final decision the week before the First Holy Communion. I prepared my daughter that she might have to wait until the next year, just in case, but I believed that the graces she would receive would help her - and that is what happened.
From weekly Confession, she then came to the Sacrament with the rest of the family once a month.
After a while I began to notice that she was a little angel for three weeks and somewhere during the course of the next week her behaviour started to slip. This led me to take a closer look at the other children - and myself.
Let's just say that between the third and fourth week I became more impatient and less charitable. From this I cam to believe that the ideal for my family, at least, was fortnightly Confession to maintain a happy family.
Lately, my work and other things have combined to let several months go by since i last went to Confession. Then, a couple of weeks ago Father said something in his homily, I can't remember now, but it was in one of his frequent homilies on the need for sacramental confession for a worthy reception of the Eucharist, and something struck a nerve. I wasn't sure if something I was doing was sinful or not, I hadn't really thought so until then, now I needed to make sure. Needless to say, I didn't receive Communion that day, and I felt deprived.
Fortunately, Father has Confessions before Sunday Mass so I was able to go last Sunday. He reassured me that the thing I was concerned about was not a sin, but in my examination of conscience I realised how I had become uncharitable about someone I know and was also less patient with family members (my family are all grown now).
My Lenten resolve is to make Confession a monthly occurance once more (whether I think I need it or not), not just during lent but as a permanent habit.
Three things are necessary for a sin to be mortal:
1. Serious matter (things listed in this examination);2. Knowledge or firm belief that the act is seriously wrong prior to committing the act;
3. Full consent of the will.
All three of these conditions must be present simultaneously for a sin to be mortal. This means that if you did not know the act was seriously wrong, then you are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin. If you did not will the act, e.g., if you were forced or if it was in a dream, if you were impaired or emotionally distraught or terrified, etc., you are not guilty of the act committed.
All mortal sins committed since your last confession must be confessed by both type and number, i.e., the kind or "name" of the sin and how many times or frequency it was done. If there is a mortal sin from the past that was forgotten and has not been confessed, once remembered it should be confessed at your very next confession.
It is not necessary to confess venial sins, but it is a good and pious practice.
Some Things That I Have Found Helpful
Making a Good Confession
Examination of Conscience
Examination of Conscience for Children
Confession Part 1 - Fulton Sheen
Confession Part 2 - Fulton Sheen