Confession, Catholicism & Controversy

"I'd stand in line for Confession with old people and little kids, and as the line moved up, I knew when I got into the box that I would lie! Again!" 

 - Mercedes McCambridge

One of my main qualms with Catholicism over the last couple of years has been that as I've committed actions which are deemed unworthy through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this has caused me to amount a considerable internal vat of Catholic guilt.

I have stated to numerous friends that I do not believe in the Catholic Sacrament of Penance because I do not think that it is necessary for a priest to be the mediator between the sinner and God. How could a human - a man with sin just like you - possibly have the right to forgive your sin? I understand the argument that he is emulating and working through the spirit of Christ, but I simply do not buy into the hype, I'm afraid. Another slightly odd thing is that if you're confessing your sins openly to God and letting him forgive your sin through the priest, why should you need a confessional box with a veil of secrecy to do so? It seems a little contradictory...and well, open confessions which are face to face...they're almost too awkward to bear really for one possessing an endless list of sins and a guilty conscience.

 I would say that a congregational confession, or even a personal confession is enough for the individual to be forgiven from sin, for only the individuals themselves knows how tainted their relationship is with God, and God will always forgive his children for he loves them unconditionally. I mean he sacrificed his Son for humanity. He must love us quite a bit!

 However, because the Catholic church believes it to be heresy if you receive the Eucharist without being in a state of grace, I have refrained from receiving the Eucharist as I have not been to confession for a considerable number of years and so I have simply become disillusioned with the whole thing, given up and failed to continue going back to Mass. Now, I am contemplating going back to Mass, but I am in the predicament of whether or not to receive the Eucharist. Of course, the Catholics amongst you would urge me to go to Confession first, but I am very reluctant to do so.

This of course requires an explanation of my view on the Eucharist too...which is (you'll be surprised to hear) Catholic!

I do believe in transubstantiation, and this is why I could not go to an Anglo-Catholic church, (though they believe that communal confession is acceptable - which is my stance, they do not believe in transubstantiation, which I believe to supersede confession of any kind.) 

However, here comes the question of how graceful must one be to receive Christ? Being in a state of grace is required to receive the Eucharist if you're Catholic, but is there a threshold of how much grace you must possess? What if you confess your sins, then remember you'd forgotten to confess one? Are you a heretic for receiving communion as you weren't entirely honest with your priest in the confessional? And what about people who do receive the Eucharist who are not in a state of grace? God doesn't strike them down dead the moment the Body of Christ touches their lips...

And surely we receive Christ in other ways too? Eucharist is supposed to be spiritual nourishment for the soul, but I believe spiritual nourishment can also be attained through reflection, contemplation, music and even chatting to people about religion can be worthwhile food for thought.

 I understand here that I may receive the nickname of a "pick 'n' mix" Catholic, but in all honesty, religion is still, in my opinion quite outdated. The Catholic Church isn't going to change their stance on major issues such as those above anytime soon (if ever), so that has forced me to choose the elements of the religion suited to my personal convictions, beliefs and experiences. Some may say, "but then you're not a true Catholic!" and to them I say that "Who are you to judge who is a true believer or not?" Many Pharisees of Jesus' time said that lepers and prostitutes weren't true religious people worthy of God's kingdom, but Jesus certainly welcomed them in...

I think it is time for a shift in religious thought. A time for people to stop being fed the status quo as "gospel" (pardon the pun), and to start thinking for themselves a little. Adapting a religion around you isn't selfish or heretical or even hedonistic. In my view, it's admirable as it allows a closer development of a faith journey with God, for you are not denying your true intellectual capacity, simply expanding your world view to incorporate God. It is imperative in my view that one does not deny their intellectual freedom simply because a religious institution tells them to. It's like an imprisonment of the mind.

So when I next trot along to Mass what will I do? Who knows as yet, only my conscience and my relationship with God can decide that. I mean, after not talking to God for a while, I should probably build my relationship back up with him before asking him for food, spiritual or otherwise...it'd be rude to do anything else...

Three conditions are necessary for Penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment; confession of sins without any omission; and satisfaction by means of good works. - Thomas Aquinas

If this post offends anyone in any way, it does not intend to. I understand some of my statements may seem rather blase, but these are genuine theological issues I am pondering, which I do not undertake lightly. And of course, I'm still a Catholic. So I'm definitely getting into heaven anyway.