When did the practice of confession in the catholic church begin?
435665
I believe that public confessions were first the norm, the sin was confessed before the other Catholics, and later the discipline was changed to make them private. I think as times changed the complexity of certain sins made private confessions more needed. Also, as time progressed, more frequent reception of Holy Communion occured, therefore confession was needed even more. (If you didn't know most Catholics prior to Vatican 2 went to confession every week) So from all the Catholic history books I have read and writings of the Church Fathers, confession has been in practice since the times of the Apostles, our first priests.
1080115
The pope's ability to forgive sins (and any priest's, for that matter) comes form Christ's words to Peter, who was viewed as the first pope of the catholic church:\n\nMatthew 18:18 - Truly I say to you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.\nMatthew 16:18 - And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.\nMatthew 16:19 - And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
314132
Catholics don't deny that you can receive absolution by praying directly to YHVH or Christ.  However, in the Catholic view, Priests are Christ's representatives on earth and so its also acceptable to go through them.  Many (pehaps most) Catholics choose to confess their sins to a Priest, because being forgiven and performing penance has psycho-social benefits.
558793
Specifically, Catholicism.
202913
Have you ever done something wrong, and felt really and truly sorry for it, but you just couldn't shake the guilt?  Then, you finally get the nerve up to admit what you did wrong, and as soon as you say it out loud, the weight just lifts off your shoulders?  Confession is vehicle for admitting to someone what we did, and allowing God to free us from the burden of guilt.  A priest serves as a guide so that we can process the sin and repentence appropriately.\n\nWe aren't taught that we can't go directly to God, but the Sacrament frees us from the isolation of sin and brings us back into the fold.\n\nAnd no, the size of the sin does not change any of this.
1168033
sacre bleu  \nstereotypical Fr. oath, 1869, from Fr. sacré bleu, lit. "holy blue," a euphemism for sacré Dieu (1768), "holy God."
1155569
Yes. Many Catholics here practice circumcision.
653832
Catholics use a Bible that has added books that aren't put into a protestant version. Catholics pray to Mother Mary and use rosary which protestants don;t usually. Catholic priests usually can't marry legally and father children. Priests hear the congregations confession. There are many other ones, but this is a start
193284
Reconciliation or confession.  Look in the bulletin.  Show up.  Tell the priest how long its been and they'll guide you through it.
19161
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine \nAn association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religions instruction. Till about the thirteenth century, the Apostles' Creed and Paternoster formed the general basis of religious instruction; all the faithful had to know them by heart, and parish priests were commanded to explain them on Sundays and festivals. Then the range of instruction was widened to include the Commandments and sacraments, the virtues and vices. The Synod of Lambeth under Archbishop Peekham, in 1281, was content to order priests to explain the truths of faith four times year, but the Provincial Council of Lavour, in 1368, commanded parish priests to give instruction on all Sundays and feast days. This council also published a catechism to serve as a textbook for the clergy in giving instructions in Christian doctrine, which was followed in all the dioceses of Languedoc and Gascony. Similar manuals were published elsewhere. The Council of Trent, seeing how multitudes had fallen from the Faith through ignorance of their religion and recognizing the truth proclaimed by Gerson more than a century before, that church reform must begin with the religious instruction of the young, issued the "Catechismus ad Parochos", and decreed that throughout the Church instructions in Christian doctrine should be given on Sundays and festivals. \n\nBut the work of organizing religious instruction had already begun. In 1536 the Abbate Castellino da Castello had inaugurated a system of Sunday schools in Milan. About 1560 a wealthy Milanese nobleman, Marco de Sadis-Cusani, having established himself in Rome, was joined by a number of zealous associates, priests and laymen, pledged to instruct both children and adults in Christian doctrine. Pope Pius IV in 1562 made the church of Sant' Apollinare their central institution; but they also gave instructions in schools, in the streets and lanes, and even in private houses. The association growing, it divided into two sections: the priests formed themselves into a religious congregation, "The Fathers of Christian Doctrine", while the laymen remained in the world as "The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine". Encouragement from the Holy See was quickly forthcoming. In 1571, Pope St. Pius V, in the Brief "Ex debito pastoralis officii", bore witness to the good already accomplished, and recommended bishops to establish it in every parish. Pope Paul V, by the Brief "Ex credito nobis", in 1607, erected it into an archconfraternity, with St. Peter's, Rome as its head centre. A rescript of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, in 1686, urged its establishment wherever possible. From Rome it spread rapidly over Italy, France, and Germany. It found advocates in Cardinal Bellarmine, St. Francis of Sales, and St. Charles Borromeo; who drew up a code of rules and established it in every parish of his diocese. \n\nThe First Provincial Council of Westminster urged that its members should be used in both Sunday and day-schools, but while Sunday-schools are plentiful, the confraternity is only sparsely established in England. Lastly, in 1905 Pope Pius X strictly ordained that "in each and every parish the society commonly called the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine shall be canonically erected". If the central confraternity in a diocese is affiliated to the Archconfraternity of Santa Maria del Pianto in Rome, all others participate in all the confraternity indulgences. \n\nSimilar in scope and character to the above are the PIEUSES UNIONS DE LA DOCTRlNE CHRÉTIENNE, founded by the Dames de l'Adoration Perpetuelle at Brussels in 1851, for giving religious instruction to boys and girls. In Brussels they are found in about thirty parishes. In 1894 Leo XIII erected it into an archconfraternity for Belgium. \n\nTHE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF VOLUNTARY CATECHISTS (Oeuvre des Catéchismes) was founded to help parish priests
148160
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is in place for us to be forgiven of our sins, the priest who hears your offenses was put here by Christ himself when He gave the keys to Peter and told him "what he holds bound here on earth will also be held bound in Heaven..." the priest forgives through Christ within him.As for believing in it... I have to say I do because in general people feel better when they talk about their wrongs to get it off their chest so to speak and I think that was ingrained into us by God.
371648
" Communion <Also called the "Host", "The Eucharist", "The Mass", or "Lords Supper". Is based on a word for "thanksgiving."  The central Christian liturgical celebration; established by Jesus at the Last Supper.  In the Eucharist, the sacrificial death and Resurrection of Jesus is both remembered ("Do this in memory of me") and renewed ("This is my body, given for you").  The Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is considered the heart of the Church's life and worship, and participation in it is expected of all Catholics of the age and ability to do so."\n\nThe ability to do so is dependent on if you are a Catholic and of "Good Standing": Baptized, and received "First Communion" confession all sins.  So, if you're a Catholic and you have committed adultery, you need to confess your sins to the priest before you receive communion.  The Church asks that Catholics participate in the Eucharist once a year.  Many receive it daily, some weekly, others monthly, few yearly, and few yet ... in decades.
879059
I try to say it daily. Thanks for reminding me to get back on that. ANd no, I"ve never heard the 54 day rosary novena. Could you provide a link? I'd love to see it.
885664
I agree fully.  It's the Spiritual principle behind self-examination and the Sacrament of Confession/Absolution.  I think it's more that agreeable....I find it absolutely necessary!
1035659
The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins\n\nJames 5:16 - James clearly teaches us that we must “confess our sins to one another,” not just privately to God. James 5:16 must be read in the context of James 5:14-15, which is referring to the healing power (both physical and spiritual) of the priests of the Church. Hence, when James says “therefore” in verse 16, he must be referring to the men he was writing about in verses 14 and 15 – these men are the ordained priests of the Church, to whom we must confess our sins.\n\nActs 19:18 - many came to orally confess sins and divulge their sinful practices. Oral confession was the practice of the early Church just as it is today. \n\nMatt. 3:6; Mark 1:5 - again, this shows people confessing their sins before others as an historical practice (here to John the Baptist). \n\n1 Tim. 6:12 - this verse also refers to the historical practice of confessing both faith and sins in the presence of many witnesses. \n\n1 John 1:9 - if we confess are sins, God is faithful to us and forgives us and cleanse us. But we must confess our sins to one another. \n\nNum. 5:7 - this shows the historical practice of publicly confessing sins, and making public restitution. \n\n2 Sam. 12:14 - even though the sin is forgiven, there is punishment due for the forgiven sin. David is forgiven but his child was still taken (the consequence of his sin). \n\nNeh. 9:2-3 - the Israelites stood before the assembly and confessed sins publicly and interceded for each other. \n\nSir. 4:26 - God tells us not to be ashamed to confess our sins, and not to try to stop the current of a river. Anyone who has experienced the sacrament of reconciliation understands the import of this verse. \n\nBaruch 1:14 - again, this shows that the people made confession in the house of the Lord, before the assembly. \n\n1 John 5:16-17; Luke 12:47-48 - there is a distinction between mortal and venial sins. This has been the teaching of the Catholic Church for 2,000 years, but, today, most Protestants no longer agree that there is such a distinction. Mortal sins lead to death and must be absolved in the sacrament of reconciliation. Venial sins do not have to be confessed to a priest, but the pious Catholic practice is to do so in order to advance in our journey to holiness. \n\nMatt. 5:19 - Jesus teaches that breaking the least of commandments is venial sin (the person is still saved but is least in the kingdom), versus mortal sin (the person is not saved).
454295
During the Middle Ages. It was done to protect church owned property from passing to the wife upon the priest's death.\nThe ban on marriage is only in the Western (Roman) rite. Priests are allowed to be married in the Eastern rites of the Catholic church. Also, married Episcopal priests may convert and, of course, remain married as Catholic priests.
376569
im a Catholic..i dont know if we are thinking abt the same thing.  Communion day for Catholics is when we start going to the Sunday Mass and accept the body and blood of Christ.  We usually start having communion at the age of 7 or 8..as far as i can remember.  Well, kids can go to the Mass but do not receive this Holy Communion.  I dont know how it works in some people.  And also, sorry i cant translate to Chinese...im half Chinese but never had the chance to learn it.  Hope this helped u answer ur question.