Yes, it is a "Catholic thing," at least in the sense that almost all of the elements were inherited from Catholic practice. My understanding is that Martin Luther's Large Catechism was vague on whether confession is to be considered a sacrament (whether he reduced the 7 Catholic sacraments to the two of Baptism and the Eucharist or whether "Confession and Absolution" is a third sacrament), but that Luther himself encouraged Confession while at the same time significantly modifying the theological understanding of it. The fragmentation of Lutheranism into different groups of churches has of course had the effect of making certain customs less universal.

From a Catholic point of view, of course, confession to a Lutheran minister doesn't take away sins, since the ordained priesthood through apostolic succession preserved in the Catholic and Orthodox churches (which gives continuity to Christ's gift of the power of reconciliation in John 20:22-23) was abandoned by Luther and the Reformers.

Here's an article you might find helpful, though I can't vouch for its accuracy since I'm not even remotely qualified to teach you Lutheran theology. :-)

God bless you!

- Father Shane

Don't worry; it's not an odd question. I hear similar things a lot.

First off, congratulations on taking the step towards Confession. It's one of those things that we never regret. But sure, it's not something magical that suddenly turns us into totally different people. But it is in fact a step down the road by which God transforms us... How good he has been to you!

The key is to understand that you're not forgiven on your terms. It's not up to you to "forgive yourself" or to "feel satisfied." It's God who has set the terms and who is choosing when you'll be forgiven, and he told you through the priest's words what he thinks about your situation: "By the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you..."

It's natural that our sins afflict us, even after their burden is removed by sacramental forgiveness and we have nothing more than memories of them. But if they don't bother God anymore, why should they bother you? Don't forget, though, that the game the devil is playing is to try to get you to focus so much on your past failings that you lose heart and fail to perceive God's burning love and his desire to transform you.

So when that feeling comes back, go to God! Say a little prayer in which you thank him for his forgiveness even though you'll never be worthy of it, and then ask him for his strength to keep walking down that road, whether it's through light or through shadows. Then go read something awesome about God's love -- any book that has helped you in the past, or Luke 15 if you don't have anything else handy -- and try to rediscover the person who has loved you "out of darkness into his own wonderful light."

Be inspired by Luke 7:36-50, too...

God bless you in your journey!

- Father Shane

It's normal! Even us "seasoned veterans" don't have a lot of fun unburdening ourselves in the confessional. But that's the "entering the confessional" experience. The "leaving the confessional" experience makes it all so worthwhile.

This might help as you prepare your list of things to talk about. No need for order, and the priest will be very glad to help you through everything.

Don't worry, you won't remember everything! But you don't have to. You just have to mention all the serious sins you've committed since Baptism that you can remember after an honest soul-searching, giving the priest a basic idea of how often any of them may have been repeated or become habitual.

Why so much trouble? Well, think of it as a totally clean slate in your relationship with God. Personal confessions have been an important part of that relationship with him, but you've never heard the words "I absolve you" said with sacramental certainty thanks to the power of God (see John 20:22-23), so this too will be a first!

God bless you and congratulations on such a brave and grace-filled step!

- Father Shane

I wish I could answer this better than giving vague generalities, but that's what happens when we try to understand God's decisions. His ways are not our ways. Here's the core of the answer:

If that's really true, then God will never work actively against someone's salvation. But neither will he work against their free will; otherwise they wouldn't really be free.

Trying to piece those different premises all together, we get a picture like this:

So if you simply can't get access to a priest at the hour of death but are helped to make an act of total love for God and sorrowful horror for your sins, you're technically deprived of Confession but not deprived of God's grace.

God bless you!

- Father Shane

Yes, that's the miracle of God's forgiveness! His death on the Cross is for everything. There's no sin that he doesn't want to forgive, even sins that go directly against his commandment (the 6th, by the Catholic enumeration) not to commit adultery. (Though our refusal to repent can mean that there are sins that he can't forgive... simply because we reject his forgiveness.)

You're not alone in this: "All have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God" (Romans 3:23). We're all suffering with ourselves and our past sins and our present weakness. But God's grace is far more powerful than all that. Even if we sin over and over, he treats us even better than he enjoins us to treat each other:

But sure, sin has consequences. Death, in the first place: It arose from the sin of our first parents. Unexpected babies, sometimes, in the case of adultery. (Babies aren't bad! Quite the contrary. But sometimes the timing can destroy your plans, and if parental commitment to each other isn't part of the equation, their lives can be seriously affected.) Harm to the community of believers: Every sin, no matter how hidden, has its effects. Vice can arise from repeated sins, too.

Another important consequence is that it makes it easier to commit the same sin in the future, so you have to work extra hard to avoid it. That's why it was easier for you to slip and fall a second time, wasn't it?

But God is on your side, so here's your to-do list:

God loves you!

- Father Shane

Does God listen to sinners? Of course! But in a strange sort of way. Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son? When the ungrateful and sinful son returns to his Father with no excuse whatsoever, the Father hears the first part of his confession, but it's almost as if he's not listening! The son only gets through the first half of what he had been planning to tell the Father, because the Father is saying, "Quickly bring the finest robe..." to his servants. In other words, God is so eager to forgive that he's only barely listening!

What the devil will do is the exact opposite of that... he talks and talks and talks and talks. He'll keep on telling you that you're useless, that there's no possible way that you can please God, that you're sinking deeper and deeper and that there's no way out. Lies! All lies. Don't believe him! The truth of the matter is in Psalm 23:

It's true! When you are in your darkest moments, that's when God is closest. So don't let anyone tell you differently. The more often you can make it to Confession, the more Grace can build you back up and strengthen you to avoid sin, even if you find yourself falling back again. You may be "lost," but you're not "alone"!

Have you been able to discuss your situation privately with a priest? (In Confession is the best place to do it, since you know it's under the seal of total secrecy.) Digging your way out of a habit of sin isn't easy, but it's always possible by God's grace. You're going to need to start by avoiding the opportunities and occasions in which that sin normally presents itself (a situation, a person in your life, a particular time/place). If the sin has become an addiction that's controlling you (i.e., you're really not free to say No to it), then you really need an anti-addiction strategy, which looks a little different (think in terms of AA or any twelve-step program or an accountability partner) than a normal spiritual plan.

You're right... you don't have the strength to remain sinless. (Gosh, I wish I did!) But God has Power to lift you up!

God bless you and count on my prayers for you tonight.

- Father Shane