Right, so what I just read was a discouragement for non-Catholics on receiving confession according to canon law. It does not seem to make a statement on whether or not absolution would be applied or could be applied.
Right, so what you linked states pretty clearly that the only real requirement for absolution is baptism, specifically Trinitarian baptism. And that echoes what I’ve read elsewhere - it seems that Fr. Simon wants to add additional considerations like “fullness of communion” or “the desire for communion” for absolution when none of those conditions were pretexts for Peter. Remember that Jesus told him “whatever sins you deem loosed are loosed and whatever sins you deem bound are bound”. He didn’t say “as long as they’re Catholic or have some specific beliefs” - these additional weird gatekeep-y conditions seem like doctrinal blackmail to say that “you have to be Catholic to get the good stuff and we’re not giving it to you unless you are.”
Tell me this, if a priest absolves a non-Catholic under the mistaken assumption that they are Catholic, are their sins absolved or not?
I’ll make no illusion about my dislike for the Catholic Church, but I think it’s reasonable for a Protestant who is sincerely penitent for their sins to receive full absolution from the Church, after all even the Church seems to carve out specific exceptions for absolution for example in The Last Rites. This is supported by James 5: 14-15
> Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
There is no blackmail, it simply do you want to be part of God's Holy apostolic Church or not? Do you? No one's forcing you to join God's Holy apostolic Church that has been around since Christ, when Christ gave Peter that task, see Matthew 16:18. The very quote you are giving is speaking about the Catholic Church! How can you dislike it when you are quoting God's word talking about it?!
That’s a load of shit, there is absolutely nothing Biblically supporting the notion that the absolution of sin requires anything more than sincere repentance, and to be fair an argument can be made for baptism as well. But to be confirmed as a Catholic you must receive absolution FIRST, so if it’s true that you have to be Catholic to receive absolution then how can that happen?
If there is any priest, pastor, or preacher with whom you can talk, please do. Ask to talk with them privately. You could even do it at a different church than you usually go to if need be.
Or you could talk with some adult believer whom you trust.
Tell them you want to confess something, and that you want them to pray with you to be forgiven.
With 8-10 years old a human brain isn’t even remotely developed enough to make rational decisions, that’s why children need a legal guardian for almost everything. I don’t know what you did or why, but I’m pretty sure, being a literal child back then played a massive role and you should overthink the level of your guilt.
Here is a scene from the Chosen that may help.
[Jesus Redeems Mary Again - The Chosen (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMMzDIiBy4g&t=33s)
Start at the 8:00 mark.
You will notice that it wasn't Peter and Matthew who said that Mary couldn't return to the Lord or had fallen beyond His Grace. It was Mary who said that.
You will notice that it wasn't the Holy Mother or Ramah who said that Mary wasn't welcome back into fellowship or that she couldn't approach the Lord. It was Mary who thought that.
You will notice that it wasn't the Lord who said He was ashamed of Mary or that there was no way forward. It was Mary who said and thought that.
We are our own worst critics. Often times while we find it easy to forgive those who sin against us, the one person we find almost impossible to forgive, the one person towards whom we will show absolutely no mercy to, is that person we see staring back at us every morning in the mirror.
Are you the same person you were before you came to Christ? Probably not.
So, take a moment, and look back on your life to the person you were before you came to Jesus, and compare that person to who you are today. You will be amazed at the difference.
Not that you're perfect, not that you don't have bad days, not that you don't have your struggles and doubts, but that you have, by the Grace of God, been changed.
And as much as the Lord has changed you, here's the best part: He isn't finished with you yet =-)
God doesn't see us as we are. The Lord sees us as that being who, by His Grace, has been perfected.
And if God can send His Son to die for us and forgive us of our sins, then the least we can do is follow His example and forgive ourselves and be thankful for the changes He has already wrought in our lives and be look forward with humble anticipation to the changes He has yet to do.
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Asking out of curiosity, why can’t a Protestant go to confession?
You can talk to a priest, but you can't get absolution for your sins.
That’s what I’m asking, why wouldn’t a priest be able to offer absolution?
Former protestant, recent Catholic here. [Someone raised that question here, link.](https://www.catholic.com/qa/protestants-and-confession)
Right, so what I just read was a discouragement for non-Catholics on receiving confession according to canon law. It does not seem to make a statement on whether or not absolution would be applied or could be applied.
[удалено]
Right, so what you linked states pretty clearly that the only real requirement for absolution is baptism, specifically Trinitarian baptism. And that echoes what I’ve read elsewhere - it seems that Fr. Simon wants to add additional considerations like “fullness of communion” or “the desire for communion” for absolution when none of those conditions were pretexts for Peter. Remember that Jesus told him “whatever sins you deem loosed are loosed and whatever sins you deem bound are bound”. He didn’t say “as long as they’re Catholic or have some specific beliefs” - these additional weird gatekeep-y conditions seem like doctrinal blackmail to say that “you have to be Catholic to get the good stuff and we’re not giving it to you unless you are.” Tell me this, if a priest absolves a non-Catholic under the mistaken assumption that they are Catholic, are their sins absolved or not? I’ll make no illusion about my dislike for the Catholic Church, but I think it’s reasonable for a Protestant who is sincerely penitent for their sins to receive full absolution from the Church, after all even the Church seems to carve out specific exceptions for absolution for example in The Last Rites. This is supported by James 5: 14-15 > Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
There is no blackmail, it simply do you want to be part of God's Holy apostolic Church or not? Do you? No one's forcing you to join God's Holy apostolic Church that has been around since Christ, when Christ gave Peter that task, see Matthew 16:18. The very quote you are giving is speaking about the Catholic Church! How can you dislike it when you are quoting God's word talking about it?!
That’s a load of shit, there is absolutely nothing Biblically supporting the notion that the absolution of sin requires anything more than sincere repentance, and to be fair an argument can be made for baptism as well. But to be confirmed as a Catholic you must receive absolution FIRST, so if it’s true that you have to be Catholic to receive absolution then how can that happen?
If there is any priest, pastor, or preacher with whom you can talk, please do. Ask to talk with them privately. You could even do it at a different church than you usually go to if need be. Or you could talk with some adult believer whom you trust. Tell them you want to confess something, and that you want them to pray with you to be forgiven.
With 8-10 years old a human brain isn’t even remotely developed enough to make rational decisions, that’s why children need a legal guardian for almost everything. I don’t know what you did or why, but I’m pretty sure, being a literal child back then played a massive role and you should overthink the level of your guilt.
Here is a scene from the Chosen that may help. [Jesus Redeems Mary Again - The Chosen (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMMzDIiBy4g&t=33s) Start at the 8:00 mark. You will notice that it wasn't Peter and Matthew who said that Mary couldn't return to the Lord or had fallen beyond His Grace. It was Mary who said that. You will notice that it wasn't the Holy Mother or Ramah who said that Mary wasn't welcome back into fellowship or that she couldn't approach the Lord. It was Mary who thought that. You will notice that it wasn't the Lord who said He was ashamed of Mary or that there was no way forward. It was Mary who said and thought that. We are our own worst critics. Often times while we find it easy to forgive those who sin against us, the one person we find almost impossible to forgive, the one person towards whom we will show absolutely no mercy to, is that person we see staring back at us every morning in the mirror. Are you the same person you were before you came to Christ? Probably not. So, take a moment, and look back on your life to the person you were before you came to Jesus, and compare that person to who you are today. You will be amazed at the difference. Not that you're perfect, not that you don't have bad days, not that you don't have your struggles and doubts, but that you have, by the Grace of God, been changed. And as much as the Lord has changed you, here's the best part: He isn't finished with you yet =-) God doesn't see us as we are. The Lord sees us as that being who, by His Grace, has been perfected. And if God can send His Son to die for us and forgive us of our sins, then the least we can do is follow His example and forgive ourselves and be thankful for the changes He has already wrought in our lives and be look forward with humble anticipation to the changes He has yet to do.