The confession

Giuseppe Maria Crespi (Lo Spagnuolo), Saint John of Nepomuk Confessing the Queen of Bohemia, 1743

Fifty years ago, the majority of American Catholics confessed their sins regularly to a priest. But now only 2 percent of Catholics go regularly to confession, and three-quarters never go, or go less than once a year. To traditionalists, this might seem like a sign of decline in the post–Vatican II era. But according to John Cornwell, author of “The Dark Box: A Secret History of Confession,” this isn’t the first time Catholics have largely abandoned confession. The practice has evolved…

I love going to confession. Now that's something you don't hear every day. But it’s true, and it’s one of the weirdest things about me. As a general rule, the Sacrament of Reconciliation tends to freak out even the most devout Catholics. It's not that I’m really good or

The dreaded screen. Around this time of year, older Catholics like my mother talk about fulfilling their Easter Duty. By that they mean going to confession at least once a year (although just about every priest I've ever met would say we need to partake in the sacrament of reconciliation much more often). The thought of going to confession for the first time created a lot of anxiety in me despite the fact that our CCD teachers and priests did a great job explaining how important the…

Original Sin and Actual Sins (Venial and Mortal) as explained by a drawing of milk bottles. (Baltimore Catechism)

This is a priest's eye view of confession.

“Very well, my child,” says the priest, as he leads the man into the confession booth, “Tell me about your sins.” “Well, Father,” says the guy, “On Monday, I was at my girlfriend’s house, and, well… the two of us alone, the house empty… I sinned, Father.” “Don’t worry, child,” says the...

For Protestants, the most unknown aspect of Catholic devotional life is confession. Unless you’re Catholic, you cannot experience it. A Protestant can attend a Catholic baptism, confirmation, wedding, ordination, and Holy Mass; however, he cannot attend a confession or know what it’s like until he actually makes one for the first time. Now most Protestants […]