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Kristina
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
Please help me.
I am 29-years old and have been born, raised, confirmed, and married in the Catholic Church. Before I met my husband, I had converted to Islam for a year then decided I couldn't deny Christ. I got married and had children. I have told a priest that I had left the faith and wanted to come back. He said I didn't have to do anything except to make the verbal confession I gave him.
I married in the Church before I made this confession. I have also been a godparent twice in the Church after this.
I have immense amount of guilt but I do pray the Rosary.
Kind regards,
Kristina
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{
If a Catholic leaves the faith for Islam but wishes to return, is telling the priest good enough? }
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Bob replied:
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Kristina,
You have repented, you confessed, now you must forgive yourself for the past and move on.
God loves you and is very happy with you coming back to Jesus. Don't let the devil beat you up with constant reminders of the past. That's how he tries to wear us down. God is in the present, and that is where you need to stay.
Peace,
Bob Kirby
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Mike replied:
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Hi Kristina,
Thank-you for the question.
When I first read your question, it was a little unclear whether you were referring to a public confession or conversation with your priest or something mentioned in the sacrament of Confession. While my colleague Bob is correct, if you are still bothered about issues of the past, just bring them up the next time you go to the sacrament of Confession.
One of the great things about the sins or short comings we mention in Confession is we always get extra grace not to commit those specific sins we mention. Priests hear Confessions every Saturday afternoon and remember, it is not the priest absolving you, it is Jesus, through the priest who is absolving you.
As Bob said, don't let the devil beat you up with constant reminders of the past. That's how he tries to wear us down.
Once your sins are absolved, they no longer exist. I always end my Confessions by saying,
I just want to make good Holy Communions.
You can't loose with that petition : )
I applaud you on your Marian devotion. Praying the Rosary is a strong weapon in any type of warfare against the demonic.
The only time when something more may be required is if you had left the Church for a more public position in whatever other faith you joined. It would be up to the discretion of the local bishop but a public profession of faith [and/or] a recantation of previous held beliefs may be required.
Mike
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Kristina replied:
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Thank-you for the great work you do.
Jesus must be proud. It wasn't in Confession but a sit down with my priest where he said a prayer over me. I haven't received Holy Communion since because of my guilt. I feel like my sacraments don't stand anymore so I keep praying.
You are right . . . it's time to let go. Thank-you for your quick reply. Lately I've been having dreams that come true so I think that this might be God's way of letting me know He is there.
Thank-you and God bless.
Kristina
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Mike replied:
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Hi Kris,
Thank-you for the kind reply. I'm blessed to have a strong team of helpers/apologists.
You said:
It wasn't in Confession but a sit down with my priest where he said a prayer over me.
Then be confident with Bob's original answer.
You said:
I feel like my sacraments don't stand anymore.
No, No, No, my good Catholic sister. The word sacrament comes from a word which means
to swear a covenant oath.
For each one of the seven sacraments, God is swearing to do what the Church teaches that sacrament does. In each sacrament we also promise to do the best we can to uphold our end, but even when we fall, the Lord still will always upholds his end.
The sacraments are the divine dynamite of our Church. In each sacrament Jesus, the God-Man, touches our life . . . really!
If you pray the Rosary on a regular basis while renewing your Sunday Covenant at Mass and go to Confession on a regular basis, you'll be fine. The bishops if the United States recommend that Catholic families get to the sacrament of Confession on a monthly basis.
In this sex saturated culture, if you struggle in that area, go more frequently like I do, but don't be scrupulous.
Take care and if you have any further questions, just use the AskUs quick link. This will ensure everyone on the team gets your question:
https://www.AskACatholic.com/AskUs
Mike
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Kristina replied:
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Thank-you Bob and Mike for assisting me on my issue.
Just one last question . . .
- Should my Confession be heard in the sacrament of Confession or is the priest's confession good enough?
I mentioned once that I had strayed in sacrament of Confession but not to the extent of my leaving the Church.
I have been asked to be Godmother next year and I want to be ready spiritually.
God bless and thank-you all so much.
Before we know it Christmas will be here so, many blessings to you both.
Kristina
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Mike replied:
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Hi Kris,
As Bob said,
God loves you and is very happy with you coming back to Jesus.
If the priest said a prayer in the rectory over you, you are all set and can receive Holy Communion when you go to Mass. Seeing we are all human and have our weaknesses, the ordinary means to absolve future serious sin is sacramental Confession.
Though receiving Holy Communion removes any venial sin we may have, it's good to mention small, but habitual, venial sins in Confession as well.
- Does this answer your question?
Mike
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Kristina replied:
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It does.
Thank-you so much. I'm not sure what he prayed, but I'm sure it had relevance.
Thank-you so much.
Kind regards and God bless.
Kristina
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Bob replied:
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Kristina,
Here is the short if it: God, your Father, has put rings on your fingers and bells on your toes so start dancing!
No one in Islam recognizes the incredible reality that God is our Father and has adopted us as His children. Just think on that and how incredible that is and rejoice.
You are alive again; there is no room for sorrow or doubt. You have been brought out of a dark place and the shadows of that may linger, but the light that you have been given will never be taken from you again if you don't want to lose it.
Hold on tight, God has wonderful things in your future and you may bless many people.
Peace,
Bob
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