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Amber Crosby wrote:

Hi, guys —

This is a long story, but I'll try to keep it as brief as possible while not leaving too much out.

I was raised Catholic. I went to church every Sunday with my grandfather, went to Catechism as a child, was baptized, and had my First Communion ─ the whole shebang. My grandfather had an insanely sensitive nose and soon refused to go to church or take me because the perfume and cologne worn by the men and women in the church bothered his nose to the degree that his eyes would get red and watery after only a few minutes. This was all before 2010. I never returned to the Church, even after getting my license. I was ashamed of how long I had spent away and was afraid to go back.

In 2020, my grandfather, who had been diagnosed with leukemia the year before, passed away after a hard-fought battle. In my grief and without religious counseling, I fell into worshipping other deities and became addicted to drugs. I almost died twice and am still dealing with the legal ramifications of my actions.

After I managed to clean up my act, I wanted to return to church, but I find myself overshadowed by that same fear and shame. I know I want to go back and be a part of the church again. So here is what I need to know:

  • Will I be accepted back due to the severity of my sins?
  • Will I need to be baptized again and pass Catechism classes to be able to accept the Eucharist again?
  • Will I ever be forgiven in the eyes of God again?

I'm so scared and confused. I just want to know if there is hope for me.

Thank you.

Amber Crosby

  { Will I be accepted back to the Church despite the severity of my sins and what's needed to receive the Eucharist again? }

Eric replied:

Dear Amber,

Yes, absolutely!

That's what the parable of the Prodigal Son (or daughter!) is all about (Luke 15:11-24).

The Father is already waiting eagerly for you to return! All you need to do is to schedule the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) with a local priest and confess what you've done. I know you feel shame, but there is nothing you can confess that the priest hasn't already heard before. Imagine if you had an embarrassing medical condition.

  • Would you hide it from your physician out of shame or expose it to him so you could be healed?

So it is with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You need to be healed by the Divine Physician. It might feel embarrassing for a short time to disclose what you've done to the priest, but I guarantee you that the fruits of it will be worth it.

It's important to be honest and complete in what you confess to Him and not be afraid. The fear you are feeling comes straight from the Devil, who wants to put every obstacle in your path to the sacrament of Confession. Do not be afraid; God is loving and merciful toward those who turn toward Him and ask for His Mercy. You cannot be healed of what you do not confess. If you do not know what to do, simply ask the priest to guide you. 

Once you've confessed your sins, you can resume receiving Communion. You do not need to be rebaptized or go through any other ceremony, although if you haven't been confirmed, you will probably want to do that at some point, and that will probably involve some remedial education.

God loves you more than you can ever ask or imagine and is calling you with open arms! There is nothing, not anything, you've done that cannot be forgiven.

Welcome home!

Eric

Mike replied:

Dear Amber,

I can't add to Eric's fine answer but you may find these hidden sources on my site helpful and encouraging in your journey back home to the Church. Scanning down the left navigation bar of each page may be helpful.

Also to remember to check our popular questions areas:

Mike

Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
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