Can non-Catholics go to confession?

As a rule, no: the sacrament of Confession is for baptized Catholics. There are two exceptions in Church law. Orthodox and other Eastern Christians may ask for it and receive it, and other baptized Christians may receive it in danger of death or another grave need, if they can't reach their own minister and share the Catholic faith about the sacrament. Anyone at all can still talk with a priest and ask for his blessing.

Why is Confession only for Catholics?

Confession is one of the seven sacraments, and the sacraments belong together. Baptism is the door to all the others. Someone who has not been baptized cannot validly receive any other sacrament (Code of Canon Law, can. 842 §1). So a person who has never been baptized cannot receive absolution, however sincere they are.

For baptized Christians of other churches, the reason is different. The sacraments are signs of a shared faith and a shared life in the Church. Receiving them normally goes with full communion with the Catholic Church. That's why Catholic priests give the sacraments to Catholics, and why the exceptions below are written carefully.

None of this is a judgment on you. It describes what the sacrament is, not how welcome you are.

Can Orthodox Christians go to confession in a Catholic church?

Yes. Church law allows a Catholic priest to hear the confession of members of the Eastern churches that are not in full communion with Rome, such as the Orthodox churches, when they ask for it on their own and are properly disposed (can. 844 §3). The same applies to other churches that the Holy See judges to be in the same position regarding the sacraments.

The reason is that these churches have true sacraments and a true priesthood. They believe, as Catholics do, that Christ forgives sins through the priest in Confession. If you're Orthodox and far from your own parish, you can ask a Catholic priest.

Your own Church may have its own guidance about receiving sacraments from Catholic priests. It's good to respect it and, if you can, ask your own priest first.

What about Protestants and other baptized Christians?

Here the exception is narrower. Church law allows a Catholic priest to give Confession, Communion and the Anointing of the Sick to other baptized Christians when all of these are true (can. 844 §4):

• There is danger of death, or another grave necessity as judged by the diocesan bishop or the bishops' conference.
• The person cannot reach a minister of their own community.
• They ask for it on their own.
• They share the Catholic faith about the sacrament: that Christ forgives sins through the priest's absolution.
• They are properly disposed: sorry for their sins and meaning to change.

In practice, this most often comes up in a hospital. A baptized Christian who is very ill, with no pastor of their own nearby, asks the Catholic chaplain to hear their confession. The priest can do so.

Outside situations like that, a Protestant who walks into a confessional on a Saturday afternoon will not usually receive absolution. That doesn't mean you'll be turned away.

What can a non-Catholic ask a priest for?

More than you might think.

• A conversation. You can tell a priest what weighs on you and ask for advice. Many priests are glad to listen, inside or outside the confessional. If you go into the confessional, just start by saying you're not Catholic.
• A blessing. Any priest can bless you. It's common for non-Catholics, and for Catholics who can't receive absolution yet, to ask for one.
• Prayer. Ask him to pray for you, or to pray with you right there.
• A next step. If you're curious about becoming Catholic, he can tell you how it works in his parish.

Telling God you're sorry doesn't need a sacrament either. You can do it tonight, in your own words. An Act of Contrition is one way to put it.

Some other churches also have their own forms of confession. Anglican and Lutheran churches, for example, have rites of private confession with a priest or pastor, and Orthodox Christians have confession in their own churches.

What if I'm becoming Catholic?

Then Confession is very close. How it fits depends on whether you've been baptized.

If you've never been baptized

You won't make a confession before you're received. Baptism itself forgives all sins, original sin and every personal sin, along with all punishment due to sin (CCC 1263). You come up out of the water completely clean. Your first confession comes later, as a Catholic, whenever you need it.

If you were baptized in another Christian church

Your baptism is usually recognized, so you won't be baptized again. Instead you'll be received into full communion, often at the Easter Vigil. Before that, on a separate day, you'll usually make your first confession. The rite of reception asks you to, following your own conscience (RCIA 482), and if you're aware of serious sin it's how you come to your first Communion in a state of grace. It's a big step, and parishes help you prepare for it. Our guide to first confession as an adult walks through it.

Both paths normally run through OCIA (formerly RCIA), the parish program for adults becoming Catholic. You can read what to expect in OCIA, or just call a parish office and say you'd like to learn more.

What if I was baptized Catholic but never practiced?

Then you are Catholic, and Confession is for you. It doesn't matter if you were baptized as a baby and never went to Mass again, or if you've spent years in another church. You can go to any Catholic priest and confess. If it's been a long time, tell him so at the start. Our guide to going back to confession after years covers what to say.

If you were baptized Catholic but never made a first Communion or Confirmation, a parish can also help you complete those.

If you're not sure where you stand

Ask. A priest would much rather answer the question than have you stay away out of worry. Call a parish office, or wait after Mass and say, "Father, I'm not Catholic, but I'd like to talk." That sentence is enough to start with, and you'll be treated kindly.