[markomalley]

Do you affirm to them that you screwed up and that you do not endorse the sin? If so you are repentant and do not need to be shunned. Perhaps counseled and/or exhorted if you involved other congregants.

In my church, the sacrament of confession is a private thing. In fact, if the man hearing the confession dared breath a word of it in public, even to the person who confessed the sin, that man would be immediately removed from the clergy.

A public confession of sins is not a requirement in my church. Nor should it be.

[tioga]

I believe I belong to the same church........but then again so does Ted Kennedy.

[ResponseAbility]

Then how does the congregation know that you screwed up?