Need help with novel about Catholicism

I’m writing a novel and I’m finding it difficult to get the answers to the questions I have.

Basically, my main character is a ten year old boy that has chosen to devote his life to the Church.

Since he hasn’t had a 1st Confession, is it normal for him to be able to do it on a regular weekday, or is he supposed to wait for a time when other children are doing their 1st Confession?

If the priest knows him personally, does he address him personally or put up the facade of anonymity?

In line with the previous question, if the priest knows for certain that this character isn’t admitting all of his sins, what does he say or do?

If the character does eventually admit he took satisfaction from his father’s early death, what penance would he get for that and for not immediately admitting it?

Any responses would be appreciated

 

Ten years old is a bit young for him to become a confirmed Catholic, they prefer pubescent alter boys. Catholics go through "confirmation" studies and indoctrination to ensure they comprehend the basic Catholic dogma. Its nice to know if the people sitting in the pews know what the hell you're talking about, but in the middle ages that's what the statues and artwork were for, but sitting in church was sometimes the only entertainment. It can be a good place to meet women or do business depending on the religion. Walmart is the new place, while nobody goes to the malls anymore.

 

Hmmm.. I’ve heard they can be as young as eight years old. This part of the story takes place in 1980; does that change anything?

 

They can be young, but the Catholic church has had endless scandals with priests due to their refusal to allow priests to marry. The church has one foot in the third world, attempting to remain authoritarian and fundamentalist for the peasants, while being more liberal and intellectual in the developed world, and its like a split personality. The current pope is proof that the Catholic church recognizes the need for change, but how much it will help is anyone's guess.

 

i swear i already answered this thread...

confirmation is not the same thing as confession. the catholic church has i think seven sacraments. typically baptism is the first, usually occurring during infancy. then first confession is in second grade, followed a few months later by first communion. confirmation is usually around jr high age. then as an adult you have marriage and last rites. maybe there's another one i'm forgetting, or maybe there's only six. becoming a priest might be one?

 

There's two of them...

 

James Mitchener wrote historical novels about places like Hawaii and Alaska, and hired history students to do his research. Maybe you can find people who want to write about Catholics and actually know what they're talking about.

 

Holy Orders.

 

^ thanks, i thought that seemed right but i wasn't super confident.

are you implying that something i said wasn't accurate?

 

Quite the contrary, that you could possibly get a job.

 

ah, well then you're giving me too much credit. i've already posted most everything that i remember.

but, i might be able to BS enough to get one paycheck anyway.

 

But it sounds like you know how to do research, and that's the issue. For ten years I surveyed people only to discover none of them knew the dictionary merely contains popular definitions, while almost all of them more or less called me a liar, but not one of them took me up on my suggestion to read a dictionary and find out for themselves. None of them knew the simple distinction between a lynch mob and a democracy either, so I always tell people it obviously doesn't matter.

 

yeah, i actually do. i've gotten some very nice comments on research papers back in school, and it's also been a useful skill professionally.

but i do have to admit that my answer in this thread was 100% based on being raised catholic and just picking shit up over the years.

 

I was raised catholic as well, but even a lot of catholics can't describe their religion that well.