A confession question.

[rweidn]

This may be a bit of a dumb or juvenile question, so apologies in advance.

I believe i have sins (that are probably of a mortal nature) to confess. I have confessed to God in prayer but want to confess to a priest but not my regular priest. I am truly penitant and am making efforts not to committ the same sins again. I made contact with another local church and they gave me a date to come in for confession but i couldn’t make it due to a family crisis. I then contacted them again, they gave me the regular confession time and i said i would take some time out of work on Saturday to do so. When i turned up this morning the Church was shut. I knocked on the Presbetery door and was told the Priest would not be back till later. I have work commitments and can’t get there later. Am finding this rather frustrating. It will be several weeks before i can make another Saturday confession.

So my question is if i go to confession but the Church is not open, where does my sin stand in the eyes of God. What if i drop down dead tomorrow (cheerful as ever!).

 

[DavidFilmer]

I have never heard of a priest who would not hear confessions by appointment (not just the regularly scheduled Saturday (or whenever) time for general “walk-in” confession). It would be unreasonable to expect a priest to be available “on demand” except in drastic circumstances.

Furthermore, you may confess to ANY priest. If you Parish priest is somehow unavailable, you may contact any other Parish.

I once had the strange experience of confessing to a priest who barely spoke English.

So my question is if i go to confession but the Church is not open, where does my sin stand in the eyes of God. What if i drop down dead tomorrow (cheerful as ever!).

If you make an act of perfect contrition and firmly (and truly) intend to attend Sacramental Confession at the earliest reasonable opportunity, then you’re good to go (the Grace of Sacramental Confession is imputed to you).

The problem with that is that nobody can know for sure if he has made an act of perfect contrition (which means 100% regret for offending God and 0% regret because of fear of hellfire).

 

[Gorgias]

If you make an act of perfect contrition and firmly (and truly) intend to attend Sacramental Confession at the earliest reasonable opportunity, then you’re good to go (the Grace of Sacramental Confession is imputed to you).

That’s not quite right; it’s a common error.

In saying “make an act of perfect contrition”, you’re making it sound like saying an ‘Act of Contrition’ prayer really, really fervently. That’s not the standard. Rather, one must have perfect contrition. From the Catechism:

1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is “sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.”

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance."

So, the standard is that one must be contrite and love God above all else. On the face of it, that sounds easy, doesn’t it? Yet… if you’re not in a daily prayer relationship with God; if you’re still committing venial sin; if you love someone or something greater than God… then you can’t say you have ‘perfect contrition’, can you? Oh, I admit, you can be really, really contrite – but ‘perfect contrition’ isn’t a matter of degree of contrition.

And, of course, it’s not just the intent to go to confession – one must actually follow it up with sacramental confession.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

OP: Make an appointment for Confession as soon as you can. God understands work commitments and knows your contrition so there is no need to unduly fear dying in the next day or two.

 

[pianistclare]

OP: Make an appointment for Confession as soon as you can. God understands work commitments and knows your contrition so there is no need to unduly fear dying in the next day or two.

This^^^
Be at peace and go as soon as you are able.

 

[v21337304]

God is merciful. You are doing your best to go to confession. God is not there to kill you to send you to hell. On the contrary, He is there to lead you to better pastures. Keep up your faith and good intentions and go to confession as soon as you can make it. God is with you.