A question about penance

[absitinvidia]

As a new convert (I came into the Church this Easter), there are some things I am a little fuzzy on, and I ran into one of those things today immediately after confession. Maybe someone here could shed some light on the situation for me.

First, a little background. I went to confession after work, having had very little sleep the night before, and was pretty tired. For my penance, I was told to pray three prayers, the third of which was the Our Father, the second of which the priest referred to as the “I believe in God” (which I took to be the Apostle’s Creed, having never heard it referred to in that way though) and the first of which I could not remember once I knelt to pray. I simply could not remember the very first one he told me to pray. I have never had that happen before. And I didn’t have the chance to go back in and ask.

So I prayed the ones I could remember, and by the time I was done, still couldn’t remember what the other was supposed to be. Common sense told me that it was also one I would have memorized, so I went through a list of other prayers I knew, like the Glory Be (which I want to say is the one he said), praying them to cover my bases. I even opened up my missal to recite acts of faith, hope, etc.

My question, given that this was not purposely neglecting or postponing penance for so long that I forgot what I was supposed to do, is: Was this sacrament still valid today? There was contrition, confession, absolution, and a sincere attempt at the given penance. I trust greatly in the mercy of God, and would like to believe that doing my best kept it valid. But if it was not, do I need to go through the whole thing again or can he or another priest just assign another penance?

Thanks

 

[LilyM]

Absolution is in fact not dependent on performing the penance. You were absolved the moment the priest pronounced the words ‘I absolve you …’

Although if one deliberately doesn’t do the penance, when able, one commits a fresh sin that needs to be mentioned at the next confession. But one is still forgiven of all previous confessed sins.

Since you genuinely couldn’t remember, through no fault of your own, and made every possible genuine effort to recall as well as fulfil the penance, you can rest easy.

Brings to mind one time when I was a bit distracted when recalling my sins - thought I might’ve forgotten one. So much so that I in fact didn’t hear what the penance was afterward and had to ask the priest to repeat it!

In future, perhaps repeat to yourself what the penance is a few times (silently) as you leave the confessional, to fix it in your memory.

 

[Church_Militant]

As a new convert (I came into the Church this Easter), there are some things I am a little fuzzy on, and I ran into one of those things today immediately after confession. Maybe someone here could shed some light on the situation for me.

First, a little background. I went to confession after work, having had very little sleep the night before, and was pretty tired. For my penance, I was told to pray three prayers, the third of which was the Our Father, the second of which the priest referred to as the “I believe in God” (which I took to be the Apostle’s Creed, having never heard it referred to in that way though) and the first of which I could not remember once I knelt to pray. I simply could not remember the very first one he told me to pray. I have never had that happen before. And I didn’t have the chance to go back in and ask.

So I prayed the ones I could remember, and by the time I was done, still couldn’t remember what the other was supposed to be. Common sense told me that it was also one I would have memorized, so I went through a list of other prayers I knew, like the Glory Be (which I want to say is the one he said), praying them to cover my bases. I even opened up my missal to recite acts of faith, hope, etc.

My question, given that this was not purposely neglecting or postponing penance for so long that I forgot what I was supposed to do, is: Was this sacrament still valid today? There was contrition, confession, absolution, and a sincere attempt at the given penance. I trust greatly in the mercy of God, and would like to believe that doing my best kept it valid. But if it was not, do I need to go through the whole thing again or can he or another priest just assign another penance?

Thanks

Since it was unintentional it isn’t a problem. Our Lord understands us and knows our hearts. As He said in Gethsemane, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

 

[absitinvidia]

Thank you both for answering. You have helped to clear away the fog of uncertainty! Again, thank you.