A Scrupulous Problem

[S_V7]

I went to confession the other day and debated wether to confess some unsure sins, to be safe, i confessed them anyway. As I was confessing these doubtful sins I fear I may have given the preist a wrong idea about them. Because the doubtful sins was rather embarassing i said it, and then made a gesture that was true, but minimized the embarassing nature of the doubtful sin.

Now I’m unsure about the validity of my confession and am quite a bit nervous. To top it off, today’s homily was about taking the Eucharist in a clear consience. The thing is, I have a hard time telling the difference between my consience and my scrupulosity. I took the Eucharist anyway, figuring it was my scrupulosity, which now makes anxious. I’m hoping to return to confession next week, but I’m not even sure what to say, I justt hope to clear my scrupules and be right with God.

I keep reminding myself about the 10 commandments for the scrupulus but I can’t help imagining the horror of dying and finding out that my sins were actual and condeming, and there go my scrupules again…

 

[pigtown]

From what you have written, it sounds as though you made a good confession. You confessed your sins, probably the best way you could, and now you are wondering if the priest got the wrong idea. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. After all, it’s not the priest who forgives you, but Christ. You did not try to hold anything back. I’d let it go. If you really can’t do that, then you might feel better if you talk to a priest and ask his advice.
Relax.

 

[Alda]

I went to confession the other day and debated wether to confess some unsure sins, to be safe, i confessed them anyway. As I was confessing these doubtful sins I fear I may have given the preist a wrong idea about them. Because the doubtful sins was rather embarassing i said it, and then made a gesture that was true, but minimized the embarassing nature of the doubtful sin.

Now I’m unsure about the validity of my confession and am quite a bit nervous. To top it off, today’s homily was about taking the Eucharist in a clear consience. The thing is, I have a hard time telling the difference between my consience and my scrupulosity. I took the Eucharist anyway, figuring it was my scrupulosity, which now makes anxious. I’m hoping to return to confession next week, but I’m not even sure what to say, I justt hope to clear my scrupules and be right with God.

I keep reminding myself about the 10 commandments for the scrupulus but I can’t help imagining the horror of dying and finding out that my sins were actual and condeming, and there go my scrupules again…

Oh, I so feel for you. I have almost the identical same problem. I suffer with scruples also and often feel I can’t trust my own conscience because of the scrupulosity.
I had a confession after many years of being away from the Church. I wanted to confess a number of sins such as pre-marital sex and masturbation. I confessed fornication because I believed at the time that sin covered all that I wanted to confess without going into embarassing detail. (I am a woman and I just found it too embarassing to go into details.) I have since found out that I was wrong in thinking this.

However, I try to just trust in God and understand that my intention at the time was to confess and indeed I thought I was doing so. I have continued to take the Eucharist also out of a love for my Lord and a sincere hope that I am in a state of Grace. Maybe some will tell me I am in error. That is fine and I welcome advice. When ones judgement is clouded by scrupulosity it is so hard to know the right thing to do. In general, I try to bear in mind that if I had committed a mortal sin surely there could be no doubt in my mind. If there is doubt, then can it be a mortal sin?

Just my :twocents: .

 

[ThatGuy]

I think you did the right thing. Doubtful sins are never mortal- never the kind that prevent you from recieving communion. Going to take communion agaisnt your doubts was actualy a healthy choice. We will never die to find out that all along we were in a state of sin without knowing it- the requirement of full knowledge/conset makes that impossible. Trying to read a letter from Scrupulous Anonymous at least once a day can help you a whole lot- it has certainly helped me.