A Valid Confession?

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James_2_24

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I think I know the answer to this but, I’ll ask anyways just in case i’m wrong.

I went to confession a few hours ago. It was not the standard confession time, but since 3 priests and the bishop con-celebrated the Mass, I figured I’d have a good shot at “grabbing” one at the end of Mass.

I was able to get one of the priests, however, there were still many people wandering the Church after the Mass. He took me down a hall, and we stood in the middle of the hall as he heard my confession. I didn’t have much time to reflect, so I was confessing and also trying to think of what sins I may have commited. Anyway, some parishioners start making their way down towards us and Father rushes the rest of the confession, he gives the absolution really quickly and sends me on my way.

Well given the above circumstance, I didn’t really get to reflect on my sins, I didn’t finishing saying what I had to say, and I really doubt he heard clearly what I did say. Also, the absolution was fast… something like – “your sins are forgiven go in peace”

is this valid?
 
The best time for confession? I think it is difficult to stop a priest when it is not the best time or scheduled time for venial sins now if you were in the state of mortal sin and the conditions were there for confessing your sins, you examined your conscience, firm purpose of amendment, sorrow for your sins, told them to a priest and did your penance.
Then yes your sins were forgiven. You stated that you had not done the best examine but obviously you had sins you wanted to confess and did have some time.
Once the words of absolution are said and the person confessing had true sorrow for their sins the grace of the sacrament is their.
Maybe you did not have time to mention others confess them next time. Mainly make an appointment with the priest or go at a scheduled time. Always the best remedy.
 
The absolution sounds fishy. At a bare minimum the proper words are supposed to be “I absolve from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” If he didn’t say those words, or a form of them that retains the essential meaning, then the absolution wasn’t valid.
 
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dezembrum:
The absolution sounds fishy. At a bare minimum the proper words are supposed to be “I absolve from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” If he didn’t say those words, or a form of them that retains the essential meaning, then the absolution wasn’t valid.
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The assistant Pastor NEVER says that. All he says is “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.”

Are you saying that all the confessions that I had with him were invalid? Does that mean that those sins are still around and need to be re-confessed? I don’t even remember what most of them were.
 
Sir Knight:
The assistant Pastor NEVER says that. All he says is “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.”

Are you saying that all the confessions that I had with him were invalid? Does that mean that those sins are still around and need to be re-confessed? I don’t even remember what most of them were.
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I’m no priest, but from what I understand, simply saying “your sins are forgiven” is an invalid absolution. I have had this happen to me, and reconfessed the sins to a priest who used the proper form. If it were me, I would most certainly reconfess any mortal sins that were mentioned in a confession where the priest said “your sins are forgiven.”

Again, this is just my understanding. I of course have no authority to comment officially on the question. But priests who have responded to similar questions noted that there IS a difference between forgiveness and absolution (so that changing the form DOES change the essential meaning, and thus renders the sacrament invalid).
 
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