Absolution

[BrooklynBoy200]

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

 

[dumspirospero]

It helps them determine what you are struggling with the most, which will influence the decision they make on what type of penance you receive and they may offer suggestions outside of penance to help you with whatever sins you are struggling with. For instance, I told a priest once in confession that I had been consuming way too much alcohol on a very frequent basis…this led to him telling me for a penance, that I had to attend X amount of AA meetings…which was a good penance, because it made me face the fact that I could have an alcohol abuse problem…if I simply went in there and told him I drank too much and implied it was only one occasion by omitting the fact that it happened several times, he wouldn’t have been aware that I possibly had an alcohol dependency problem. That is just one small example as to why it is important to confess frequency and severity of sins…

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

 

[Joan_M]

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

Bause Jesus told the Apostles “whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. Whose sins you retain, they are retained.” To be able to determine if they should forgive or retain, they need to hear what the sins are, in sufficient detail.

Why would they retain (refuse absolution)? Well, there are sins that require a change of life - e.g. you stole a TV from a store. You must make restitution. If you refuse to make restitution, you will be refused absolution.

You confess shacking up and regular fornication. You will need to promise to stop fornicating and to separate, or you will be refused absolution.

The priest must know what sins you have committed and have reasonable assurance of your “firm purpose of amendment” as well as contrition. A purpose of amendment means that you have decided to change your ways and, if necessary, make restitution. Without these you cannot receive absolution.

 

[Cristiano]

Why would they retain (refuse absolution)? Well, there are sins that require a change of life - e.g. you stole a TV from a store. You must make restitution. If you refuse to make restitution, you will be refused absolution.

I do not believe that to be true. I do not think that the priest is allowed to force you to do that. Your contrition and firm intention not to repeat the sin are necessary for absolution, restitution is a good proof of it but it is left to the penitent. To make an extreme case you would say that a priest might not absolve a person from a murder until he turns himself in.

 

[teachccd]

I was wondering why priests need details for confession. There is only on absolution right? there isn’t a differant one for gluttony, greed, anger, etc. So why would they ever need details to give us absolution? Why can’t we just go in the confessional, tell them we sinned, get absolution, then leave? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t i’m just curious. I’ve heard people say that the priest will say if he needs more information, etc, and i was just wondering why they would.

And then there are those times when we downgrade the seriousness of our sins or think that we are in the state of mortal sin when in actuality we are not. Many scrupulous people fall into this. So as Joan M stated in her post and this thought we need to state our sins. Remember though that the priest doesn’t need the nitty gritty details unless they add to the gravity of the sin. God Bless You

 

[Joan_M]

I do not believe that to be true. I do not think that the priest is allowed to force you to do that. Your contrition and firm intention not to repeat the sin are necessary for absolution, restitution is a good proof of it but it is left to the penitent. To make an extreme case you would say that a priest might not absolve a person from a murder until he turns himself in.

You are wrong. If you steal goods or money, you are required to make restitution - maybe not immediately, but must commit to doing so - or you cannot be absolved. Also, if you commit the sin of telling lies about someone that are damaging to his or her reputation, you must also make restitution by at least telling those to whom you told the lies that they were lies.

This is totally different from insisting a murderer turn himself in. While stealing is also a crime, restitution is what is required, not going to the police and admiting the crime. You are required to return the goods or it’s equivalent in money, and, if it is not possible to make restitution to the person or company from which you stole, then you must make the restitution to a charity. It could take you a while to do this. You would be given absolution on your agreement to make restitution, but if after having agreed to do so, you decided not to make restitution, without a very good reason, your absolution would be invalid.

 

[Usagi]

Hmm. Can a priest not require a penitent whose sin is a crime to turn him/herself in as a condition of absolution?

I’m newly registered, but have been lurking on the forums for awhile, and I could have sworn I saw just the opposite suggested in another thread. At the time, it struck me as the perfect resolution to the old “Oh, dear, the criminal has confessed and I can’t tell anyone” dilemma.

Usagi

 

[netmilsmom]

You are wrong. If you steal goods or money, you are required to make restitution - maybe not immediately, but must commit to doing so - or you cannot be absolved. Also, if you commit the sin of telling lies about someone that are damaging to his or her reputation, you must also make restitution by at least telling those to whom you told the lies that they were lies.

This is totally different from insisting a murderer turn himself in. While stealing is also a crime, restitution is what is required, not going to the police and admiting the crime. You are required to return the goods or it’s equivalent in money, and, if it is not possible to make restitution to the person or company from which you stole, then you must make the restitution to a charity. It could take you a while to do this. You would be given absolution on your agreement to make restitution, but if after having agreed to do so, you decided not to make restitution, without a very good reason, your absolution would be invalid.

Do you have a reference for this?
I’m not being snippy, I’m asking because I have let the priest lead confessions and ask when he wants more information.

 

[Sir_Knight]

A person’s forgiveness is NOT dependent on a person carrying out the penance given to them. A person’s forgiveness is dependent on that person being truly sorry for their sins and receiving absolution. The absolution can NOT be conditional – you are forgiven IF you do this.

Now, if a person is really sorry for stealing a TV set and is given the penance of returning it and does not do that, then how sorry are they. Then, the sin would not be forgiven NOT because they failed to perform the penance but because they weren’t truly sorry.

I know that it may SOUND like the same thing but there is a big difference.

 

[BibleReader700]

I have two more confession questions i didn’t want to make whole new things for:

1. My church office isn’t open on weekends, and i need a general confession, so i’m waiting until monday to call the church, then i probably won’t go until saturday, when the priest is there to do a confession. So if i die in the between now and saturday, will i go to hell? Because i fully intend to go and everything.
2. Do i have to be mournful or something between now and my next confession? Or am i still allowed to have fun and go out with friends and everything? Thanks.

 

[Cristiano]

I have two more confession questions i didn’t want to make whole new things for:

1. My church office isn’t open on weekends, and i need a general confession, so i’m waiting until monday to call the church, then i probably won’t go until saturday, when the priest is there to do a confession. So if i die in the between now and saturday, will i go to hell? Because i fully intend to go and everything.
2. Do i have to be mournful or something between now and my next confession? Or am i still allowed to have fun and go out with friends and everything? Thanks.

1- No you will not go the hell if you are truly sorry of your sin because it offended God, and if you truly intend to go to confession.

2- Being sorry for your sins does ot mean that you are not to have fun. It means that while you wait for confession and even after you have to find a way to change the behaviors that lead you to sin.

 

[Rykell]

CCC: 2412 In virtue of commutative justice, reparation for injustice committed requires the restitution of stolen goods to their owner:

Jesus blesses Zacchaeus for his pledge: “If I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” Those who, directly or indirectly, have taken possession of the goods of another, are obliged to make restitution of them, or to return the equivalent in kind or in money, if the goods have disappeared, as well as the profit or advantages their owner would have legitimately obtained from them. Likewise, all who in some manner have taken part in a theft or who have knowingly benefited from it - for example, those who ordered it, assisted in it, or received the stolen goods - are obliged to make restitution in proportion to their responsibility and to their share of what was stolen.

In the matter of slander, restitution is also required to repair the good name of the person slandered, and all those to whom the lie is told. The horrific problem is that no one knows how far the damage spreads, because the person who listens to it may have repeated it. This is a most serious sin.

 

[mercygate]

I have two more confession questions i didn’t want to make whole new things for:

1. My church office isn’t open on weekends, and i need a general confession, so i’m waiting until monday to call the church, then i probably won’t go until saturday, when the priest is there to do a confession. So if i die in the between now and saturday, will i go to hell? Because i fully intend to go and everything.
2. Do i have to be mournful or something between now and my next confession? Or am i still allowed to have fun and go out with friends and everything? Thanks.

BibleReader, what do you mean by “general confession?” In the Catholic world, this usually means confession of the sins of your whole life. You sound like you mean something different from that.

 

[mercygate]

Brooklyn,

Let me guess: you don’t want to say the word (and we all know what it is) in your confession.

Suck it up. Part of the sacrament is having the humility go get past your own humiliation. This is a REALLY terrific thing. Once you face up to it, you’ll see why.

God love you!

 

[BibleReader700]

BibleReader, what do you mean by “general confession?” In the Catholic world, this usually means confession of the sins of your whole life. You sound like you mean something different from that.

No thats what i meant. How did i make it sound different?

 

[BibleReader700]

Is it possible to schedule a general confession, but ask the priest to go into the confessional while i’m confessing?

I don’t mean like an anonomous confession, because i wouldn’t be able to properly explain my sins unless he knew who i was, but just to help me with nerves? It would be easier for me i think if i couldn’t see him while confessing. Is he required to go in if i ask him, or does it just depend if he feels like it?

 

[Sir_Knight]

You have the RIGHT to confess your sins behind the screen. According to Catholic Church Canon Law § 964.2, that is an option that MUST be given to you.

 

[Joan_M]

A person’s forgiveness is NOT dependent on a person carrying out the penance given to them. A person’s forgiveness is dependent on that person being truly sorry for their sins and receiving absolution. The absolution can NOT be conditional – you are forgiven IF you do this.

Now, if a person is really sorry for stealing a TV set and is given the penance of returning it and does not do that, then how sorry are they. Then, the sin would not be forgiven NOT because they failed to perform the penance but because they weren’t truly sorry.

I know that it may SOUND like the same thing but there is a big difference.

Making restitution is not penance. It is a requirement for absolution. In the case of stealing - whether goods or someone’s reputation - you must make restitution to receive absolution.

 

[Joan_M]

A person’s forgiveness is NOT dependent on a person carrying out the penance given to them. A person’s forgiveness is dependent on that person being truly sorry for their sins and receiving absolution. The absolution can NOT be conditional – you are forgiven IF you do this.

Now, if a person is really sorry for stealing a TV set and is given the penance of returning it and does not do that, then how sorry are they. Then, the sin would not be forgiven NOT because they failed to perform the penance but because they weren’t truly sorry.

I know that it may SOUND like the same thing but there is a big difference.

Making restitution is not penance. It is a requirement for absolution. In the case of stealing - whether goods or someone’s reputation - you must make restitution to receive absolution. Once again - it is not a part of the penance!

 

[Sir_Knight]

Making restitution is not penance. It is a requirement for absolution. In the case of stealing - whether goods or someone’s reputation - you must make restitution to receive absolution. Once again - it is not a part of the penance!

Can you provide documentation for this? It has been said here on these forums many times that absolution is not dependent on any action understaken by the person – when they walk out of confession, their sins are either forgiven or retained … they are not forgiven based on certain conditions.

Again, can you provide references for this?