Am I absolved?

[Angels_Unaware]

I went to the communal penance service at our parish this evening but I didn’t get a chance to finish listing my sins before the priest gave me absolution. I am thinking there must have been too many people in line.

I started out confessing a sin that I felt like was my most importantone to confess, and explained it and elaborated for 30 seconds to 1 minute, (it is an emotionally-based sin) and then the priest interrupted me and talked for 1-2 minutes on what to do the next time I struggle with this, (which was good advice), and then before I had the chance to confess any other sins, and there were at least four others I had thought about confessing, he gave me absolution.

Do I need to go back to confession and finish?

 

[benedictgal]

I went to the communal penance service at our parish this evening but I didn’t get a chance to finish listing my sins before the priest gave me absolution. I am thinking there must have been too many people in line.

I started out confessing a sin that I felt like was my most importantone to confess, and explained it and elaborated for 30 seconds to 1 minute, (it is an emotionally-based sin) and then the priest interrupted me and talked for 1-2 minutes on what to do the next time I struggle with this, (which was good advice), and then before I had the chance to confess any other sins, and there were at least four others I had thought about confessing, he gave me absolution.

Do I need to go back to confession and finish?

Were there any mortal sins that needed to be confessed? I think that the rushing part should not have happened. Granted, there must have been a crowd, but, a priest shouldn’t let the number of penitents dictate the speed he should use in the confessional.

I had gone to the Cathedral on Monday night for their service. I missed the service part because we were at City Council on an issue. However, when I got there, the administrator and another priest were hearing confessions and they were taking their time. Yes, the lines were long, but, each got to spend the appropriate time with the penitents.

The Circular Letter on the Integrity of the Sacrament of Penance notes that:

1. Local Ordinaries and priests, to the degree that it applies to them, have an obligation in conscience to ensure that penitents have regular and frequent scheduled opportunities for individual and integral confession of sins in all parish churches and insofar as possible in other pastoral centres.14 In addition, priests are called upon to be generous in making themselves available outside of those scheduled times to celebrate individual and integral confession whenever the faithful would reasonably ask for it.15 "Other works, for lack of time, may have to be postponed or even abandoned, but not the confessional."16

1. The Holy Father has pointed to the personal nature of sin, conversion, forgiveness and reconciliation 17 as the reason why the Rite of Reconciliation of several penitents with individual confession and absolution “demands the personal confession of sins and individual absolution”.18 Since individual and integral confession of sins is not only an obligation "but also an inviolable and inalienable right"19 of the faithful, any innovation which would interfere with their fulfillment of this obligation, such as when penitents are invited or otherwise encouraged to name just one sin or to name a representative sin, is to be eliminated.

We cannot judge why the priest did what he did. That is not for anyone on these threads to say. However, for my part, I can only provide you with the citations from this authoritative document of the Church.

You can read the document in its entirety at:

adoremus.org/6-72K.Penance.html

I hope this helps.

 

[Angels_Unaware]

Oh, I’m not upset with the priest at all, he was very nice. I just wonder if I should go back.

The sins I did not get to confess were venial excpet perhaps these- I stopped smoking a long time ago but on rare occassions I freak out under stress and buy a pack of cigarettes. I have done this since my last confession. I tend to think it is venial, though it is grave, so I am unsure. I was also tempted to look at a horoscope. This may be mortal under the category of idolatry.

 

[Allen537]

Oh, I’m not upset with the priest at all, he was very nice. I just wonder if I should go back.

The sins I did not get to confess were venial excpet perhaps these- I stopped smoking a long time ago but on rare occassions I freak out under stress and buy a pack of cigarettes. I have done this since my last confession. I tend to think it is venial, though it is grave, so I am unsure. I was also tempted to look at a horoscope. This may be mortal under the category of idolatry.

As far as the smoking, considering the addictive nature of it, and the fact that you have done it as a result of stress, I would say that it is venial at worst. Smoking in moderation is not a sin, a vice maybe, but not a sin.

And as far as being tempted to look at a horoscope, remember that being tempted to sin is no the same as sinning. You had a temptation, and you fought it off. Well done! Again, a venial sin at the worst.

And since for a confession to be valid, one must confess all mortal sins, I would say that you got the job done.

In Carmel,

Br. Allen