Am I being scrupulous?

[EastexCatholic]

I went to confession earlier today and while I was in the confessional, I was giving details of a past sin. I had told the priest that I had addressed this sin 2 times before with 2 different priests. One of which was the priest in the confessional; however, I didn’t tell him that. Did I sin? Or am I being scrupulous about this? Thank you for responses

 

[dshix]

I went to confession earlier today and while I was in the confessional, I was giving details of a past sin. I had told the priest that I had addressed this sin 2 times before with 2 different priests. One of which was the priest in the confessional; however, I didn’t tell him that. Did I sin? Or am I being scrupulous about this? Thank you for responses

Scrupulous. The priest doesn’t need to know that he was one of the priests for the gravity of the sin to be put across. It would have actually been a distraction to the priest had he known that, and would not have helped anything at all.

You made a good confession.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

Sounds like you gave the right amount of info (possibly even more than needed). They really just need to know the sin, not a pile of background on it. However, explaining that it is a repeat sin can help them give you guidance.

 

[Mike30]

I went to confession earlier today and while I was in the confessional, I was giving details of a past sin. I had told the priest that I had addressed this sin 2 times before with 2 different priests. One of which was the priest in the confessional; however, I didn’t tell him that. Did I sin? Or am I being scrupulous about this? Thank you for responses

You didn’t sin and it does sound like you are being scrupulous at least from the facts given.

I’ll relate a story concerning Saint Mary Margaret Alacoque, who had a vision of Jesus Christ which started the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was rebuffed by just about everyone, the other nuns in her convent, her mother superior, just about everybody. She told her confessor, a Jesuit Priest about the visions and he told her to ask the vision what the last mortal sin she had confessed had been. She did so, and Jesus is said to have told her that he didn’t know. As soon as he forgave a sin, he forgot it, like it had never happened. She told this to the Priest and he believed her as it was the proper answer.

So if your sins are forgotten by Jesus after being forgiven why bring them up over and over again in the confessional?

Take care my friend and don’t worry so much. You’ll be fine.

 

[OraLabora]

However, explaining that it is a repeat sin can help them give you guidance.

Indeed and in fact I would recommend that one mention it to the confessor if a sin is habitual, particularly if you return to the same confessor regularly. Then follow his advice if he says that given the circumstances your culpability is reduced and it’s not mortal, even though you think it’s a mortal sin. Being scrupulous can also lead to despair. That’s a trap one wants to avoid. A good confessor will work with you on that but it’s important to follow his advice.

 

[Vico]

I went to confession earlier today and while I was in the confessional, I was giving details of a past sin. I had told the priest that I had addressed this sin 2 times before with 2 different priests. One of which was the priest in the confessional; however, I didn’t tell him that. Did I sin? Or am I being scrupulous about this? Thank you for responses

Two extremes doubting our salvation and rash expectation of our salvation are both united in self-will:

**Baltimore Catechism No. 3

**Q. 831. What are the signs of scruples and the remedy against them?
A. The signs of scruples are chiefly:

1. 
   *]To be always dissatisfied with our confessions;
   *]To be self-willed in deciding what is sinful and what is not. The chief remedy against them [scruples] is to follow exactly the advice of the confessor without questioning the reason or utility of his advice.
   
   Q. 1183. What is presumption?
   A. Presumption is a rash expectation of salvation without making proper use of the necessary means to obtain it.
   Q. 1184. How may we be guilty of presumption?
   A. We may be guilty of presumption:
   1. 
      *]By putting off confession when in a state of mortal sin;
      *]By delaying the amendment of our lives and repentance for past sins;
      *]By being indifferent about the number of times we yield to any temptation after we have once yielded and broken our resolution to resist it;
      *]By thinking we can avoid sin without avoiding its near occasion;
      *]By relying too much on ourselves and neglecting to follow the advice of our confessor in regard to the sins we confess.
      
      **Q. 746. What faults are to be avoided in making our confession? **
      A. In making our confession we are to avoid:1. Telling useless details, the sins of others, or the name of any person;
      2. Confessing sins we are not sure of having committed; exaggerating our sins or their number; multiplying the number of times a day by the number of days to get the exact number of habitual sins;
      3. Giving a vague answer, such as “sometimes,” when asked how often; waiting after each sin to be asked for the next;
      4. Hesitating over sins through pretended modesty and thus delaying the priests and others; telling the exact words in each when we have committed several sins of the same kind, cursing, for example; and, lastly, leaving the confessional before the priest gives us a sign to go.