Am I Forigven?

[Mattjolley]

I made my confession today and, whilst I recounted my sins, I genuinely forgot one and recalled it as I was walking down the street just after I’d left the church. I have read that God forgives even our forgotten sins because we did not mean to withold them. Is this true?

matt

 

[Tedster]

Yes, if you genuinely forgot to recite them. But you must remember to recite forgotten sins at your next confession.

I usually end my confessions with:

“… for these sins, all the sins of my past life, and any sins that I may have forgotten, I am truly sorry.”

Just an FYI.

 

[grandfather]

I made my confession today and, whilst I recounted my sins, I genuinely forgot one and recalled it as I was walking down the street just after I’d left the church. I have read that God forgives even our forgotten sins because we did not mean to withold them. Is this true?

matt

Yes your absolution was valid. In the Eastern Church the priest gives absolution and says for the sins you have confessed and those you can not call to mind. Try to remember to confess it soon.

 

[teachccd]

I believe that this happens to most now and then. God does not expect you to be perfect, just contrite. He already knows every sin that you committed and He was there when you unintentionally forgot to mention one. God looks into the heart which is far deeper than our forgetfulness. Now that you remembered just mention it as such and offer up the Eucharist for God’s unending mercy…teachccd

 

[KephasAugustine]

On a related note: during a recent Confession, as the priest was giving some great advice and comforting words, I remembered a sin that I had forgotten. Rather than interrupt him, I decided to let him finish. He went on for about five more minutes, and during those five minutes the sin once again slipped my mind. The next thing I knew, he was absolving me of my sins, and I hadn’t added that one last sin to what I had previously confessed. Is this the same as above, where I am absolved, but should still confess it next time, or is it different since I remembered in the confessional?

Thanks.

 

[teachccd]

Same as above…teachccd

 

[teachccd]

I think that what is of concern here is what actually takes place in the absolution. God CANNOT, by His mere essence, forgive most sins and not all. In other words, all sin is a turning away from God and mortal sin severs our relationship with Him. God either calls you back (by your contrition and reconciliation) completely or not. One cannot be partially reconciled with God. So…All sins are forgiven when one is absolved. If one were to purposely hold back a grave sin then ALL sins would be retained and not forgiven. Our reconciliation with God is all or none and that leans completely with our love for Him. That’s our free will…teachccd

 

[grandfather]

On a related note: during a recent Confession, as the priest was giving some great advice and comforting words, I remembered a sin that I had forgotten. Rather than interrupt him, I decided to let him finish. He went on for about five more minutes, and during those five minutes the sin once again slipped my mind. The next thing I knew, he was absolving me of my sins, and I hadn’t added that one last sin to what I had previously confessed. Is this the same as above, where I am absolved, but should still confess it next time, or is it different since I remembered in the confessional?

Thanks.

Sometimes we get caught up in the details of proper mechanics and lose sight of the essence of what we are doing. The most important thing to ask ourselves is are we penitent or impenitent. Forgetfulness is not concealment. Before we go to confession we are supposed to be soorry for our sins, have repented of them. Confession helps us when we are in a struggle with a particular sin. So the priest tries to give advice on how to engage in the battle. We get help with what troubles us and that is more important than getting the formulae just right. If we inadvertently forget a particular sin that could not have been what was bothering us and heavy on our consciences.