Ambiguities and Confession

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CrossofChrist

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To what extent can one be ambiguous in their Confession?

Obviously not something to strive for, but I was wondering because before the last couple months I had sometimes been ambiguous in my Confessions. For instance, once when I was confessing a certain sin ambiguously the priest didn’t ask for clarification, but the next time when I said the same thing he did (same priest). So did the priest really understand what I was confessing originally? Perhaps, and because he didn’t ask for clarification I’ll assume he did at the time. But I suppose this just goes to show that being ambiguous is generally not good?

Just unloading some thoughts and ?'s. :cool::yukonjoe:
 
For mortal sin - one must confess number and kind (and that which changes the kind -like the gold cup you stole was a chalice!).

For venial one is at liberty to confess or not confess and one needs no numbers and can be more general.
 
For example one cannot say “I did a sexual sin” or “I did a sin against the 6th commandment” one needs to say something like -I accuse myself of fornication 2x

Though one need not use the “technical term” --but one needs to get across the species (kind) involved.
 
Now lets say I stole a Chalice and did not realize I needed to say that and just said “I stole” - but I was seeking to make a good confession and trying to confess all mortal sins as I ought. Such can be “valid” (and the absolution removed the sin) due to my honestly thinking I was doing all I needed to do. But since I have realized this --in the next confession I need to confess such was the case (that I stole a chalice from the Church) (and I need to return it of course).
 
CrossofChrist said:
Perhaps, and because he didn’t ask for clarification I’ll assume he did at the time.
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Depends on what you actually said (no need for confession here…;))

While it is true that a Priest can “ask” more if he needs it and often will-he can only do so if he knows he needs to - if someone said “I stole” without further ado he might have on a Saturday afternoon assumed it was something venial. Or is someone says “I lied” but does not specify it was UNDER OATH in court he is going to assume it was venial.

Hence confession (without getting scrupulous) is exactly that -“confession”- where we confess. Tis not the *Sacrament of interrogation *😉

But again one need not scruple either as some do in this area.

And also one should not get in too much detail either.
 
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