Another post on valid/invalid confession!

[Kamineko]

**** Hi, At confession today we had a visiting priest (middle aged, not a “new” priest) whom I do not know.He did not open the confession with any words to me, but waited for me to begin speaking. I confessed my sins, and he counseled me a bit, and asked a few questions.He then said: “I forgive you your sins” He did NOT say: “I absolve you from your sins” and he DID NOT use the Trinitarian formula. He also neglected to assign me any penance whatsoever. While I found his compassionate responses comforting, I was there for absolution of my sins, not a therapy session. I am usually sharper in catching these glitches, but I was in a hurry, confessions time almost over, mass about to begin,and there were other people waiting for the confessional. I thought it a bit odd about the omissions, but got distracted once mass began and received communion anyway. Should I go immediately on Monday to another priest, and confess again? Do I need to confess receiving communion while not in a state of grace? I did confess a mortal sin during this possibly invalid sacrament and now I am very upset over having received communion!! Please reply asap.

 

[Fuerza]

I would say go to another priest and reconfess. This absolution does not appear valid on the surface (although I could be wrong…perhaps he did in fact say the formula and you didn’t hear?). Another priest would also be able to tell you if you committed another sin by receiving communion, although it sounds innocent enough. Mention it just in case.

Before doing this, however, you may wish to speak with the first priest and ask him why he didn’t use the trinitarian formula. If he remembers you maybe you can avoid an entire reconfession and just mention the communion incident.

Hopefully someone who actually knows what they are talking about will come along and provide you a better answer.