Being specific in confession

[Bookcat]

God isn’t out to smite you if you don’t have a photographic memory and perfect recall. As Bookcat said, you just approximate as best as you can.

The reason for this obligation to confess number and kind of mortal sins isn’t because the Church enjoys putting us through the wringer or watching us jump through hoops. A priest’s counsel is going to be different if you confess to sins of unchastity “twice a day for the past 6 months” as opposed to “twice in the past 6 months.”

Of course, confessing more frequently makes it easier to remember.

Iittle note – while the number does help the priest give counsel – that is one reason (the lesser one) for giving the number. There is a juridical aspect to confession --one is submitting all ones mortal sins to the keys for absolution.

But yes we do not have to be Spock! if we do not know the number after our examine – one can approximate according to what one knows. Which in some cases may be even “alot”

 

[Joe_5859]

Iittle note – while the number does help the priest give counsel – that is one reason (the lesser one) for giving the number. There is a juridical aspect to confession --one is submitting all ones mortal sins to the keys for absolution.

But yes we do not have to be Spock! if we do not know the number after our examine – one can approximate according to what one knows. Which in some cases may be even “alot”

Again, thanks for the clarification. I was thinking that, but it didn’t make it into my post.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Yes all mortal sins are to be confessed in number and kind …

Regarding the the circumstances – the must is rather that which changes the species…the kind.

Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers puts it well.

“…when we have committed mortal sins, we are obliged to confess them, how many times we committed them, and any circumstances that affect the moral species of the act (e.g., stealing from a church is different than ordinary stealing because of the element of sacrilege is involved, ditto for lying after having taken an oath before God as opposed to ordinary lying, adultery vs. fornication, etc. Note that these distinctions all involve the *kind *of sin being committed, not the degree of sinfulness; the Church has not required that we confess circumstances that affect the degree of sinfulness, only the kind)”

I’m going off based what my confessor has instructed us to do. When it comes to things such as theft, the amount stolen does change things. Stealing a small amount of money is usually venially sinful, whereas as stealing a large sum of money changes the sin to a mortal sin, or for example, lying about something slight, and lying about something that causes someone’s life to be ruined. It’s one thing to lie to your parents about taking out the garbage; it’s another thing to lie in a police report which causes an innocent person to go to jail, etc.

 

[Bookcat]

I’m going off based what my confessor has instructed us to do. When it comes to things such as theft, the amount stolen does change things. Stealing a small amount of money is usually venially sinful, whereas as stealing a large sum of money changes the sin to a mortal sin.

Yes of course – there can be mortal sin of theft and venial sin of theft…

though I will note that theft can be more complicated than that – it is not simply the worth objectively of what is stolen.

But yes it you steal say a car – yes confess that

(and return the car…especially if it is mine …and be sure to filler up first)

 

[Bookcat]

or for example, lying about something slight, and lying about something that causes someone’s life to be ruined.

— to lie in a police report which causes an innocent person to go to jail, etc.

yes of course.

I would confess such as such.

 

[robertericleech]

Yes of course – there can be mortal sin of theft and venial sin of theft…

though I will note that theft can be more complicated than that – it is not simply the worth objectively of what is stolen.

But yes it you steal say a car – yes confess that

(and return the car…especially if it is mine …and be sure to filler up first)

Hahaha!

You’re right…I would think in a case of a theft where it’s possible to make restitution to the wronged party the priest would make the restitution part of your penance. So that would be a good reason to be specific about the circumstances.

 

[Bookcat]

Hahaha!

You’re right…I would think in a case of a theft where it’s possible to make restitution to the wronged party the priest would make the restitution part of your penance.

Not part of your penance --just part of the nature of such.

 

[JeraldW]

I confess as if I were speaking to the Lord himself, which is what we are doing. Like I would say, “I disobeyed the 4th commandment, as I lied to my parents about X and I think I really hurt them” and so on and so forth. It really helps with counsel from the priest from what I found. I found having a “vending machine” approach to confession is really dry. Like " i did this sin this many times, this sin this many times, and that sin this many times," to be not much of a help spiritually to me. but of course what works in my spirituality may not work in yours.

I guess what lead me to this more in depth way of confession was something to parapharse Servant of God Fulton J Sheen said, “modern psychoanalysis is confession without absolution”
This really hit home with me, as we have all found, sin affects us in every way, spiritually, physically, and psychologically. If we can go before the Lord in the confessional and bring all of our troubles and sinfulness to Him, we in turn will get true healing through His infinite Divine mercy. True healing, unlike the incredibly flawed and misdirected Freudian and Nietzsche thought that has stained our culture in narcisism and perversion for the past 100+ years

 

[Bookcat]

I confess as if I were speaking to the Lord himself, which is what we are doing. Like I would say, “I disobeyed the 4th commandment, as I lied to my parents about X and I think I really hurt them” and so on and so forth. It really helps with counsel from the priest from what I found. I found having a “vending machine” approach to confession is really dry. Like " i did this sin this many times, this sin this many times, and that sin this many times," to be not much of a help spiritually to me. but of course what works in my spirituality may not work in yours.

On needs to get down to the species and the number (and circumstance that changes the kind) --for mortal sins that is.

 

[maxdouglas402]

I guess what lead me to this more in depth way of confession was something to parapharse Servant of God Fulton J Sheen said, “modern psychoanalysis is confession without absolution”
This really hit home with me, as we have all found, sin affects us in every way, spiritually, physically, and psychologically. If we can go before the Lord in the confessional and bring all of our troubles and sinfulness to Him, we in turn will get true healing through His infinite Divine mercy. True healing, unlike the incredibly flawed and misdirected Freudian and Nietzsche thought that has stained our culture in narcisism and perversion for the past 100+ years

a little off topic but i definitely agree. Im going to school right now to be counselor but i saw there is no true counsel except that from which comes from God.

and I see the importance of expressing deep sins, not only to get them off your chest, but to be healed.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

a little off topic but i definitely agree. Im going to school right now to be counselor but i saw there is no true counsel except that from which comes from God.

and I see the importance of expressing deep sins, not only to get them off your chest, but to be healed.

At the same time, Confession isn’t a therapy session. It is a tribunal of justice and God’s mercy, where we humbly confess our sins to God’s representative, the priest, who acts as a Judge who determines the state of our soul, assigns us a proper and appropriate penance, and, if he deems us to be properly disposed and contrite, absolves us of our sins.

Be Blunt. Be Brief. Be Gone.

 

[McCall1981]

I’m glad for this thread becasue I was going to ask a similar question. I had my first confession a few weeks ago, but since it was my first, I felt a little awkward in striking a balance between being brief but not being too general.

It seems like I only had time to recite a “list”, but I didn’t want to feel like I was glossing over things. My spiritual director recommended saying something general at first to sort of “cover your bases”, then picking a few of the more important sins to confess in more depth.

Any advice for someone new to confession?

 

[Bookcat]

I’m glad for this thread becasue I was going to ask a similar question. I had my first confession a few weeks ago, but since it was my first, I felt a little awkward in striking a balance between being brief but not being too general.

It seems like I only had time to recite a “list”, but I didn’t want to feel like I was glossing over things. My spiritual director recommended saying something general at first to sort of “cover your bases”, then picking a few of the more important sins to confess in more depth.

Any advice for someone new to confession?

One is obliged to confess all mortal sins in number and kind (and specifying circumstance -like it was your Mother you murdered.)

For venial sins – one need not get into number etc and can be more general even. And one need not confess them though it is recommended to confess them (or at least some).

 

[JeraldW]

At the same time, Confession isn’t a therapy session. It is a tribunal of justice and God’s mercy, where we humbly confess our sins to God’s representative, the priest, who acts as a Judge who determines the state of our soul, assigns us a proper and appropriate penance, and, if he deems us to be properly disposed and contrite, absolves us of our sins.

Be Blunt. Be Brief. Be Gone.

This^^^^^^

Confession is still confession, if one is needing consolation, I guess it would be best to do that OUT of the confessional. Some of the priests I know are excellent spiritual fathers/consolers outside of the confessional. The power of a good confession and spiritual direction is a powerful help.

 

[mlz]

when i go to confession do i have to be specific or can i be general when i ask for forgiveness of my sins.

Example:

Me: Please forgive me lying

Do I have to be extremely specific and ask for forgiveness of a specific big lie? lets say I lied to my boss about stealing $1000 from the cash register 10 years ago. Can i go to confession and just say im sorry for lying but not say exactly what i did because im too embarrassed to say exactly what happened?

I have already confessed for the general bad thing that i did but should i go back and be specific?

I’m a new Catholic so I could be wrong on this but I think for you own concience you should be more specific. That would help the priest give the right penance and you the most complete forgiveness. Holding information when you know you should is a good sign you need to confess it. Yes, we are embaressed but the weight of the sin off our shoulders is immeasurable We are giving a complete confession and recieve complete forgiveness. For your good, I’d probably confess it.

mlz

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I’m a new Catholic so I could be wrong on this but I think for you own concience you should be more specific. That would help the priest give the right penance and you the most complete forgiveness. Holding information when you know you should is a good sign you need to confess it. Yes, we are embaressed but the weight of the sin off our shoulders is immeasurable We are giving a complete confession and recieve complete forgiveness. For your good, I’d probably confess it.

mlz

I’m going to correct you on this this “most complete forgiveness” thing. There are no degrees of forgiveness completion. In confession, you’re either absolved of your sins or you aren’t. If someone knowingly withholds or intentionally hides or obscures a mortal sin to make it look less grievous, one commits a sacrilege, and even if the priest pronounces the words of absolution, it’s still invalid.

 

[mlz]

I’m going to correct you on this this “most complete forgiveness” thing. There are no degrees of forgiveness completion. In confession, you’re either absolved of your sins or you aren’t. If someone knowingly withholds or intentionally hides or obscures a mortal sin to make it look less grievous, one commits a sacrilege, and even if the priest pronounces the words of absolution, it’s still invalid.

I stand corrected. Like I said. I’m new in the faith.
Mlz

 

[Vico]

One is obliged to confess all mortal sins in number and kind (and specifying circumstance -like it was your Mother you murdered.)

For venial sins – one need not get into number etc and can be more general even. And one need not confess them though it is recommended to confess them (or at least some).

And there are interesting co-relations to the Latin canon law in the eastern canon law.

Eastern Canon Law, CCEO

Canon 718
In the sacrament of penance, the Christian faithful who committed sins after baptism, internally led by the Holy Spirit, turn back to God, moved by the pain of sin, intent on entering a new life through the ministry of the priest, having themselves made a confession and accepted an appropriate penance, obtain forgiveness from God and at the same time are reconciled with the Church which they injured by sinning; by this sacrament they are brought to a greater fostering of the Christian life and are thus disposed for receiving the Divine Eucharist.

Canon 719
Anyone who is aware of serious sin is to receive the sacrament of penance as soon as possible; it is strongly recommended to all the Christian faithful that they receive this sacrament frequently especially during the times of fasts and penance observed in their own Church sui iuris.

Canon 732

1. The confessor is to offer a fitting cure for the illness by imposing appropriate works of penance in keeping with the quality, seriousness and number of the sins, and considering the condition of the penitent as well as his or her disposition for conversion.
2. The priest is to remember that he is placed by God as a minister of divine justice and mercy; as a spiritual father he should also offer appropriate counsel so that the penitent might progress in his or her vocation to sanctity.

 

[thomasf]

We are forgiven for all sins in the Sacrament of Confession (even those we failed to mention) provided we did not intentionally fail to mention them. However, it is still a good practice (unless you are scrupulous) to confess those mortal sins at a later Confession

.

So to be clear here, if I go to confession, forget some sin from my past that is mortal, I am forgiven for all sins at that confession even if I don’t confess them (not on purpose)?

I ask because I was gone from the church for a long time and there was a lot of stuff that happened during that time. Obviously I went to confession when I first came back to the church, and go regularly now. Yet every once in a while something from my past pops up in my memory. Do I still need to confess those sins now, or has all that been covered in the confession(s) I have done since returning? I ask, because I just don’t know. I have been confessing these things as they come along, but the last time I brought up an old sin the priest told me to let it go, and not to bring up those old things anymore. And I’d like to do that, but want to make sure I’m confessing things properly.

 

[Vico]

So to be clear here, if I go to confession, forget some sin from my past that is mortal, I am forgiven for all sins at that confession even if I don’t confess them (not on purpose)?

I ask because I was gone from the church for a long time and there was a lot of stuff that happened during that time. Obviously I went to confession when I first came back to the church, and go regularly now. Yet every once in a while something from my past pops up in my memory. Do I still need to confess those sins now, or has all that been covered in the confession(s) I have done since returning? I ask, because I just don’t know. I have been confessing these things as they come along, but the last time I brought up an old sin the priest told me to let it go, and not to bring up those old things anymore. And I’d like to do that, but want to make sure I’m confessing things properly.

A forgotten sin in not a sin that was already confessed, even though it may already be forgiven. If you remember an unconfessed mortal sin, mention it next time, because it would be another sin to not confess it.Baltimore Catechism No. 3
Q. 796. How is concealing a sin telling a lie to the Holy Ghost?
A. Concealing a sin is telling a lie to the Holy Ghost, because he who conceals the sin declares in confession to God and the priest that he committed no sins but what he has confessed, while the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, saw him committing the sin he now conceals and still sees it in his soul while he denies it.

Integral means including everything. You want the full benefit of being healed!
CIC Can. 960 Individual and integral confession and absolution constitute the sole ordinary means by which a member of the faithful who is conscious of grave sin is reconciled with God and with the Church. Physical or moral impossibility alone excuses from such confession, in which case reconciliation may be attained by other means also.

I like the way that the eastern Catholic canons express this:
Canon 718
In the sacrament of penance, the Christian faithful who committed sins after baptism, internally led by the Holy Spirit, turn back to God, moved by the pain of sin, intent on entering a new life through the ministry of the priest, having themselves made a confession and accepted an appropriate penance, obtain forgiveness from God and at the same time are reconciled with the Church which they injured by sinning; by this sacrament they are brought to a greater fostering of the Christian life and are thus disposed for receiving the Divine Eucharist.

Canon 732

1. The confessor is to offer a fitting cure for the illness by imposing appropriate works of penance in keeping with the quality, seriousness and number of the sins, and considering the condition of the penitent as well as his or her disposition for conversion.
2. The priest is to remember that he is placed by God as a minister of divine justice and mercy; as a spiritual father he should also offer appropriate counsel so that the penitent might progress in his or her vocation to sanctity.