Can I follow my priest's advice?

[Athanasius]

I have a problem with scrupulosity. I tend to repeat sins in confession, because I remember more details that I forgot before when confessing before, and I have a hard time deciding what’s relevant, and what’s not, so I err on the side of caution by re-confessing them. I also remember things from my past that I don’t remember confessing to, so I confess to those. I think I strain my priest’s patience. It seems like it never ends, that my past keeps on haunting me. It has driven me crazy the past five years.

Anyway, recently my priest told me that from now on, I should only confess to sins from my last confession, even if I remember things from my past… He said that that was acceptable for scrupulous people. Is it all right for me to follow his advice? I already did it yesterday when I went to confession, but then I was thinking I should perhaps ask on here.

Looking into the book Understanding Scrupulosity, I saw contradictory advice:

On p. 41, Fr. Farnick makes the statement

“If we are certain we did not confess a serious sin of the past, we should do so at the time of confession”

However, on p. 37, Fr. Santa answered differently:

*Question: “If, after going to confession, you remember a sin you forgot to confess, should you go back to confession before you leave the church, or may you wait until your next confession?”

Answer. There is no need to go back to confession before you leave the church or to mention the sin in your next confession. Your sins are forgiven…"*

I’m so confused! Is it all right for me to simply follow what my priest said? Perhaps its the case that if the priest says its all right for a scrupulous person, then it is? It would help me out greatly if I could just forget my past once and for all, so I hope my priest’s statement is acceptable. May I follow what he said?

 

[baltobetsy]

It is not only “all right” to follow your priest’s advice. It is absolutely necessary. To do otherwise would be to commit a fresh sin of disobedience.

Come on, now. God has placed you in a situation where this priest is the one taking care of you. That means God is speaking to you through this priest. Not through members of this forum. Not through a book. Through this priest. Do not disobey the priest. Do not disobey God.

I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again. When you obey someone in authority over you, you please God. If the authority tells you to do something wrong, it’s between him and God. Period. It is **not your job **to second guess the priest.

Betsy

 

[rpp]

Consider adding this statement and thought to your confession. After confessing the sins you remember, and folloowing the advice of our priest, add this.

“I am sure I have comitted other sins, but these are the ones that I can recall at this time.”

This will certainly “pick up” those forgotten sins. Thus, you can leave with the assurance that your sins are forgiven.

I should add that they are anyway, as Baltobetsy pointed out. But this is helpful for you while you work through your scrupulosity as well as a signal to your priest that you have reached the end of your list.



God bless you.

 

[porthos11]

In your other thread, the posters here already advised you to never second-guess your priest confessor and obey him always without question.

In fact, given your situation, you shouldn’t even ask the forum members here for their opinion. Only one opinion matters: your priest’s. Obey him and do not ask anyone about whatever he advises you. Just obey, period.