Committed a Mortal Sin and No Confession Available?

  • Thread starter Thread starter planehopr
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

planehopr

Guest
My fiancée tells me she committed a mortal sin. She has been on the phone frantically dialing the churches in the area to arrange a confession before Easter Communion. I agreed to drive her to Timbucktoo if it would make her feel better, but it would seem with the Holy Week schedule everyone is all tied up.

She wants to make right by what she did (I’m not sure what it is). She wants to speak to a priest so she can receive communion this Sunday. I don’t know how to help her. I don’t want to say “well you should have thought about that before sinning.”

My grandma, not knowing the sin was Mortal, advised her to do an act of contrition. My fiancée says this is not good enough.

I am not Catholic, but it would seem obvious to me to go straight to God with this. Only He can truly understand the complexities in a person’s heart and soul and offer forgiveness directly, right?

How do I connect my fiancée with God in an emergency without any priests available for forgiveness of a mortal sin in time for Easter?
 
planehopr said:
My fiancée tells me she committed a mortal sin. She has been on the phone frantically dialing the churches in the area to arrange a confession before Easter Communion. I agreed to drive her to Timbucktoo if it would make her feel better, but it would seem with the Holy Week schedule everyone is all tied up.

She wants to make right by what she did (I’m not sure what it is). She wants to speak to a priest so she can receive communion this Sunday. I don’t know how to help her. I don’t want to say “well you should have thought about that before sinning.”

My grandma, not knowing the sin was Mortal, advised her to do an act of contrition. My fiancée says this is not good enough.

How do I connect my fiancée with God in an emergency without any priests available for forgiveness of a mortal sin in time for Easter?
Click to expand...
She probably won’t be able to reach anyone by phone at this time of the day, but if she comes to the Church about half an hour before tonight’s Mass and asks in person, she will likely not be refused - I assume she has only the one thing to confess, and won’t take more than a few moments of his time.
I am not Catholic, but it would seem obvious to me to go straight to God with this. Only He can truly understand the complexities in a person’s heart and soul and offer forgiveness directly, right?
Click to expand...
God can certainly read our hearts, but we are not able to read God’s mind, and the assurance of forgiveness in words that can be understood is very important for our spiritual well-being. The priest has been given authority from God to do this.
 
planehopr said:
My fiancée tells me she committed a mortal sin. She has been on the phone frantically dialing the churches in the area to arrange a confession before Easter Communion. I agreed to drive her to Timbucktoo if it would make her feel better, but it would seem with the Holy Week schedule everyone is all tied up.

She wants to make right by what she did (I’m not sure what it is). She wants to speak to a priest so she can receive communion this Sunday. I don’t know how to help her. I don’t want to say “well you should have thought about that before sinning.”

My grandma, not knowing the sin was Mortal, advised her to do an act of contrition. My fiancée says this is not good enough.

I am not Catholic, but it would seem obvious to me to go straight to God with this. Only He can truly understand the complexities in a person’s heart and soul and offer forgiveness directly, right?

How do I connect my fiancée with God in an emergency without any priests available for forgiveness of a mortal sin in time for Easter?
Click to expand...
All priests today, in the morning, are in the Cathedrals to celebrate the crism mass, they all should be on the way back sometime in the afternoon for the Mass of the Last Supper.

Try to contact the priest sometime late in the afternoon. Or as somebody has said, go early to Church and request the priest. It should not take a long time.

Also, being of a contrite heart, being truly for one’s sin…God can surely see this…and the resolve to not sin anymore.
 
There should be a long period of adoration after Mass tonight- the priest can’t go anywhere and surely will have time to hear a confession during that time.
 
I live in a metro area, so there are many parishes to call on.

Many, if not most, of my local parishes are offering confession times either this afternoon, tonight after mass, and/or some part of tomorrow. I went to my archdiocese website, found the links to local parish websites, and found their schedules for the Triduum.

I recommend trying the websites rather than calling because some/many/most church offices will be closed until Tuesday.

And yes, going to God with a contrite heart is the first step towards forgiveness of sins. In that spirit of prayer, God’s grace can inspire in us a true sorrow for hurting Our Lord through our sins. But we also do need the sacrament of confession, especially for mortal sin – if for no other reason than because Christ directs us to do so. And if He says it, I do it 👍

God bless you for your commitment to your fiance’s soul.

Gertie.
 
Thank you everyone for your help. She went to church Thursday night and got it all straightened out.
 
Sorry I find it hard to believe that there is no confessions in your area before Easter. Even liberal parishes have it available.
 
chypmonk said:
Sorry I find it hard to believe that there is no confessions in your area before Easter. Even liberal parishes have it available.
Click to expand...
If you read the all the posts (there’s only six!), you’d see he’d already found one. Also, he’s not Catholic and is just looking to help his fiancee. If you have nothing positive to contribute, or if you think the poster is wasting your time, why bother posting at all?🤷 Maybe a little charity for those who are seeking help?

Gertie
 
Gertabelle said:
If you read the all the posts (there’s only six!), you’d see he’d already found one. Also, he’s not Catholic and is just looking to help his fiancee. If you have nothing positive to contribute, or if you think the poster is wasting your time, why bother posting at all?🤷 Maybe a little charity for those who are seeking help?

Gertie
Click to expand...
I stand well rebuked I apologize to the OP and to all on the thread. Didn’t mean to be harsh. I was just surprised. So again sorry if I hurt anyone.
 
planehopr said:
I agreed to drive her to Timbucktoo if it would make her feel better, but it would seem with the Holy Week schedule everyone is all tied up.
Click to expand...
My church is hearing confessions at three separate times today. Many churches hear confessions throughout Holy Week. I am surprised that your church is not.

However, if you’re willing to take a long trip, just google all the catholic churches in your area until you find one that is. Remember to look for their Holy Week schedule, as it will undoubtedly differ from the regular schedule.
 
smichhertz said:
My church is hearing confessions at three separate times today. Many churches hear confessions throughout Holy Week. I am surprised that your church is not.

However, if you’re willing to take a long trip, just google all the catholic churches in your area until you find one that is. Remember to look for their Holy Week schedule, as it will undoubtedly differ from the regular schedule.
Click to expand...
planehopr said:
Thank you everyone for your help. She went to church Thursday night and got it all straightened out.
Click to expand...
The problem has been solved already. 👍
 
I understand how your fiance’ feels. I’m glad she was able to get help. I’ve been there and actually, I admire her persistence and desire to confess being so strong. 👍
 
Thanks for your interest and support. I’m happy she was able to solve her spiritual dilemma. It turns out her sin was venial (I still don’t know what her sin was). She spoke to a priest. He did not have time to take her confession on Thursday even with the 3 hours after Mass. She had a long heart to heart with her mom and decided that she could work it out. She is going to confession this week to explain it all to the priest.

I am saddened at how panicked my fiancée gets when she is facing the possibility that she shouldn’t have communion. She began a rebirth into Catholicism about a year ago. I was taking her to confession every 2-3 days for months. She prays 2-3 hours a day. I’ve never seen such devotion from anyone I know.

I get jealous. I feel like she is bringing other men into my relationship with her (priests, jesus, etc)–and sometimes her beliefs seem to trump my decisions. We are working it out though. I’ve been with her for 7 years and in this last year we’ve treated our relationship like “brother and sister” until we are able to get married, or the USA passes “universal health care” which would allow us to get married the very next day (its very complicated).

Thank you for your support of me in my journey to help her. I love finding out as much as I can about the Catholic faith to help me explain things to her better–it has really improved our overall communication.

Have a great week folks!
 
planehopr said:
My fiancée tells me she committed a mortal sin. She has been on the phone frantically dialing the churches in the area to arrange a confession before Easter Communion. I agreed to drive her to Timbucktoo if it would make her feel better, but it would seem with the Holy Week schedule everyone is all tied up.

She wants to make right by what she did (I’m not sure what it is). She wants to speak to a priest so she can receive communion this Sunday. I don’t know how to help her. I don’t want to say “well you should have thought about that before sinning.”

My grandma, not knowing the sin was Mortal, advised her to do an act of contrition. My fiancée says this is not good enough.

*I am not Catholic, but it would seem obvious to me to go straight to God with this. Only He can truly understand the complexities in a person’s heart and soul and offer forgiveness directly, right? *

How do I connect my fiancée with God in an emergency without any priests available for forgiveness of a mortal sin in time for Easter?
Click to expand...
I see the problem got settled 👍

To comment on your closing point. Your fiancee is actually following what the Church and scripture teaches.

1 Jn 5:
16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God * will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

Jesus gave His apostles the power to forgive sins. [Jn 20:23] ALL of them, non mortal (venial) AND mortal sins. Since praying for forgiveness of mortal sin is not the preferred way to receive forgiveness, confession to a priest is the sacramental and biblical way to rid oneself of mortal sin. That power to forgive sins was passed on to only those men the apostles ordained in the Church, and those men THEY ordained, down to our day…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top