Communion after perfect contrition

[peter26]

Well let’s put it this way, if he hadn’t spent several hours talking through theology with me, I wouldn’t have been able to finally swim the Tiber after three years of procrastination and doubts. I am not getting him into trouble. If I get the chance, I will try to charitably correct him as the scriptures instruct us to.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

Yes, but contrary to popular belief, perfect contrition doesn’t grow on trees. It’s very difficult and is not as common as people make it out to be. If one is regularly committing mortal sins, outside of extraordinary grace in an extremely rare occasion, one has to assume that contrition is not perfect. Committing mortal sin is a distinct choice a person chooses to commit a grave sin and rejects God. If a person has perfect contrition, they’re not going to choose to continue to reject God and choose mortal sin.

I agree. Perfect contrition is something that even a faithful Catholic will need to work arduously to obtain.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

Well let’s put it this way, if he hadn’t spent several hours talking through theology with me, I wouldn’t have been able to finally swim the Tiber after three years of procrastination and doubts. I am not getting him into trouble. If I get the chance, I will try to charitably correct him as the scriptures instruct us to.

There are nine ways to be an accomplice of another’s sin; remaining silent is one of them.

 

[Bookcat]

My priest doesn’t teach this. He told me while instructing me on the faith that it is okay to receive when you have an intention to confess as soon as possible.

He was incorrect.

See the Teaching of the Church…

 

[Bookcat]

Catechism:

1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself."218 Anyone conscious of a grave sin **must **receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a3.htm#VI

And as the Compendium of the CCC puts it:

“Anyone who is conscious of having committed a grave sin must first receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before going to Communion.”

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

(grave sin here means mortal sin).

Now such is talking about mortal sin (grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent).

Only in some exceptional cases is it possible otherwise…under particular criteria. One has to have a grave reason and no opportunity to confess…

Catechism:

1457 According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.” Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

And Canon Law:

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to …receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/it.html

 

[slh3016]

I was having a discussion with my Catholic friend who converted in 2014 about sort of the same thing tonight. It came out that she has missed Mass (without a very good reason) three times over the last several months, has not been to confession over it because but she feels that she has confessed to God already and that He has forgiven her, and has continued to receive the Eucharist. She said she has only gone to confession twice since her conversion and that confession is just to “make you feel better” by hearing the priest’s words of forgiveness.

While I get what she says about God’s forgiveness and hearing the words bringing a feeling of relief, I’m more than a little worried about her catechesis. I expressed this to her and she finally got worried enough that she was going to call or text her priest tonight to ask him Hopefully, he is orthodox in his teachings

 

[Vico]

I was having a discussion with my Catholic friend who converted in 2014 about sort of the same thing tonight. It came out that she has missed Mass (without a very good reason) three times over the last several months, has not been to confession over it because but she feels that she has confessed to God already and that He has forgiven her, and has continued to receive the Eucharist. She said she has only gone to confession twice since her conversion and that confession is just to “make you feel better” by hearing the priest’s words of forgiveness.

While I get what she says about God’s forgiveness and hearing the words bringing a feeling of relief, I’m more than a little worried about her catechesis. I expressed this to her and she finally got worried enough that she was going to call or text her priest tonight to ask him Hopefully, he is orthodox in his teachings

That ignores the reconciliation with the Church! It also assumes that the contrition is perfect, but then that also requires " the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.".

Catechism of the Catholic Church
1440 Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church, which are expressed and accomplished liturgically by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.38

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.51

 

[thinkandmull]

How can a person not know the state of his soul. Trent says he can’t. But what of a child who first comes to the age of reason and was baptized. Would that be an exception?

 

[josh987654321]

.

Thank you very much St. Francis. I will do my very best to get to confession at then end of the week and try to explain the situation, could you please say a prayer for me if you have time? Especially that it will work out okay.

Thank you again.

God Bless You

Josh

 

[josh987654321]

Mortal sins are serious sins like killing someone or robbing a bank.

I know they are also mortal sins, but I haven’t done anything like that, and I don’t consider my sin to be anything like robbing a bank or killing someone.

 

[josh987654321]

I am not getting him into trouble. If I get the chance, I will try to charitably correct him as the scriptures instruct us to.

I agree.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

May I ask, how does one determine for sure whether they have committed a mortal sin? I know the (grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent) bit, I know ‘X’ is gave, and I have knowledge that it’s grave, I don’t know about ‘full consent’ because I don’t want to do it but I know a degree of consent is involved.

I always try to be in a state of grace when receiving and if I have sinned I always seek confession when I can, but there have been times where I have been unable to go to confession before receiving the Eucharist and I have still received.

Catechism:

*1457 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. *

I always pray the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy and try to be in a state of grace before receiving the Eucharist. I will be going to confession as soon as I can, but I can’t until the end of the week and I don’t even know whether I will be able to make that and then must I not receive on Sunday when I will be at Mass with friends and family? What do I do? and when I do go to confession, I normally confess all of the sins I am aware of, should I confess that I have received the Eucharist before without going to confession first, even if I have already confessed those sins before? and when I was younger before I even knew X was a grave sin or didn’t give it much thought and still received with my family, even if I have previously been to confession and confessed ‘X’ but not the receiving afterwards without having been to confession bit.

Also, if I had never confessed this for so many years, even when at the time I didn’t know, does that mean all of the Eucharist’s I have received was eating and drinking judgment upon my self? even if I have been deeply contrite and confessed them before?

I don’t want to go into detail, but I want to be right with God and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know whether I can make it to confession at the end of the week and I don’t know whether tonight I have eaten and drunk judgment upon myself, especially regarding this bit - Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition

Please help. I will ask my confessor when I get the chance, but I usually just stick to my sins and don’t really have conversations or questions while in confession, I don’t even know how to bring something like this up in confession nor how to explain it. I just don’t know and I want to be right with God but without having read everything, there are many things I don’t know.

I’ve always thought, provided I’m contrite and I seek confession, I was doing okay.

I’m sorry for the way I’ve written this.

Thank you for reading
Josh

You don’t have to be sorry for the way you have written what you have said. Your appeal for help is evidently quite sincere.

Given the nature of what you write, and also the manner in which you have written it, rather than attempting to answer you in any substantive way in a public forum, I am going to limit myself to saying that these are matters and concerns you are best advised simply to discuss with a confessor and not on the Internet.

But in the mean time, I will say: you should be in complete peace over your situation.

I will also say that two of several of your most important lines are when you say “I don’t know about ‘full consent’ because I don’t want to do it but I know a degree of consent is involved” and “I just don’t know and I want to be right with God but without having read everything, there are many things I don’t know.” That you surely need to say to the confessor as a preface to all the rest.

For the practical side of how you do it: After (or really even before) you have listed your sins, you can simply tell the priest you need to explain a situation. A caring confessor is not rigid, least of all on such a point as when or how you bring up something of deep concern.

If you are more comfortable and wish, you could even print out your post and hand it to him as an introduction to this topic. Believe me, after having heard confessions for decades, people bring concerns and questions in all sorts of ways and at all sorts of points in the confession. A pastoral confessor should not have any problem addressing and helping you through this concern.

Above all, you should not be anxious about the past or your situation. Based on what you have written, I understand your situation, I believe, actually quite well and I trust your confessor will handily help you resolve this concern. Please therefore do take the moment to speak with him as it will also give him insights that will better help him to help you in the context of the sacrament of reconciliation.

God bless you.

 

[Mary_Estelle]

Perfect contrition is described in the Catechism as sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again, arising from a love by which God is loved above all else.

1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again."50

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.51

Because of our human nature and how often we break or forsake our resolve, I do often wonder if the contrition we make in Saturday holds over until Monday. It would indeed take the special graces of God for us to make a perfect contrition. Peace.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

As a priest, there are aspects of this thread that cause concern for what they express.

First is the immediate conclusion that priests are teaching error – and even endangering souls – when they are making particular applications to individuals which may in fact be fully conformed to what is in Canon Law, in theology, and in the directives from the bishops.

I am quite at a loss as to why those who are not priests and who are not theologians are so quick to make this determination that I, as a priest and a teacher of theology, am not at all quick to make. And beyond that, some feel even emboldened to correct priests that they have here determined are errant. From my perspective, that is extremely presumptuous and if I were on the receiving end of it, I would have no problem in discharging that allegation forthwith as an erroneous conclusion…as I would for a first year student trying to tell me the subject I have long taught.

Many posts making these declarations are actually addressing concrete situations in which we do not know why the priest gave the advice he gave.

As a priest, I could not overrule that advice or say the priest was in error without knowing the details; the priest who gave the advice is the one able to say why he gave it and on what various circumstances he based his conclusion – I am not privy to that.

I myself have assuredly applied many times in 30+ years Canon 916 and determined (or reaffirmed a layperson’s determination) there was “grave reason” in compliance with the canon.

A grave reason is particular as is its assessment.

When Pope John Paul II promulgated the Code of Canon Law in 1983, it contained the provision:

Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.

I hasten to add that there is commentary for how one is to read “grave reason”, “opportunity to confess”, “perfect contrition”, and “confessing as soon as possible”.

(One is to rightly read the law… One must not be lax in its interpretation. Neither is one to therefore make the law stricter than what the law is, however.)

This norm was repeated about a decade later in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1457 According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.” Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

The Bishops of the United States have issued norms about the reception of Holy Communion at Mass:

/…/ “A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.”

The norms are introduced with this verbiage: “On November 14, 1996, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the following guidelines on the reception of Communion. These guidelines replace the guidelines approved by the Administrative Committee of the NCCB in November 1986. The guidelines, which are to be included in missalettes and other participation aids published in the United States, seek to remind all those who may attend Catholic liturgies of the present discipline of the Church with regard to the sharing of Eucharistic Communion.” – This makes explicit what is also taught in sacramental theology as well as pastoral theology and what is enunciated in the commentaries of Canon Law: “a grave reason” is certainly not uniquely synonymous with danger of death but has other permutations since it is evident that those who are present at Mass, such as to have come, assisted at Mass and be approaching Communion could not be, by those actions, in the state of danger of death at that instant.

Finally, the standard formula for the Act of Contrition in English is

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and* I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.** But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.*

The part highlighted is expressive of imperfect contrition or attrition. The part underlined is expressing perfect contrition. If the part underlined expresses one’s contrition, it is perfect; it is an act of the will and of the intellect. It is the honest answer to the question: “Are you more sorrow for your sins because of God than your own punishment?” That should be the case with any Christian looking at a crucifix and it is not to be considered as if it is a remote or unattainable standard; it properly should be the norm, which is why it is normative in the default act of contrition in confession. One is asserting, in fact, perfect contrition in the saying of those underlined words.

 

[slh3016]

Finally, the standard formula for the Act of Contrition in English is

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and* I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.*** But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.

The part highlighted is expressive of imperfect contrition or attrition. The part underlined is expressing perfect contrition. If the part underlined expresses one’s contrition, it is perfect; it is an act of the will and of the intellect. It is the honest answer to the question: “Are you more sorrow for your sins because of God than your own punishment?” That should be the case with any Christian looking at a crucifix and it is not to be considered as if it is a remote or unattainable standard; it properly should be the norm, which is why it is normative in the default act of contrition in confession. One is asserting, in fact, perfect contrition in the saying of those underlined words.

Father, can you explain to me the following? I’ve been having a hard time understanding this and haven’t gotten a conclusive answer from my RCIA director or others. I’m currently in RCIA and will come into the Church this coming Easter and thus, do not have access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation yet. I’ve seen other threads and comments that state that Protestants (or those outside the Church) *can *be forgiven IF and ONLY IF they express perfect contrition (the part you underlined) and make it seem as if that standard is lower for a Catholic who can just go to confession and be absolved of their sins. They make it seem as if the bar is somewhat lower for Catholics and that they may not have to express perfect contrition to be absolved

Is that true?

I would certainly think that ALL of us (Catholic or otherwise) need perfect contrition and that saying the words may not necessarily indicate perfect contrition of the heart, correct? If a person simply walks into the confessional, confesses, and leaves without the firm resolve to actually turn from their sin, have they expressed perfect contrition? Of course, none of us are perfect and we often do return to our sin habits, but is that bar really higher for non-Catholics than Catholics in this regards?

I am astutely aware of all of my faults and shortcomings and sin habits and I have cried out to God for forgiveness and would LOVE to be able to walk into a confessional. How can I know if I have expressed perfect contrition or not?

Thanks!

 

[Vico]

For slh3016, Catechism:
1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.52

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Father, can you explain to me the following? I’ve been having a hard time understanding this and haven’t gotten a conclusive answer from my RCIA director or others. I’m currently in RCIA and will come into the Church this coming Easter and thus, do not have access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation yet. I’ve seen other threads and comments that state that Protestants (or those outside the Church) *can *be forgiven IF and ONLY IF they express perfect contrition (the part you underlined) and make it seem as if that standard is lower for a Catholic who can just go to confession and be absolved of their sins. They make it seem as if the bar is somewhat lower for Catholics and that they may not have to express perfect contrition to be absolved

Is that true?

First of all, every best wish to you as your journey towards being in full communion comes to fruition. My prayers accompany you. I know it must seem a far way off and yet you will make your first confession ahead of the Easter Vigil and soon the steps will really begin to unfold.

Yes, in essence this is correct. If one went into the confessional and said they were sorry for their sins, not because God was offended but solely because they did not wish to go to hell, that sorrow would be the barest minimum that would allow the sins to be absolved and the absolution would forgive their sins. Such a Catholic soul, however, is in no way to be envied. It is actually in a most sorry situation in terms of how it should be relating to God who is that soul’s Father; to God who redeemed that soul; to God who indwells in that soul in order to sanctify it and infuse virtues into the soul. It is a most ungrateful and unloving creature.

The confessor therefore should be working with that soul in order to understand the nature of sin and its horror on the one hand (look at the crucifix) and to understand the expression of infinite love on the part of God to achieve redemption on the other (again expressed in the crucifix) in order to motivate the soul to rise from its utter selfishness, self-centeredness, and self-interest. It is not a credit to say that one in such a state is “better” off. It is one step from eternal damnation.

Also, I should add that there are Churches not in communion with Rome which validly have the Sacrament of Penance and so they would experience sacramental absolution in their lives in a way, let us say, Baptists do not. So it is not only Catholics who actually experience this sacrament.

I would certainly think that ALL of us (Catholic or otherwise) need perfect contrition and that saying the words may not necessarily indicate perfect contrition of the heart, correct?

Perfect contrition is operative in a soul that has matured such as to understand the real horror of sin and appreciates the reality of sin vis-a-vis God and vis-a-vis the human person. It is a response of love from the human person toward God.

You are correct that it is not enough to say the words, of course…you must really mean them. I pull back, however, from the use of the term “heart”. We are operative at the level of the intellect and will – not emotion and not the affective part of the human person.

If it was something that had to be deeply “felt” or evocative of an “emotional response”, then this would be a different threshold. We may or may not feel deeply affected in an emotional way by something we confront or ponder. The love of perfect contrition is not that sort. It is in the intellect and will. I prefer the Lord to everything and everyone else as a free choice of my will.

If a person simply walks into the confessional, confesses, and leaves without the firm resolve to actually turn from their sin, have they expressed perfect contrition? Of course, none of us are perfect and we often do return to our sin habits, but is that bar really higher for non-Catholics than Catholics in this regards?

I am astutely aware of all of my faults and shortcomings and sin habits and I have cried out to God for forgiveness and would LOVE to be able to walk into a confessional. How can I know if I have expressed perfect contrition or not?

Thanks!

Contrition for sin is one aspect. The resolution not to sin again is another aspect. Both are need for sacramental absolution. If one is in a situation in which there is no will to turn from sin, then the absolution should not be given.

The answer to whether or not one has perfect contrition is the answer to the question I posed earlier. If one can say “I am sorry because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell” that is attrition at a level to be validly absolved. If one can truthfully continue “But most of all [or more than that] because they [my sins] offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love”, the contrition is then, by that fact, perfect. To attain the heroic degree that marks the saints is another aspect beyond the level we are discussing here.

 

[pnewton]

Forgive me, but I am not sure that there is “perfect contrition or perfect repentance.” But we try though. Peace.

Here is a good definition:

catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=35519

Not being Catholic, I believe this is not so rare and impossible as many here believe. If you come from a background of “once saved, always saved,” seeking forgiveness from God is not typically done from self-serving motives, as there is no thought of missing Heaven or going to Purgatory. You kind of get in the habit of not wanting to offend God and wanting to return to that state of pure forgiveness.

 

[slh3016]

First of all, every best wish to you as your journey towards being in full communion comes to fruition. My prayers accompany you. I know it must seem a far way off and yet you will make your first confession ahead of the Easter Vigil and soon the steps will really begin to unfold.

Yes, in essence this is correct. If one went into the confessional and said they were sorry for their sins, not because God was offended but solely because they did not wish to go to hell, that sorrow would be the barest minimum that would allow the sins to be absolved and the absolution would forgive their sins. Such a Catholic soul, however, is in no way to be envied. It is actually in a most sorry situation in terms of how it should be relating to God who is that soul’s Father; to God who redeemed that soul; to God who indwells in that soul in order to sanctify it and infuse virtues into the soul. It is a most ungrateful and unloving creature.

The confessor therefore should be working with that soul in order to understand the nature of sin and its horror on the one hand (look at the crucifix) and to understand the expression of infinite love on the part of God to achieve redemption on the other (again expressed in the crucifix) in order to motivate the soul to rise from its utter selfishness, self-centeredness, and self-interest. It is not a credit to say that one in such a state is “better” off. It is one step from eternal damnation.

Also, I should add that there are Churches not in communion with Rome which validly have the Sacrament of Penance and so they would experience sacramental absolution in their lives in a way, let us say, Baptists do not. So it is not only Catholics who actually experience this sacrament.

Perfect contrition is operative in a soul that has matured such as to understand the real horror of sin and appreciates the reality of sin vis-a-vis God and vis-a-vis the human person. It is a response of love from the human person toward God.

Thank you for this response!

You are correct that it is not enough to say the words, of course…you must really mean them. I pull back, however, from the use of the term “heart”. We are operative at the level of the intellect and will – not emotion and not the affective part of the human person.

If it was something that had to be deeply “felt” or evocative of an “emotional response”, then this would be a different threshold. We may or may not feel deeply affected in an emotional way by something we confront or ponder. The love of perfect contrition is not that sort. It is in the intellect and will. I prefer the Lord to everything and everyone else as a free choice of my will.

I’m trying to wean the word “heart” from my spiritual vocabulary Actually, that word (and concept) has caused me extreme grief and confusion over the course of my Christian life because, as you stated, it has to do with emotional responses and sometimes, they just aren’t there for me and other times they are. Usually, they are the result of non-spiritual influences (hormones, etc.) and I have found them extremely untrustworthy. Your explanation above gives me great comfort.

Contrition for sin is one aspect. The resolution not to sin again is another aspect. Both are need for sacramental absolution. If one is in a situation in which there is no will to turn from sin, then the absolution should not be given.

The answer to whether or not one has perfect contrition is the answer to the question I posed earlier. If one can say “I am sorry because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell” that is attrition at a level to be validly absolved. If one can truthfully continue “But most of all [or more than that] because they [my sins] offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love”, the contrition is then, by that fact, perfect. To attain the heroic degree that marks the saints is another aspect beyond the level we are discussing here.

So is it Catholic teaching, then, that a Christian who does not have access to the Sacrament of Reconciliation must have the “heroic degree that marks the saints” of contrition in order to be forgiven by praying directly to God for forgiveness?

Please know I’m not trying to be contrary. These are legitimate questions with huge implications for non-sacramental Christians, of whom I have MANY, MANY friends and family members that I dearly love.

I’m sorry to the OP for hijacking this thread…

 

[Bookcat]

must have the “heroic degree that marks the saints” of contrition:

Without getting into the question of Christians not in full communion with the Church (would be a longer discussion…getting into what they know of the Church etc) - I simply want to note that “perfect contrition” does not mean such (“heroic degree that marks the saints”). The “perfect” in “perfect contrition” means that it arises out love of God about all else. It is not about the perfect degree but rather it is about the* kind *of contrition…

(And God would be prompting them to make that act and infusing that love within the Catholic who desire to go to confession as soon as possible and who makes an act of perfect contrition (…simultaneously)