Confessing old sins

[Gordon_Sims]

I couldn’t find anything, or at least not anything recent, on this. I’ve had a pretty good track record recently when it comes to Confession. In other words, no real mortal sins to think of, and even some of the venial sins I’ve brought up have caused priests to roll their eyes. A couple times, though, I’ve brought up mortal sins that I committed in the past but had never confessed. It seems like every few weeks I remember something from my fallen away days that I should have confessed but never did. I’ve been going to Confession regularly (at least once a month) for a couple years now, and have received absolution dozens of times over the last few years. Is there really a need to be bringing up these older sins? If so, should I continue to just bring them up as I remember them, or should I take some time to do a full accounting of past wrongs and schedule an appointment with my priest to do a lengthy, full Confession?

 

[Vico]

I couldn’t find anything, or at least not anything recent, on this. I’ve had a pretty good track record recently when it comes to Confession. In other words, no real mortal sins to think of, and even some of the venial sins I’ve brought up have caused priests to roll their eyes. A couple times, though, I’ve brought up mortal sins that I committed in the past but had never confessed. It seems like every few weeks I remember something from my fallen away days that I should have confessed but never did. I’ve been going to Confession regularly (at least once a month) for a couple years now, and have received absolution dozens of times over the last few years. Is there really a need to be bringing up these older sins? If so, should I continue to just bring them up as I remember them, or should I take some time to do a full accounting of past wrongs and schedule an appointment with my priest to do a lengthy, full Confession?

If you are certain of an unconfessed, forgoten, mortal sin, then it should be confessed so that the confession will be formally complete as required by the Church. Then also the priest can give you a penance and any healing council.

 

[Bookcat]

Forgotten mortal sins -that are remembered - are yes to be confessed when remembered (then next confession).

(There can be say cases of scrupulosity where the person is directed by their confessor to not do so. Often they might be told not to do so unless they are both: certain they where moral sin and certain they were not confessed)

 

[Cricket2]

If this sin has never been confessed, then yes. But once confessed there is no need to bring it up again. Confession has a very healing effect on the mind and soul, so it does us well to bring up remembered sins not previously mentioned. At some point however, I do believe that we must trust that God has forgiven us, and if there is something long forgotten it is not like we have to search the archives to figure it out.

On rare occasion, out of nervousness, I have literally forgotten to mention a sin while at confession. I would no sooner leave the confessional and then remember it. (Space head!) I asked my pastor about this finally and he did tell me to simply wait until my next opportunity to confess, and that if this was unintentional on my part he considered my confession to still be valid. It is only when we intentionally leave a sin out that we make our confession invalid.

Regular examination of our conscience becomes much more recognizable as a much needed practice when we go to confession regularly, as we grow more aware of our need for God’s forgiveness, the extent of His mercy and our own weakness. It is a solid practice for helping us make sure we make good confessions.

 

[DMC12]

just said before: “and this sins i have forgotten to say” so they know what it is. and for the venials maybe you want to say "and this that i think are venials: "

 

[mountee]

I have experienced the same problem and felt that when something came to mind I would confess it so that I could have the sin forgiven and move on. When I would think of something that was never confessed I could not get it out of my head, even if the priest thought it was not necessary I felt I should. To me the fact that I could not put it out of my mind meant it should be confessed.

 

[Bookcat]

Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers: jimmyakin.com/2006/09/a_reader_writes_1.html

 

[Gordon_Sims]

Thanks for the replies! When I was younger I went about 12-13 years without Confession, then another 9-10 years after that. I know there are plenty of things that happened over the years that went unconfessed. Occasionally I’ll think of something and mention it in Confession, which I thought I was supposed to do but couldn’t recall what I’d read and when. Today was one of those occasions when something came to mind. I don’t know that it was truly a mortal sin in the context of when and how it happened, but it’s a big enough deal that I should include it next time.

On rare occasion, out of nervousness, I have literally forgotten to mention a sin while at confession. I would no sooner leave the confessional and then remember it. (Space head!) I asked my pastor about this finally and he did tell me to simply wait until my next opportunity to confess, and that if this was unintentional on my part he considered my confession to still be valid. It is only when we intentionally leave a sin out that we make our confession invalid.

I’m guilty of the same. On more than one occasion I’ve started to leave the confessional, only to say, “Oh, wait!” Most of the priests I’ve done this with have patiently told me not to worry about it since I’d already received absolution. One said, “You’ve been absolved, get out!” It was said in a “don’t worry about it sort of way,” so it was pretty amusing.