Confession and forgotten sins

[_L]

I’ve seen alot of threads about forgotten sins but I think I have a new scenario to which I cannot find an answer.

Last week I went to confession and only had venial sins to confess, I did an examination of conscience the best that I could, was sorry for my sins, and had the intent to not sin again. I went out of the confessional feeling relieved, without a doubt my confession was sincere and valid. but a little while later I started to recall some sins that I had forgotten about, and I understand forgotten sins are forgiven as well, but in this case, let’s say that one of the sins was done out of habit, and at the time of confession although I was not aware of this sin, I may have had the subconscious passive intent to continue in that sin due to the fact that I was simply not aware of it at the time of confession, and wasn’t really sure if it was even a sin or not to begin with.

So basically the question boils down to, is someones confession valid if in spite of the fact that they believe they are giving a sincere repentant confession, they in fact are subconsciously intending to continue committing a particular sin? (a venial sin for the sake of this scenario)

I was certainly sorry for all my sins, and had no intent to commit any sin in the future, but when finally recalling this sin I felt as though it was almost assumed I would keep doing it, and that I subconsciously had this frame of mind before confession. Regardless, if I had been aware of it before confession I would have certainly attempted to get myself in the right frame of mind to change course and steer away from it in the future, But seeing as there may have been some latent and unnoticed unrepentance of a particular sin I am concerned as to whether or not my confession was valid.

 

[smichhertz]

So basically the question boils down to, is someones confession valid if in spite of the fact that they believe they are giving a sincere repentant confession, they in fact are subconsciously intending to continue committing a particular sin? (a venial sin for the sake of this scenario)

Hi L!

Firstly, deliberately withheld venial sins do not invalidate a confession. Otherwise, we’d have to spend hours in the Confessional recounting every little sin we committed.

Secondly, you cannot control you subconscious. So even if it is out of a subconscious intent to withhold a mortal sin, your confession is still good and valid as you did not consciously withhold the mortal sin.

So either way, you’re fine. Hope that helps!

 

[Little_One0307]

If you willed to be repentant and sorry for your sins which it sounds like you did, then that is a Firm purpose. If you willed not to do this again, that is a Firm purpose of Amendment. Based on your post, the Sacrament is valid.

You cannot control your subconcious as the previous poster did. However if it was an active though and an active not being sorry for your sins, then the validity of the Sacrament could be called into question.

Be at peace.

God bless.

 

[Bookcat]

On the one hand it would seem you had a firm purpose of amendment…and they were absolved. (subconscious is …well your subconscious…)

On the other hand…even if you had confessed a “venial” you were not in fact sorry for or amended in any way for…so long as you confessed at least one that you were…it would still be valid (though that one would not be absolved…but in the future things could change…or it can be forgiven outside the sacrament later…).

Also note that the kind of amendment for such venial sins does not have to be like it does with mortal. For example (like the one you mentioned) those sins that we fall frequently into we need not to have the purpose of never doing them again (why? because we can never without a special grace avoid all such venial sins in this life…now of course we should seek to always avoid fully deliberate venial sins…but we can not avoid all venial sins). Instead one can have the amendment/intention to lessen them…to work on them…to become better…to work to overcome them etc…

Mortal sins of course have to be the amendment “never to it again”…but also recall that such is compatible with the fear that one might do so…even though one is firmly against them.

Hope this helps.

Keep following Christ!

 

[paul_anthony]

We do not,l believe have to go to a priest for absolution. We can confess to God and ask him to forgive. The only difference being that one might have to wait a number of years until at the p;early gates to know the result of your confession!
Food for thought.

Dominus vobiscum

paul anthony

 

[Little_One0307]

We do not,l believe have to go to a priest for absolution. We can confess to God and ask him to forgive. The only difference being that one might have to wait a number of years until at the p;early gates to know the result of your confession!
Food for thought.

Dominus vobiscum

paul anthony

Paul,

I am posting in response to you saying “We do not, I believe” The statement should be “I believe.” Catholics who are Faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church do not hold such a belief.

WOWEE!!! Holy Mother Church teaches and holds us obligated to go to Confession at least once a year if we are aware of mortal sins, and every time we are aware of mortal sin we are to go to Confession. Holy Mother Church also advocates frequent Confession.

Where oh where are you getting your sources? You might want to consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church in part II where it addresses Confession. I include a few paragraphs for thought. - Emphasis is mine

#1436

** Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: “All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession**, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.” 54

When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” 55

54 - Council of Trent [1551]: DS 1680 [ND 1626]; Ex 20:17, Mt 5:28
55 - Council of Trent [1551]: DS 1680 [ND 1626]; St. Jerome, IN Eccl. 10, 11: PL 23:1096

#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." 56 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. 57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time. 58

56 - CIC, can 989; Council of Trent [1551]; DS 1683; DS 1708
57 - Counfil of Trent [1551]: DS 1647; 1661; CIC, can 916; CCEO, can 711

God bless.

 

[Bookcat]

Paul,

I am posting in response to you saying “We do not, I believe” The statement should be “I believe.” Catholics who are Faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church do not hold such a belief.

I believe he was referring to venial sins only (such was the persons question).

(not mortal sins as your post indicates you thought he said)

One is not obliged to confess venial sins (though it is highly recommended to confess at least some and to go frequently) …venial sins can be forgiven in various ways according to the Teachings of the Church.

 

[thistle]

We do not,l believe have to go to a priest for absolution. We can confess to God and ask him to forgive. The only difference being that one might have to wait a number of years until at the p;early gates to know the result of your confession!
Food for thought.

Dominus vobiscum

paul anthony

You are absolutely WRONG. Absolution can only be given by a priest after you make a sincere confession to the priest.
Either you are a very badly catechised Catholic or you are not actually a Catholic.

 

[Bookcat]

You are absolutely WRONG. Absolution can only be given by a priest after you make a sincere confession to the priest.
.

He is not speaking of absolution…but not needing absolution to be forgiven venial sins…

at least the person was asking about venial sins…

 

[paul11b]

I asked a priest about this because I was worried about it a while back. If you confess everything that you remember and you legitimately forgot something then that is fine. All of your sins will be forgiven but once you remember a sin that you forgot to confess you should try to remember to confess it the next time you go to confession. Something else that you can do to make you feel like your ok just in case you forgot anything is after you’re done making your confession say “I also would like to confess anything that I have forgotten or anything that I didn’t know was sinful.” I like saying that because it makes me feel like I’m covered in case I forgot something (although technically I’m covered even if I didn’t say that, I’m a weak mortal human so I like to reassure myself). I hope this helps.

 

[thistle]

He is not speaking of absolution…but not needing absolution to be forgiven venial sins…

at least the person was asking about venial sins…

Okay if that’s the case…
My impression was different but you might well be right. I’ll ask the poster.

 

[thistle]

We do not,l believe have to go to a priest for absolution. We can confess to God and ask him to forgive. The only difference being that one might have to wait a number of years until at the p;early gates to know the result of your confession!
Food for thought.

Dominus vobiscum

paul anthony

So there is no misunderstanding are you saying you believe there is no need to go to a priest for absolution for venial sins or mortal sins?

 

[Little_One0307]

I believe he was referring to venial sins only (such was the persons question).

(not mortal sins as your post indicates you thought he said)

One is not obliged to confess venial sins (though it is highly recommended to confess at least some and to go frequently) …venial sins can be forgiven in various ways according to the Teachings of the Church.

Bookcat,

I posted it because of the word Absolution being used as well as it was a pretty broad sweeping statement. There are some Catholics who believe that one does not have to Confess to a priest for any sins, be they venial or mortal.

I erred on the side of caution. I probably ought to ask him if he just means this for venial sins or for both kinds of sins. I will do so in the next reply. Ahhh Thistle has it covered. Thanks Thistle. I will be awaiting his reply.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

God bless.

 

[Bookcat]

Bookcat,

I posted it because of the word Absolution being used as well as it was a pretty broad sweeping statement. There are some Catholics who believe that one does not have to Confess to a priest for any sins, be they venial or mortal.

I erred on the side of caution. I probably ought to ask him if he just means this for venial sins or for both kinds of sins. I will do so in the next reply. Ahhh Thistle has it covered. Thanks Thistle. I will be awaiting his reply.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

God bless.

I see.

Yes unfortunately there are some who do not understand the nature of mortal sin and the need for confession…hopefully such will change in each of their lives.

As to the OP post …he specified venial sins. Which are of course not required to be confessed…and thus absolved. Though it is good and recommended (for newer readers I addressed the OP question above in detail)