Confession: need for more penance?

[gloraykid]

Some years ago I confessed my husband and I had not paid certain taxes relating to two nannies we employed. The priest gave me absolution, required penance of certain prayers and that was it. Ever since then, I have had the feeling I should try to make monetary amends and file those back taxes. I even went so far as to talk to a tax attorney who told me that since the taxes we’re talking about are from about 5-10 years ago that it would be difficult as the government doesn’t even keep records that long and since I didn’t have the social security numbers or know the whereabouts of the two nannies, that it would be stupid to try to file them now. While the tax attorney’s opinion of the “difficulty” of filing doesn’t discourage me, I’m wondering whether I need to pay them at all since my confessor didn’t require me to do so. Also, at the time the taxes were incurred, my husband was not a Christian, but subsequently has come into the Church, being baptized and confirmed. As a result, he feels no compunction to pay these taxes. What do you think?

 

[awalt]

If you are speaking spiritually, you were forgiven when you confessed, so there is no requirement to pay them back if the Priest did not ask you to.

Your husband was forgiven all sins when he was baptized a Catholic, unless it was not done properly and in the Church.

You were forgiven, thinking that you have not done enough borders on scrupulosity because it implies that you know better than God when to forgive you. So put that thought out of your mind.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with deciding you want to donate that money to a worthy cause, if only because you don’t want to keep the money any more.

 

[Christy_Beth]

I, too, would like to encourage donating the money. If you know approximately the amount of taxes, set that aside and find a worthy cause. Like maybe to a shelter for abused women or unwed mothers.