Confession: number and kind?

[Deo_Gratias42]

Clearly, unless the offense was so grievous as murder, or rape, etc., the number of times need not be the actual numerical total. The priest has to know approximately how often the sin occurs, and the seriousness of the sin.

ALL mortal sins but be confessed in number, to the best of one’s ability, not just the ones that were “so grievous as murder, or rape.” One is obligated to confess the number to the best of one’s ability. If that means one has missed Mass on Sunday about 256 times, then one confesses “I missed Mass on Sunday about 256 times.”

 

[DebChris]

ALL mortal sins but be confessed in number, to the best of one’s ability, not just the ones that were “so grievous as murder, or rape.” One is obligated to confess the number to the best of one’s ability. If that means one has missed Mass on Sunday about 256 times, then one confesses “I missed Mass on Sunday about 256 times.”

A person can also say, “It has 5 years since my last confession. During that period of time I did not attend Mass or receive any of the Sacraments. For a long time I was at odds with Catholic teaching and became involved in various activities I felt more important than Catholic teaching.” Here the person can talk about those specific activities.

When the prodigal son returned, the only thing he said was, “I have sinned against God and man” for his father to forgive him and prepare the feast.

In a name and number, grocery list style, confession, a person simply says “I stole x number of times.”
This can definitely be expanded regarding circumstances. Was he working as a cashier who pocketed a customer’s cash instead of ringing up the sale? Did he embezzle money from his company? Did he take back the money he paid for the hotdog he ate when the vendor did not put the money away immediately? Was he involved in an armed robbery, or did he steal as a form of vengeance against some perceived injustice? Giving the priest the circumstances and specifics of the sin committed helps the priest provide guidance as to how to “avoid the near occasion of sin” in the future. It may lead to a penance outside “say 3 Hail Marys” that directly addresses the sin committed. For example, the priest might tell the person who stole from the homeless to anonomously donate to a local shelter.

 

[Bookcat]

A person can also say, “It has 5 years since my last confession. During that period of time I did not attend Mass or receive any of the Sacraments. For a long time I was at odds with Catholic teaching and became involved in various activities I felt more important than Catholic teaching.” Here the person can talk about those specific activities.

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Such a general statement can be good to let the Priest know where he is coming from --but He would then confess his mortal sins in number and kind (and circumstances that change the kind like it was his brother he murdered). He may of course not remember exact numbers after his good examination of conscience – then he can approximate according to what he knows…(see more of my posts above).