Confession obligatory once a year?

[HomeschoolDad]

Exactly. If one commits no grave sins, there is no obligation to go to Confession.

That’s not how I’m reading the relevant passage from the CCC about precepts of the Church. I know what you mean. That was how I interpreted canon law as well. No mortal sins, no confession necessary. But the precept seems to be more strict than that — “confession once a year regardless”. That’s a little strange — for the precept of the Church to be stricter than canon law — but the precept “is what it is”, and shouldn’t be problematical for any practicing Catholic. As I said at the outset, to go to confession only once a year, while the bare minimum and the strict letter of the law, is a horrible idea. So is receiving communion only once a year. Both sacraments need to be received frequently. Monthly confession is not too often, and daily communion is not too much. (I fail on both counts.)

 

[babochka]

TheLittleLady:

Exactly. If one commits no grave sins, there is no obligation to go to Confession.

That’s not how I’m reading the relevant passage from the CCC about precepts of the Church. I know what you mean. That was how I interpreted canon law as well. No mortal sins, no confession necessary. But the precept seems to be more strict than that — “confession once a year regardless”. That’s a little strange — for the precept of the Church to be stricter than canon law — but the precept “is what it is”, and shouldn’t be problematical for any practicing Catholic. As I said at the outset, to go to confession only once a year, while the bare minimum and the strict letter of the law, is a horrible idea. So is receiving communion only once a year. Both sacraments need to be received frequently. Monthly confession is not too often, and daily communion is not too much. (I fail on both counts.)

I’ve always been confused by this discrepancy, as well. I’ve come down on the side of the phrasing in canon law, basically because there is no mandate to confess venial sins at all. I figure the precepts of the Church presume that knowledge and the precept should be interpreted in light of canon law. I’ve never felt 100% sure about it, though. I do agree that confessing only once a year is a bad plan.

@edward_george1, can you shed some light on this?

 

[PetraG]

That is not what it says. It makes no mention of remote areas. We must confess mortal sins at least once a year.

Just to clarify: There is never a moral requirement to achieve the impossible. There are some Catholics (such as those working in Saudi Arabia) who might not have access to the Eucharist or even a priest for over a year.

 

[Gorgias]

IdaCatholic:

Just once a year is the request from the church right?

Once a year is the required minimum from the church.

This!

Do you routinely only do necessary things to the mere extent of the minimum standard?

 

[PetraG]

Exactly. If one commits no grave sins, there is no obligation to go to Confession.

Yes. The Church encourages the frequent confession of venial sins, however, and enumerates the benefits of the sacrament even for those sins that are wiped away by reception of Holy Communion. As the Compendium puts it:

292. What are the fruits of Holy Communion?

CCC 1391-1397
CCC 1416

Holy Communion increases our union with Christ and with his Church. It preserves and renews the life of grace received at Baptism and Confirmation and makes us grow in love for our neighbor. It strengthens us in charity, wipes away venial sins and preserves us from mortal sin in the future.

306. Why can venial sins also be the object of sacramental confession?

CCC 1458

The confession of venial sins is strongly recommended by the Church, even if this is not strictly necessary, because it helps us to form a correct conscience and to fight against evil tendencies. It allows us to be healed by Christ and to progress in the life of the Spirit.

 

[Vico]

…

Baltimore Catechism

Q. 904. Is it enough to be free from mortal sin to receive plentifully the graces of Holy Communion?
A. To receive plentifully the graces of Holy Communion it is not enough to be free from mortal sin, but we should be free from all affection to venial sin, and should make acts of lively faith, of firm hope, and ardent love.

 

[Mannn]

. What are the fruits of Holy Communion?

CCC 1391-1397
CCC 1416

Holy Communion increases our union with Christ and with his Church. It preserves and renews the life of grace received at Baptism and Confirmation and makes us grow in love for our neighbor. It strengthens us in charity, wipes away venial sins and preserves us from mortal sin in the future.

Well it should improve our behavior.
It makes us nic. And sweet people .
Hello brotherrr

 

[IdaCatholic]

babochka:

IdaCatholic:

Just once a year is the request from the church right?

Once a year is the required minimum from the church.

This!

Do you routinely only do necessary things to the mere extent of the minimum standard?

It depends. If it is said that I should change my oil every 6000 miles, I don’t change it every month. However, with fuel, I usually top off my tank instead of driving around on 1/4 all the time.

The whole thing would make sense if the rule was simplified.

“If in mortal sin, you need to go to confession ASAP. But you also need to go to confession at least once a year.”

Instead the teaching is if you are in mortal sin, go to confession within the year.

With the bare minimum being only if you are in mortal sin, which on CAF is rare.

So, if not in mortal sin, there is no precept requiring confession. And given the history of threads on the forums arguing people are rarely in mortal sin, there should be no lines!

Sigh.

 

[CRV]

To me the code of canon law, the catechsim on yearly confession of serious sins and the 2nd precept - all say the same thing.

Code of Canon Law #989
“Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is ob-liged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.”

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.””

The Precepts of the Church
“2042 - The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year.”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness."

As only mortal sins require absolution through confession - it is assumed that an individual knows & understands this is what is meant here under the 2nd Precept - the confessing of grave/serious sins, especially when read in conjunction with #1457 which covers the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation - The confession of sins.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

To me the code of canon law, the catechsim on yearly confession of serious sins and the 2nd precept - all say the same thing.

Code of Canon Law #989
“Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is ob-liged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year .”

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 .””

The Precepts of the Church
“2042 - The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year .”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness."

They don’t say the same thing. CCC 2042 says “you shall confess your sins at least once a year”. No distinction is made between mortal/grave/serious on the one hand, and venial on the other hand.

A definitive statement from Rome one way or the other would be very, very welcome. Does anyone on CAF know how to make this happen?

 

[CRV]

No distinction is made between mortal/grave/serious on the one hand,

Doesn’t have to. Because in the section covering the Sacrament of Reconciliation (1457) which obviously occurs before the Precepts, it does state we are to confess serious sins at least once per year.

It is assumed people read the whole catechism and read one section in conjunction with others. In this case, both #1457 & #2042 together - therefore assuming people would understand the right meaning behind the 2nd precept.

 

[CRV]

Confession During Lent Once-a-Year Rule Has Flexibility February 23, 2016 15:59 Fr. Edward McNamara

 

[babochka]

CRV:

To me the code of canon law, the catechsim on yearly confession of serious sins and the 2nd precept - all say the same thing.

Code of Canon Law #989
“Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is ob-liged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year .”

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 .””

The Precepts of the Church
“2042 - The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year .”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness."

They don’t say the same thing. CCC 2042 says “you shall confess your sins at least once a year”. No distinction is made between mortal/grave/serious on the one hand, and venial on the other hand.

A definitive statement from Rome one way or the other would be very, very welcome. Does anyone on CAF know how to make this happen?

It doesn’t matter. The precept says that we are to confess our sins once a year and we know that only mortal sins must be confessed. There is no mandate at any time to confess venial sins. It follows that only mortal sins must be confessed at least once a year.

The definitive statement from Rome is that we are encouraged to frequently confess both venial and mortal sins.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

To me the code of canon law, the catechsim on yearly confession of serious sins and the 2nd precept - all say the same thing.

Code of Canon Law #989
“Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is ob-liged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year .”

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 .””

The Precepts of the Church
“2042 - The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year .”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness."

But this still doesn’t address my original question. Is a Catholic obliged to go to confession at least once a year even if they have no mortal/grave/serious sins to confess? CIC 989 and CCC 1457 imply no. The second precept as noted in CCC 2042 implies yes.

Do we have a priest here who could resolve this?

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Going to confession once a year makes about the same sense as taking a bath once a year.

You wouldn’t want to be around a person who took a bath once a month let alone once a year.

So give your soul a bath and make a good confession.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Going to confession once a year makes about the same sense as taking a bath once a year.

You wouldn’t want to be around a person who took a bath once a month let alone once a year.

So give your soul a bath and make a good confession.

I couldn’t agree more.

It would be very rare that a person would be serious enough about their spiritual life to avoid all mortal/grave/serious sins, yet not go to confession any more often than once a year.

 

[Canvas]

CCC #1457 does answer it, as does Canon #989.

Once a year, if you need to have mortal sin remitted so you can perform your Easter Duty. That is the rock bottom minimum, and I would encourage every Catholic to make use of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion much more than once a year, but that is all the Church obliges.

 

[Gorgias]

The whole thing would make sense if the rule was simplified.

“If in mortal sin, you need to go to confession ASAP. But you also need to go to confession at least once a year.”

Instead the teaching is if you are in mortal sin, go to confession within the year.

Umm… that’s not what the teaching is. It doesn’t discuss “mortal sin”, it discusses “grave sin” (and there’s even a citation that just mentions “sin”, without referent to gravity).

So… your oil keeps working for 6000 miles. Your soul is broken after one mortal sin. So… the analogy doesn’t hold.

 

[CRV]

The second precept as noted in CCC 2042 implies yes.

Only if you insist on interpreting it by itself.

“Canon 988 §2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins.” Venial sins are recommended to be confessed.

The 2nd precept comes from canon law #989
Can. 989 After having reached the age of discretion, each member of the faithful is ob-liged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year.

CCC #1457 as I linked in a previous post, also cf Council of Trent Session 14 Chapter V “… that the precept of confession should be complied with, at least once a year, by all and each, when they have attained to years of discretion. …”

Following #1457 of the CCC, in #1458 we read “Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.”

This also comes from Trent in Session 14 Chapter V On Confession we read " … For venial sins, whereby we are not excluded from the grace of God … they be rightly and profitably, and without any presumption declared in confession … they be omitted without guilt, and be expiated by many other remedies."

So the confession of venial sins isn’t strictly necessary (though strongly recommended). Therefore that leaves only mortal sins as being strictly necessary to be confessed as is stated in #1457.

It is clearly stated at least once a year.

Canon 920 §1 states:- After being initiated into the Most Holy Eucharist, each of the faithful is obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year.

§2. This precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season unless it is fulfilled for a just cause at another time during the year.

So being obliged to confess our serious/grave sins at least once a year and being obliged to receive holy communion at least once a year, & with this precept must be fulfilled during the Easter season - it ensures the very minimum of the Sacraments being received at least once a year.

I’m out of this thread now, because I can’t explain it any clearer. If you refuse to see what the Council of Trent says, what the Catechism says - who are you going to believe?

 

[HomeschoolDad]

I’d like to know how we got away from the term “mortal sin” to begin with. It’s very stark and describes exactly what happens when we commit it — the state of grace is gone and the love of God is dead in the soul. Thankfully, He pours out abundant grace for us to repent, if only we will accept it and act on it.

This has come up in another recent thread. Some object to calling anything a “mortal sin” because they say that implies judging. I don’t think it does. I know I have read, from time to time, in the 45 years I’ve been reading about the Catholic Faith, that “abortion is a mortal sin”, “adultery is a mortal sin”, and so on.

Now we all know, or should know, that for a Catholic (or anyone else) to be guilty of mortal sin, three conditions must apply:

• The sin in and of itself must be “grave” or “grievous”. Some would say “serious”. Catholics used just to cut to the chase and say “mortal”. In this sense, you can indeed speak of an “objective mortal sin”. Nobody has been judged. You are just describing the nature of the act in itself. See my examples above.
• There must be sufficient reflection (i.e. knowledge).
• There must be full consent of the will.

If any of these three conditions are lacking, then a mortal sin has not been committed (even if the act itself was gravely/grievously/seriously/mortally sinful).

It’s not that complicated.