Confession of Sin(s)

[Truthseeker4]

I truly believe that confession of sins should be done to God as well as confessing them to another person. That other person would be instrumental in helping you not commit that same sin. Would give you guidance on how to avoid the sin and if faced with the temptation what can be said/prayed. It would be a means to help you stay on the straight and narrow path instead of taking the wide path to destruction.

Here are some questions that I have in confession of sins.

If you confess your sins to a Priest and he does not forgive you of them then what happens? Has it ever happened? Do I not understand this correctly?

My basic understanding is that the requirement is to confess mortal sins only. What about venial sins? I believe that enough venial sins would cause one to fall into mortal sin.

For example you committed a mortal sin are fully shameful and admit that it is a sin against God.

I do understand, I think, what constitutes a mortal sin.

Melissa

 

[CollegeKid]

Melissa,

While I cannot think of any specific, historical instances of priests refusing to grant absolution for sins to someone in confession, it has probably happened in cases where the priest didn’t think the person was sincere in their sorrow. If you were refused absolution because the priest mistakenly thought this but in fact you were truly sorrowful, while God would probably recognize your sorrow, you would still want to find another priest who would hear your confession and grant you absolution, just to make the sacrament complete. As for what to confess, its true the confession is mainly for mortal sins but the Church recommends confessing venial sins as well because its healthy for the soul. You are correct in thinking that venial sins can lead to mortal sin, as these lesser sins still weaken your relationship with God.

 

[SummaTheo]

Truthseeker4:

I truly believe that confession of sins should be done to God as well as confessing them to another person. That other person would be instrumental in helping you not commit that same sin. Would give you guidance on how to avoid the sin and if faced with the temptation what can be said/prayed. It would be a means to help you stay on the straight and narrow path instead of taking the wide path to destruction.

Here are some questions that I have in confession of sins.

If you confess your sins to a Priest and he does not forgive you of them then what happens? Has it ever happened? Do I not understand this correctly?

A priest will never turn down absolution you unless he knows you are truly not sorry for your sins.

My basic understanding is that the requirement is to confess mortal sins only. What about venial sins? I believe that enough venial sins would cause one to fall into mortal sin.

Catholic Church encourages people to still confess venial sins. No , 50000 venial sins does not equal 1 mortal sin.

For example you committed a mortal sin are fully shameful and admit that it is a sin against God.

Is this a quesition?

I do understand, I think, what constitutes a mortal sin.

Melissa

 

[Pug]

Truthseeker4:

My basic understanding is that the requirement is to confess mortal sins only. What about venial sins? I believe that enough venial sins would cause one to fall into mortal sin

Many venial sins are a bad thing. You build up habits and inclinations that could make a mortal sin easier and easier to happen. It is true that we are only required to confess the mortal ones, but we are encouraged to confess venial sins for the benefit of doing so. We do think they are remitted (forgiven) by other means, say by participating at mass.

Jesus is the minister of the sacrament of confession, not just the priest. The priest is there *in persona christi, *a latin phrase. In a real way, it is Jesus who is ministering to you in that sacrament (and other sacraments). So the sins are confessed to God and also the human priest sitting there.

God is not bound to only act within the sacraments. So He can forgive someone outside of a confessional. It is not like some lunatic priest can thwart God by refusing to absolve people that God would like absolved. I’m not sure if that is what you were getting at.

 

[Truthseeker4]

Sorry all. I need to state that I am not a Catholic. Although studying Catholicism for various reasons.

It was a general question that popped in my head.

I fully believe that God forgives all sins with the exception of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

How would the Priest figure out that the person was not truly sorry? The gift of discernment comes to mind.

Thanks to those who have answered so far.

Melissa

 

[Brain]

My sister was trying to come home after a stint getting tossed around by the secular world, and our pastor didnt absolve her because she was still living with her boyfriend. Well they are married now and i think Fr has absolved her since (not gunna ask obviously. the first bit was volunteered by her because she didnt know priests could do that).

 

[CollegeKid]

I’d like to clarify that instances of priests refusing absolution are probably extremely rare. If and when it has happened, however, my guess is the priest probably made the decision based on little things that clued him into the person’s attitude, i.e., the tone of their voice, the way they talked about their sins, if they just flat out didn’t seem like they were enduring any inner suffering or struggle/feelings of remorse over their sin. For example, if the person kept coming to confession every week for years upon years with the same exact sin and were in the habit of listing it off as if they were remembering grocery items. Or, and this is a doubtful scenario, if the person simply stated that they weren’t sorry for their sins but were coming to confession “just in case” or something like that.

 

[nico1089]

Truthseeker4:

Sorry all. I need to state that I am not a Catholic. Although studying Catholicism for various reasons.

It was a general question that popped in my head.

I fully believe that God forgives all sins with the exception of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

How would the Priest figure out that the person was not truly sorry? The gift of discernment comes to mind.

Thanks to those who have answered so far.

Melissa

Hi Melissa, I am not Catholic either, unless with a small “c”. Yes, God forgives us our sins as long as we forgive others and repent of our wrongs. Confession in the church is to reconcile one with the church and not to God, which is already done. It is helpful to us to understand and examine ourselves more thoroughly and give us a greater understanding of how to avoid future sin, just as talking to another compassionate human being would be. We would like to think that all priests are compassionate human beings all the time. But being human means they are subject to the same petty human failings as the rest of us. I can hardly imagine the stress that some priest must be under, and how it must affect their discernment. God is constant in his mercy and forgiveness, and when it comes down to brass tacks, his mercy is all we can truely count on.–nicolo

 

[Truthseeker4]

I think I get it. The Priest would probably absolve that person if genuine sorrow is reflected in their speech and behavior.

Does the Priest ask questions to gain a better understanding? He already knows the big picture. He needs to know some important details.

Quite like the scenario with Brain’s sister. The Priest would not absolve her until she turned from her way’s because the temptation was too great for her to fall back in it again.

Is that correct?

Melissa

 

[threej_lc]

I think everyone has answered your questoins here pretty well.

I just wanted to thank you for seeking the truth and asking questions!

Josh

 

[Pug]

Truthseeker4:

How would the Priest figure out that the person was not truly sorry? The gift of discernment comes to mind.

You’d have to ask a priest for precise details, but I understand they basically are told to give you absolution in most all cases. If you sit there and tell them you are not sorry, then they will not grant absolution. Some rather famous priests have had the ability to see (discern), but I don’t think most do. Usually they ask you some questions if they need more info than you give them. They don’t ask tiny details, just stuff like if you stole something, was it small, like $5 or was it embezzlement of millions.

 

[baltobetsy]

Truthseeker4:

I think I get it. The Priest would probably absolve that person if genuine sorrow is reflected in their speech and behavior.

Does the Priest ask questions to gain a better understanding? He already knows the big picture. He needs to know some important details.

Quite like the scenario with Brain’s sister. The Priest would not absolve her until she turned from her way’s because the temptation was too great for her to fall back in it again.

Is that correct?

Melissa

In general, it is assumed that you are sorry by the fact that you have made the effort and the act of humility to come to confession and accuse yourself of the sins. The priest is not sitting there trying to determine which penitent is acting in good faith and which is not. As for the rare occasions in which the penitent’s sins are not absolved, it probably comes up in the course of the conversation that the penitent is unwilling to give up the sin and is therefore not truly sorry.

Some priests do have the gift of reading hearts. One such priest was the recently canonized St. Pio (aka Padre Pio). He was much sought after as a confessor, as you might guess.

Betsy

 

[sententia]

Truthseeker- yes, if the priest has any questions about something, he’ll ask. It may not be questioning one’s sorrow, but sometimes to get a better understanding of the surroundings that led someone to something, etc (generally that’s when you are having a problem with something that you’re working on, though, so they can better council you).

 

[little_flower_1]

a priest can figure out if a penitent is not truly sorry without the gift of discernment. it might be the person’s attitude, or just the things they confess- if a person comes into the confessional every week to confess to adultury and the priest asks if he has given up his mistress or intends to and he states ‘no’ then obviously he is not really sorry, is he?

a priest will ask questions to clarify or to help the person find a way to overcome their sin. sometimes a detail might make a small sin a greater one- that old bit of rope story- someone confesses to having stolen a bit of rope, but doesn’t add that that rope was attached to wagon.

we are encouraged to confess venial sins, but it is only required that we confess mortal sins. and a habit of venial sin may eventually become mortal.

 

[martino]

being truly sorry is not the only requirement for a valid confession. the other is that the one confessing must also have a firm purpose of amendment. that means they must be willing to make any changes in their life, no matter how big, to keep them out of mortal sin. here is an example:

lets say a guy comes in a confesses that he has had premarital sex with his girlfriend and he seems to be truly sorry. let’s say the priest finds out from him that he is living with is girlfriend…the priest would tell him that he would have to correct his current living condition because he is living in a state of sin, which means he leaves the confessional and goes right back to the situation he was in before. if he tells the priest that he cannot or will not correct his current living arrangements the priest could and should deny him absolution because he does not show a firm commitment to amend his life.

i dont think priests deny communion because they arent sure if the person is truly sorry, i dont know how they could really know that for sure, but it is not always difficult to find out if a person has a firm purpose of amendment, and if that is lacking the person cannot make a valid confession, so absolution could be withheld. even if absolution were given in a case were there was not a firm purpose of amendment, the confession is still not valid and his sins would not be forgiven…he may be able to fool a priest in the confessional but he cannot fool God and God knows wether we make a valid confession or not.

 

[thistle]

nico1089:

Hi Melissa, I am not Catholic either, unless with a small “c”. Yes, God forgives us our sins as long as we forgive others and repent of our wrongs. Confession in the church is to reconcile one with the church and not to God, which is already done. It is helpful to us to understand and examine ourselves more thoroughly and give us a greater understanding of how to avoid future sin, just as talking to another compassionate human being would be. We would like to think that all priests are compassionate human beings all the time. But being human means they are subject to the same petty human failings as the rest of us. I can hardly imagine the stress that some priest must be under, and how it must affect their discernment. God is constant in his mercy and forgiveness, and when it comes down to brass tacks, his mercy is all we can truely count on.–nicolo

Your comment which I highlighted I don’t actually agree with. Confession and absolution does reconcile us with God because after Confession we can then receive the Eucharist which is the real presence of Christ and thus we are reconciled and united with him.