Confession of sins in number and kind?

[bobolink]

What exactly does this mean?

I am wondering, since for many of my sins, especially those of the past life, would be imprudent to describe in detail, yet I would feel I was being vague and evasive in not going into some detail, and indeed feel I’ve not confessed ‘properly’ in trying to find a balance between the two.

What then, is needed for the actual requirement to confess our sins in number and kind? Can you give an example or two?

I find that the examinations of conscience one can find in books, or online, vary enormously in the levels of detail: some too little, others seemingly too much detail, making my examination of conscience something I DREAD, and the actual confession also something to fear, as in ‘‘WHAT PRIEST IS GOING TO LISTEN TO ALL OF THIS?’’

I find myself in very scrupulous territory, since some of these are so detailed, I’d have to bring an A4 sheet into confession! Sometimes I’m left leaving confession feeling like I didn’t confess properly, or the priest didn’t quite get what I meant, or he doesn’t quite understand the gravity of my sin or I was concealing exactly what it was I’d done etc…

I am not really able at this time to ask a priest, since most of the priests I do know locally, while well-meaning, are not necessarily on quite the same wave-length as me with the whole number and kind requirement. In short, I am in a pickle and would greatly appreciate any guidance on this.

 

[fbl9]

What exactly does this mean?

I am wondering, since for many of my sins, especially those of the past life, would be imprudent to describe in detail, yet I would feel I was being vague and evasive in not going into some detail, and indeed feel I’ve not confessed ‘properly’ in trying to find a balance between the two.

What then, is needed for the actual requirement to confess our sins in number and kind? Can you give an example or two?

I find that the examinations of conscience one can find in books, or online, vary enormously in the levels of detail: some too little, others seemingly too much detail, making my examination of conscience something I DREAD, and the actual confession also something to fear, as in ‘‘WHAT PRIEST IS GOING TO LISTEN TO ALL OF THIS?’’

I find myself in very scrupulous territory, since some of these are so detailed, I’d have to bring an A4 sheet into confession! Sometimes I’m left leaving confession feeling like I didn’t confess properly, or the priest didn’t quite get what I meant, or he doesn’t quite understand the gravity of my sin or I was concealing exactly what it was I’d done etc…

I am not really able at this time to ask a priest, since most of the priests I do know locally, while well-meaning, are not necessarily on quite the same wave-length as me with the whole number and kind requirement. In short, I am in a pickle and would greatly appreciate any guidance on this.

an example of number and kind…since my last confession(days/weeks/yrs) ago i have commited the sins of impurity by looking at porn 8 times,i also commited the sin of adultry 8 times while viewing the porn…
if you feel that you need to bring a sheet in perhaps you aren’t going often enough?

 

[teachccd]

Remember that the number of times mentioned is for the priest to evaluate the sin as either a one time occurence or that which might be habitual. So, for example, you might say that I stole a candy from the store once. That would be require less pastoral care than perhaps someone who steals money from their employer three times a week. So the kind would indicate the category and any details that would make the sin more grave (without going into graphic detail) and your best recollection of how many times. If you were committing a sin for numerous years then you might just say, " I looked at pornography multiple times a week for the last however many months or years".

Hope this helps…teachccd

 

[bobolink]

Thank you both.

I guess the major problem for me is this: the sins I am troubled with as regards detail, are sins of impurity.

I find the standard ‘descriptors’ don’t quite do justice to the gravity and circumstances of sin which I had committed.

I am going to confession for the last year approximately, about once a week. But the trouble arises from sins of my past life, including during my teen years. I am now 27.

I want to do a general confession you see, which I had done before, but then I read this really good testimony (Gloria Polo) and felt that there were many things I failed to include, and detail I failed to provide.

Now, if I am happy with certain confessed sins, but not others, am I right in saying I only need confess previously unconfessed sins, and also any sins I felt I hadn’t confessed properly, or do I have to confess everything all over again, *including *those sins I am happy I have confessed honestly and properly? I’m hoping I need only confess those sins which have since come to my memory, and also those sins I feel I didn’t confess properly.

I meant well in my confessions, but at the same time, I liken my desire to make a general confession to an old roof and gutter: with each heavy rain shower (God’s Grace or light?), more leaves come out of the gutter which I didn’t quite realise/remember were there, yet these need to be dealt with when I do become aware of them.

You see, I am scrupulous and have OCD, BUT I am in no way seeking to use this as an excuse for poor confessions or whatnot.

I want to do the very right thing by God and myself. At the moment, I’ve got two sides of A4 with notes, but these are handwritten so it’s not actually all that much, just daunting to look at and consider that many of these sins have been confessed before.

 

[fbl9]

Thank you both.

I guess the major problem for me is this: the sins I am troubled with as regards detail, are sins of impurity.

I find the standard ‘descriptors’ don’t quite do justice to the gravity and circumstances of sin which I had committed.

I am going to confession for the last year approximately, about once a week. But the trouble arises from sins of my past life, including during my teen years. I am now 27.

I want to do a general confession you see, which I had done before, but then I read this really good testimony (Gloria Polo) and felt that there were many things I failed to include, and detail I failed to provide.

Now, if I am happy with certain confessed sins, but not others, am I right in saying I only need confess previously unconfessed sins, and also any sins I felt I hadn’t confessed properly, or do I have to confess everything all over again, *including *those sins I am happy I have confessed honestly and properly? I’m hoping I need only confess those sins which have since come to my memory, and also those sins I feel I didn’t confess properly.

I meant well in my confessions, but at the same time, I liken my desire to make a general confession to an old roof and gutter: with each heavy rain shower (God’s Grace or light?), more leaves come out of the gutter which I didn’t quite realise/remember were there, yet these need to be dealt with when I do become aware of them.

You see, I am scrupulous and have OCD, BUT I am in no way seeking to use this as an excuse for poor confessions or whatnot.

I want to do the very right thing by God and myself. At the moment, I’ve got two sides of A4 with notes, but these are handwritten so it’s not actually all that much, just daunting to look at and consider that many of these sins have been confessed before.

sorry i am not as talented as others here in the way some can divide a post a reply to it sections,so i will try and reply in paragraph style.
in your heart you know the sin,the priest also knows the sins by the descriptors.one does have a need to be careful in avioding GRAPHIC details…
once a week…for the last year???why?,it seems you have confessed to your past sins,yet someone doesn’t want you to forget them,and it isn’t God…remember after your confession God has removed your sins as far as the east is from the west…when i came back to the Church i had a very bad past,which i confessed to…i did not include every sin,and i am forgiven of those sins which i did not include,because i can’t remeber every single one…by the time i was 27 if i tried to write out my “rap” sheet,one by one i would still be at it now:blush: .you made a general confession it is DONE:FORGET IT GOD ALREADY HAS…
you say you meant well in your confessions,which it what you need to be…(true contrition)…if you delibrately decided not to confess certain sins then a reconfession is in order and a sin of deleiberatly not confessing a sin…to forget a sin is not wrong,yes when it is brought to your attention then you should confess it…
i kinda think it would be hard for an overly scrupulous person to make a poor confession…
the hardest thing i have ever done was to forgive myself for being such a sinner,should say i am still working on it… but i am going closer to being at peace with myself for being what i was…
may the peace of Christ be with you amen.
my prayers are with you…

 

[bobolink]

Thanks flb9.