Confession or not?

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theCardinalbird

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What should I do if a past sin comes to haunt me, making me feel guilty? I had gone to confession and confessed a sin almost exactly like that but i was not thinking about that time i committed that sin that came back to haunt me.

Should I go to confession again?
 
If you’re talking about a previously confessed sin, there is no need to re-confess.

If you’re talking about a sin you have forgotten to confess in the past and have just now remembered, it is absolved. However, if it makes you feel better, you can confess it the next time you go to Confession.
 
If you forgot to confess a (mortal) sin the last time you went to confession, you would have to mention it at your next one, but you wouldn’t have to rush back (i.e. you don’t go back out of the state of grace at the moment of remembering a past sin or anything like that).

If your confession was sincere, etc. you were absolved, so you’d be able to receive Communion before you go next.
 
Arwing said:
If you forgot to confess a (mortal) sin the last time you went to confession, you would have to mention it at your next one, but you wouldn’t have to rush back (i.e. you don’t go back out of the state of grace at the moment of remembering a past sin or anything like that).

If your confession was sincere, etc. you were absolved, so you’d be able to receive Communion before you go next.
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But what happens if I went to confession, confessed a sin that was practically the same thing? Would me being not aware that I committed the same sin before, but a while ago, mean I have to return to confession?
 
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Again, no.

Confession absolves all sin, remembered or not. You are in a state of grace in this case.

If you want to confess it the next time you’re ‘in the box’ so to speak, you can feel free to do so.
 
You don’t have to return to confession, but if it is troubling you, maybe spend some time in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament and tell God. Let Him know you’re struggling with accepting His forgiveness Andy ask for His help and His strength.
 
The issue isn’t really absolution, but rather confessing all mortal sins directly.


http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=415263

As for having committed a very similar sin before (if of the same kind), if it’s a matter of say having done it once vs. twice I would think it should be mentioned, but if you did it say “several times” or something and confessed accordingly, and just weren’t thinking specifically about each one… then probably no.

Also since I don’t know whether it was the same kind of sin you should probably ask your priest anyway.
 
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Joe1 said:
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Arwing:
If you forgot to confess a (mortal) sin the last time you went to confession, you would have to mention it at your next one, but you wouldn’t have to rush back (i.e. you don’t go back out of the state of grace at the moment of remembering a past sin or anything like that).

If your confession was sincere, etc. you were absolved, so you’d be able to receive Communion before you go next.
Click to expand...
But what happens if I went to confession, confessed a sin that was practically the same thing? Would me being not aware that I committed the same sin before, but a while ago, mean I have to return to confession?
Click to expand...
This is a clear, specific, “no.” If you’ve already confessed the same species of sin, even if not any particular instance, that is considered confessed, and there is no need to mention it again.

This is true even if you got the original number wrong the first time. All that’s asked is that we do our best, and if your previous effort was sincere, you confessed to the best of your memory, and you haven’t committed the same sin since, then that’s that. There is no need to reconfess.
 
Maximilian75 said:
Again, no.

Confession absolves all sin, remembered or not. You are in a state of grace in this case.

If you want to confess it the next time you’re ‘in the box’ so to speak, you can feel free to do so.
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And for the sake of those who may not be clear, yes, absolution remits all sin, even the forgotten ones.

BUT: if one remembers a mortal sin previously forgotten, while the sin remains forgiven, the obligation to confess it remains. Just because a forgotten sin is forgiven does not mean does not need to be remitted directly by the Keys. Intentionally omitting this remembered sin in a subsequent confession incurs sacrilege, and while the sin itself does not revive, a new sin is incurred, and the absolution is invalid.

And this does not require one to run to Confession if a mortal sin is remembered. It can just be mentioned at one’s next regular or necessary confession.

Further, this does NOT require anyone to dredge up the past looking for forgotten mortal sins.

But again, this doesn’t apply to this case because he DID previously confess the species of sin, in which case, no re-confession is needed.
 
As long as you make a sincere confession and confess everything you remember, your sins were absolved. If you intentionally withheld the sin then your confession was not valid.

From how it sounds, you sincerely confessed all you could remember, so your confession is valid and you remain in a state of grace as long as you have not committed a mortal sin since your last confession
 
Mention it to your priest when in confession next. He will give u good advice.
 
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