Confession question re: forgotten sins

[gwenred]

OK, what about this scenario: you go to confession with the full intention of confessing all serious/grave sins, but the confessor cuts you off before you say one you really need to say. This has happened to me - it’s not like I was lolligagging - I hadn’t been in there even a full 60 seconds. I know you’re supposed to say the hardest one first, but I was planning to say it second, when BOOM - cut off with “that’ll be fine now say your act of contrition while I say the absolution.” Is there an obligation to go back to a different priest? Thanks!

 

[Sir_Knight]

In that circumstance, I would say “no” because the sin was on your mind and you had the INTENTION of confessing it. There is no harm, however, if you DO confess it at a later confession.

 

[Orionthehunter]

OK, what about this scenario: you go to confession with the full intention of confessing all serious/grave sins, but the confessor cuts you off before you say one you really need to say. This has happened to me - it’s not like I was lolligagging - I hadn’t been in there even a full 60 seconds. I know you’re supposed to say the hardest one first, but I was planning to say it second, when BOOM - cut off with “that’ll be fine now say your act of contrition while I say the absolution.” Is there an obligation to go back to a different priest? Thanks!

In that circumstance, I would say “no” because the sin was on your mind and you had the INTENTION of confessing it. There is no harm, however, if you DO confess it at a later confession.

In this case, this would be one that I think the Church would want us to try to remember for our next regular confession. Your saving it for last could be a subconscious attempt to postpone facing the consequences with God. Much earlier I talked about the graces that come from confessing even sins that you are not “required” to confess. One that you “postpone” is one which the graces would probably be needed. God Bless YOu.

 

[FrankLawrence]

I knew deliberately holding back was in and of itself a mortal sin, but I didn’t realize that it invalidated absolution of the confessed sins.

Neither did I, and I am a cradle Catholic. Can someone provide some official Catholic documentation(ie the Catechism) on this particular issue? This seems like a foreign teaching to me. I realize that it invalidates worthiness of receiving Communion, but not that we suddenly have to reconfess sins that we’ve already been absolved of. This sounds like a strange and absolutely terrifying teaching to me. Not that I intentionally withhold sins, but sometimes I remember things only at the end of confession, after the Act of Contrition was said, and don’t bother to bring it up until my next confession. One time, I actually intentionally stunted my own thinking, before confession, as not to come up with some long past sins that I MAY not have earlier confessed, but remembered earlier in the week. If this suddenly means that my other confessed and absolved sins were not forgiven, then, well…show me the documentation. That is extremely disturbing to me, as I don’t even remember some of the things I confessed. I take the David, “As far as the east is from the west”(if the World was flat as David likely thought it was) attitude. Now, suddenly, has the East met the West again in my own round world? I’m not looking for opinions. Please provide official Church documents, and advise me as to what I should do, in terms of being clueless as to which sins were and which were not parts of a perhaps past omitted confession.

 

[Sir_Knight]

John has four mortal sins. He goes to Confession. He tell three, but is ashamed of the other. John comes out with FIVE mortal sins.

http://stjw.org/Images/badstory.jpg

A bad confession is one in which the person deliberately conceals a mortal sin. Such a confession is a sacrilege (an abuse the sacred power of forgiving sin). A sacrilegious confession is a rare thing; most people are very sincere and truthful in the confessional. If a person makes a sacrilegious confession, he must confess this fact, and repeat all his sins since his last good confession.

For example, if in 1990 a person willfully concealed a mortal sin in confession, all his confessions and Holy Communions are sacrilegious until he makes a good confession in which he tells of his sacrilegious act. If a person forgets to confess a mortal sin in confession, his confession is not sacrilegious. All that is necessary is that he tells this particular mortal sin in a future confession whenever he thinks of it.

 

[Orionthehunter]

Neither did I, and I am a cradle Catholic. Can someone provide some official Catholic documentation(ie the Catechism) on this particular issue? This seems like a foreign teaching to me. I realize that it invalidates worthiness of receiving Communion, but not that we suddenly have to reconfess sins that we’ve already been absolved of. This sounds like a strange and absolutely terrifying teaching to me. Not that I intentionally withhold sins, but sometimes I remember things only at the end of confession, after the Act of Contrition was said, and don’t bother to bring it up until my next confession. One time, I actually intentionally stunted my own thinking, before confession, as not to come up with some long past sins that I MAY not have earlier confessed, but remembered earlier in the week. If this suddenly means that my other confessed and absolved sins were not forgiven, then, well…show me the documentation. That is extremely disturbing to me, as I don’t even remember some of the things I confessed. I take the David, “As far as the east is from the west”(if the World was flat as David likely thought it was) attitude. Now, suddenly, has the East met the West again in my own round world? I’m not looking for opinions. Please provide official Church documents, and advise me as to what I should do, in terms of being clueless as to which sins were and which were not parts of a perhaps past omitted confession.

From the Catechism (Bolded is my emphasis):
1456 Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: “**All mortal sins **of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, **even if they are most secret **and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.”(Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. Ex 20:17; Mt 5:28)

When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. **But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, **place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.”(Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. St. Jerome, In Eccl. 10, 11: PL 23:1096.)

You are right it a disturbing teaching as it makes you face your lack of true contrition and resolve to have the conversion of heart that comes from the Sacrament. It isn’t a ritual. It is cleansing. We don’t put our dirty shirt in the wash to clean that which doesn’t need cleaning but to remove the most egregioius stain.

From the Catechism:
1424 It is called the sacrament of confession, since the **disclosure **or confession of sins to a priest is an **essential element **of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a “confession”—acknowledgment and praise—of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.

It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God grants the penitent “pardon and peace.”

It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: “Be reconciled to God.” He who lives by God’s merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord’s call: “Go; first be reconciled to your brother.”

1431: Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).

If you know in your heart that you took action to intentionally avoid confessing of certain mortal sins, you need to bring this up with your Confessor, tell him both your intent, the sins you specifically recall not confessing, and the genre of those types of sins that cause you the most shame. Shame is a tool of Satan to get you to be denied the graces that come from the Sacrament. Take this sin directly to Christ in the Sacrament. Beat this SOB at his own game.

But don’t despair over your previous sin of withholding sins. God is Divine Mercy. He longs for your contrition. He will rejoice and dance, not condemn or admonish. He has cried that you have not been open to His graces. And He has been tugging at your heart unceasingly to come to Him completely. What a glorious day awaits you when you go to Him who is Love.

 

[FrankLawrence]

I thank you for that. I guess my question is, what if the sins are remembered while still in the confessional, but after the Act of Contrition, yet were genuinely forgotten at the time of the actual confession?
Also, another thread on this message board has recently convicted me of what may have been a mortal sin, but that I did not see as a mortal sin at the time, even though I probably SHOULD have. I fully intend to confess it at my next confession, but does that make my reception of the Eucharist every time from then till now an additional mortal sin? Really, my problem is that I may get to the point where I’m afraid to receive Communion ever again.

 

[Sir_Knight]

I thank you for that. I guess my question is, what if the sins are remembered while still in the confessional, but after the Act of Contrition, yet were genuinely forgotten at the time of the actual confession?
Also, another thread on this message board has recently convicted me of what may have been a mortal sin, but that I did not see as a mortal sin at the time, even though I probably SHOULD have. I fully intend to confess it at my next confession, but does that make my reception of the Eucharist every time from then till now an additional mortal sin? Really, my problem is that I may get to the point where I’m afraid to receive Communion ever again.

Remember that it is ALMOST impossible to commit a mortal sin without knowing it. If, however, it were me, I would abstain from receiving communion until the matter was properly taken care of in confession – it’s better not to receive Communion then to receive and bring condemnation upon oneself.

Also remember that you are inviting the God of the Universe into your soul. If God was coming into your house, wouldn’t you take EVERY possible step to ensure that your house was as clean and presentable as possible? When we invite God into our souls, shouldn’t we exercise the same care to ensure that our souls are as clean from sin as possible since sin is deeply offensive to God?

 

[Orionthehunter]

Remember that it is ALMOST impossible to commit a mortal sin without knowing it. If, however, it were me, I would abstain from receiving communion until the matter was properly taken care of in confession – it’s better not to receive Communion then to receive and bring condemnation upon oneself.

Also remember that you are inviting the God of the Universe into your soul. If God was coming into your house, wouldn’t you take EVERY possible step to ensure that your house was as clean and presentable as possible? When we invite God into our souls, shouldn’t we exercise the same care to ensure that our souls are as clean from sin as possible since sin is deeply offensive to God?

I agree w/ the first point that it is impossible to commit a mortal sin w/o knowledge. It is in the definition.

I also agree like Sir Knight it is a matter of “if it were me” on what to do in the interim. I have been at different stages in my spiritual development. Sometimes I need to fully accept and appreciate the greatness of Divine Mercy. When there, I would not do what Sir Knight would do. However, when I am in a place where I’m trying to more fully convert my interior heart, I’d do as Sir Knight proposes.

Because it is a matter of “if it were me” depending on one’s particular interior state, I don’t agree that the rhetorical question of the final paragraph is universally applicable.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Sometimes I need to fully accept and appreciate the greatness of Divine Mercy. When there, I would not do what Sir Knight would do. However, when I am in a place where I’m trying to more fully convert my interior heart, I’d do as Sir Knight proposes.

http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/fffmain/smilies/dunno.gif When where

Because it is a matter of “if it were me” depending on one’s particular interior state, I don’t agree that the rhetorical question of the final paragraph is universally applicable.

you totally lost me http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/fffmain/smilies/duh.gif

 

[Orionthehunter]

http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/fffmain/smilies/dunno.gif When where
you totally lost me http://www.familyfriendsfirearms.com/forum/fffmain/smilies/duh.gif

When I need to trust in the infinite and magnitude of Divine Mercy, I would not deny myself communion in the situation sighted prior to my next confession. Because of there are circumstances for recieving and not recieving the Eucharist, I don’t wholly endorse your “clean house” analogy. If I made a complete and sincere confession, my house is clean. The unintentially omitted sins (by my forgetfulness or the pressure asserted by the Confessor) don’t dirty my house.

 

[Sir_Knight]

If I made a complete and sincere confession,** my house is clean**. The unintentially omitted sins (by my forgetfulness or the pressure asserted by the Confessor) don’t dirty my house.

I couldn’t agree more so you DO endorse your “clean house” analogy

 

[fix]

We ARE required to confess it. From the Catholic Encyclopedia for Home and School, Vol, 3 pg 123 it is stated …

“If a penitent genuinely forgets to mention a mortal sin, it is still forgiven by the sacrament. If it is remembered later, however, it should be confessed at the next opportunity by saying, “In my last confession I forgot to mention…” One may continue to receive Holy Communion during this interval.”

should [auxiliary verb] shood - must; ought; used to indicate duty, propriety, or expediency.

Source.
​

• Forgotten sins SHOULD be confessed at the next opportunity.
• Forgotten sins «must» be confessed at the next opportunity.
• Forgotten sins «ought to» be confessed at the next opportunity.
• Forgotten sins «are expected to» be confessed at the next opportunity.
• A person «has a duty to» confessed forgotten sins at the next opportunity.
  du·ty [nown] doo-tee - (1) something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation; (2) the binding or obligatory force of something that is morally or legally right; moral or legal obligation.
  
  Source.​
• A person has a «binding obligation» to confessed forgotten sins at the next opportunity.
• A person is «morally required» to confessed forgotten sins at the next opportunity.

This is from the old C E:

If, however, the sin be omitted, not through any fault of the penitent, but through forgetfulness, it is forgiven indirectly; but it must be declared at the next confession and thus submitted to the power of the keys.

From Canon law:

Can. 988 §1. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience.

So, it seems if one forgets a mortal sin it is indirectly forgiven, but if it is remembered in a future confession it must be submitted to the power of the keys.

 

[Sir_Knight]

That’s what I’ve been saying – thanks for the back-up

 

[fix]

That’s what I’ve been saying – thanks for the back-up

This is from Jimmy Akin’s site:

However, I have heard on EWTN and elsewhere that it’s a good idea to mention unconfessed (forgotten) serious sins the next time I go, even though the sacrament took care of them.
It’s actually a bit stronger than that. If you remember a mortal sin that your forgot to confess then you have an obligation to confess it, even though it has already been forgiven.

In the case of scrupulous individuals, though, standard moral and pastoral theology holds that they should only confess such sins if the following conditions obtain: (1) they know for a fact it was a mortal sin and (2) they know for a fact that they have not already confessed it. If they aren’t sure about either of these two conditions then a person with a scrupulous conscience should not confess the sin because it will foster further scrupulosity if they get in the habit of confessing sins that they aren’t sure were mortal or aren’t sure if they haven’t already been confessed…

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2006/07/a_reader_writes.html

 

[Orionthehunter]

This is from Jimmy Akin’s site:

In the case of scrupulous individuals, though, standard moral and pastoral theology holds that they should only confess such sins if the following conditions obtain: (1) they **know for a fact **it was a mortal sin and (2) they **know for a fact **that they have not already confessed it. If they aren’t sure about either of these two conditions then a person with a scrupulous conscience should not confess the sin because it will foster further scrupulosity if they get in the habit of confessing sins that they aren’t sure were mortal or aren’t sure if they haven’t already been confessed…

I’ve been searching for a way for those who struggle w/ scrupulocity won’t look at the teaching to confess unforgotten sins in a way that their particular stuggle won’t become a formula for despair and discouragement. “Know for a fact” is a great “qualifier” for these good people. A good application of this will aid them in finding the Peace that comes from this glorious Sacrament.

 

[daniel87]

Quite simply, the best thing to do after remembering a forgotten mortal sin, is to schedule a Confession as soon as possible and not to recieve the Eucharist until after that Confession otherwise you will most likely commit sacreilge.

To those who disagree let me make the point that this single mortal sin has earned you hell.
If you dont want to omit Holy Communion then this is another reason to go a.s.a.p., you can get Confession at anytime just ask your priest (I would suggest not waiting for a scheduled Confession, as this probably implies you dont care/know about the seriousness of this, shows that you might not be fully contrite if you would put it off, Jesus Himself waits for you in the confessional, eager to forgive you anything, if you would just go there to meet Him).
There is a reason why we remember our forgotten sins, not just mere coincedence, we know that these have to be forgiven in order to be closer to God.
Forgotten sins are our own fault, Mortal sins that have been forgotten are sadly our own doing, from lack of examination of coinscience and our lack of the sense of sin (as if they meant nothing though Jesus died for us), Padre Pio always said to do a daily examination of coinscience at the end of every day.
So go to Confession knowing that you need and want to be forgiven, then take part in the Eucharist knowing you are recieving the Lord Jesus with a clean soul free of sin.
God bless

 

[Orionthehunter]

Quite simply, the best thing to do after remembering a forgotten mortal sin, is to schedule a Confession as soon as possible and not to recieve the Eucharist until after that Confession otherwise you will most likely commit sacreilge.

To those who disagree let me make the point that this single mortal sin has earned you hell.
If you dont want to omit Holy Communion then this is another reason to go a.s.a.p., you can get Confession at anytime just ask your priest (I would suggest not waiting for a scheduled Confession, as this probably implies you dont care/know about the seriousness of this, shows that you might not be fully contrite if you would put it off, Jesus Himself waits for you in the confessional, eager to forgive you anything, if you would just go there to meet Him).
There is a reason why we remember our forgotten sins, not just mere coincedence, we know that these have to be forgiven in order to be closer to God.
Forgotten sins are our own fault, Mortal sins that have been forgotten are sadly our own doing, from lack of examination of coinscience and our lack of the sense of sin (as if they meant nothing though Jesus died for us), Padre Pio always said to do a daily examination of coinscience at the end of every day.
So go to Confession knowing that you need and want to be forgiven, then take part in the Eucharist knowing you are recieving the Lord Jesus with a clean soul free of sin.
God bless

There are multiple references to Church teaching. A sincerely forgotten sin has been forgiven and one is not required to abstain from receipt of the Eucharist. One is to confess it at their next confession. This is the Church Teaching.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia for Home and School, Vol, 3 pg 123 it is stated …“If a penitent genuinely forgets to mention a mortal sin, it is still forgiven by the sacrament. If it is remembered later, however, it should be confessed at the next opportunity by saying, “In my last confession I forgot to mention…” One may continue to receive Holy Communion during this interval.”

The Catechism 1455-1458 also addresses forgotten sins.

 

[daniel87]

Listen up everyone - "Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution" - The Catechism of the Catholic Church

There are multiple references to Church teaching. A sincerely forgotten sin has been forgiven and one is not required to abstain from receipt of the Eucharist. One is to confess it at their next confession. This is the Church Teaching.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia for Home and School, Vol, 3 pg 123 it is stated …“If a penitent genuinely forgets to mention a mortal sin, it is still forgiven by the sacrament. If it is remembered later, however, it should be confessed at the next opportunity by saying, “In my last confession I forgot to mention…” One may continue to receive Holy Communion during this interval.”

The Catechism 1455-1458 also addresses forgotten sins.

no, sorry but it is actually - “Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution” - The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Notice how it is put that - “anyone who is aware” instead of ‘whoever has commited’ or ‘anyone who just commited’ because to be aware of something is not confined to the present but the past also.

Here is the correct teaching of the Catholic Church-

The confession of sins
1455 The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible. [1424, 1734]

1456 Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: “All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.” [Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. Ex 20:17; Mt 5:28] [1855]

When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” [Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. St. Jerome, In Eccl. 10, 11: PL 23:1096] [1505]

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.” [Cf. CIC, Can. 989; Council of Trent (1551): DS 1683; DS 1708] Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. [Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1647; 1661; CIC, can. 916; CCEO, can. 711] Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time. [Cf. CIC, can. 914] [2042, 1385]

1458 Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. [Cf. Council of Trent: DS 1680; CIC, can. 988 § 2] Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: [Cf. Lk 6:36] [1783]

Whoever confesses his sins… is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” - this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made … When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light. [St. Augustine, In Jo. ev. 12, 13: PL 35, 1491] [2468]

 

[daniel87]

You need to Confess any mortal sin that comes to your knowledge as soon as you are able

You cannot recieve the Eucharist until then, unless he/she “has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.”(the Catechism)

• this would be in a life or death situation where it would be necessary to give the dying person the Viaticum by a minister of the Eucharist when no Priest is available.

Although you are well intentioned Orion, what you mentioned is not “Catholic Teaching”, but teaching given by a Catholic, who well intentioned gave accidental error by herself, not the Church. That book you quoted “Catholic Encyclopedia for Home and School” is not an official book of the Church so it is open to error, unlike approved books of the Church
e.g. those that bear the nihil obstat and imprintur of the Catholic Church.

That’s the importance of the Imprintur–so people know that it is free from errors, both doctornal and moral.

This does not mean that any book write without this approval should be dismissed but just to let you know that the book that has them is free from error and has been read and studied by theologians who have found no error with the publication.

Sorry for being harsh, but anyone who teaches anything contrary to the faith, knowingly or not, has to be corrected otherwise others might fall into sin, I hope you understand.

So once again if any mortal sins are remembered Confess them a.s.a.p, refrain from the Holy Communion until after the Sacrament of Reconcilation.
( If you are worried about our Sunday obligation, know that it is required that we attend the Holy Mass to fulfil that obligation, to recieve Jesus in the Sacrament is a gift it is not demanded but it is demanded that we do not once we are in mortal sin, or else we commit the worst of sacrileges, but thats why we go to Confession before the Holy Mass so that we can recieve Him, knowing that we dont commit a sin or break our Sunday obligation if we attend Holy Mass but cant recieve Him (I say cant because, even though its our choice, no-one in their right mind would not want to recieve the greatest gift they can get in this life))

So to advance quickly in your spiritual life go to regular Confession and regular Holy Mass because with Confession our sins are gone and with the Eucharist we recieve the strenght to not sin, so it works in a great cycle.

With this topic the better thing to do is frequent examination of coinscience to avoid falling into mortal and a lot of venial sins, better still frequent Confession or the best thing to do is . . . not sin (at least more so, this is achieved with learning about the gravity of sin, meditating on the life and passion of Jesus, and most importantly frequently visiting and recieving the Holy Eucharist) :yup:

God bless