confession question..

[Monica4316]

Hi

last week I went to Confession… I was waiting for it for a while, and was very happy I finally got a chance to go. I had some sins to confess that were really bothering me.

I went to a parish I’d never been to because the time fit me better. (it was a busy day)

There were lots of people in line for confession… and I guess there wasn’t really enough time, cause the priest didn’t let me finish all my sins… maybe I made my list too long and included lots of venial sins, LOL, I don’t know… so he just went right ahead and absolved me.

Afterwards, I was very upset, cause I was hoping for a patient confessor lol cause I knew my list was sort of long. But at the same time, I felt really forgiven…I felt much like I did after my first Confession in the Church - so clean inside, and reconciled with God. I thought that maybe my sins weren’t actually sins, or weren’t mortal, and that’s why God didn’t allow me to confess them. Or maybe, they were sins but God still forgave me cause I felt so bad about them, and brought them to confession, though I never got the chance to say them out loud.

I really felt like God wanted me to trust in His mercy, and that I was hurting Him by being distrustful. I decided to trust the priest, in obedience, and trust God. After I decided this was God’s will and thanked Him for His mercy, all the confusion in my mind disappeared and I felt a lot of peace.

The next day, I received the Eucharist and I don’t think I received in a state of sin, - it was wonderful and God helped me so much.

But now, it’s Thursday, and I’m second guessing myself… was a right to believe that I was forgiven?

what does the Church teaching say? does anyone know?

thanks

 

[Spirithound]

Yes, you were forgiven. You intended to confess your sins, and the absolution forgives all sins you didn’t deliberately omit.

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

Hi

last week I went to Confession… I was waiting for it for a while, and was very happy I finally got a chance to go. I had some sins to confess that were really bothering me.

I went to a parish I’d never been to because the time fit me better. (it was a busy day)

There were lots of people in line for confession… and I guess there wasn’t really enough time, cause the priest didn’t let me finish all my sins… maybe I made my list too long and included lots of venial sins, LOL, I don’t know… so he just went right ahead and absolved me.

Afterwards, I was very upset, cause I was hoping for a patient confessor lol cause I knew my list was sort of long. But at the same time, I felt really forgiven…I felt much like I did after my first Confession in the Church - so clean inside, and reconciled with God. I thought that maybe my sins weren’t actually sins, or weren’t mortal, and that’s why God didn’t allow me to confess them. Or maybe, they were sins but God still forgave me cause I felt so bad about them, and brought them to confession, though I never got the chance to say them out loud.

I really felt like God wanted me to trust in His mercy, and that I was hurting Him by being distrustful. I decided to trust the priest, in obedience, and trust God. After I decided this was God’s will and thanked Him for His mercy, all the confusion in my mind disappeared and I felt a lot of peace.

The next day, I received the Eucharist and I don’t think I received in a state of sin, - it was wonderful and God helped me so much.

But now, it’s Thursday, and I’m second guessing myself… was a right to believe that I was forgiven?

what does the Church teaching say? does anyone know?

thanks

The priest was wrong to cut you off short.

However, you were forgiven of your sins.

What I would do (what I highly highly highly highly recommend you do) is to go and confess the rest of your sins to a priest, explaining the situation, saying you just wanted to “clear” them (like if you forgot to confess sins in confession).

 

[Joan_M]

You sound like you are new to Catholicism? Your post gives me the impression that you may not be clear on what is a mortal sin. Remember, we do not need to confess venial sins, although it is good to do so.

If you did not deliberately withhold a mortal sin, you were absolved and need not worry any more about it.

For the future, always confess any mortal sins first. Actually, if I have mortal sins to confess, they are the only sins I confess in that confession. If I have “only” venial sins to confess, I usually concentrate on the ones that are most prevalent - the ones I find the hardest to avoid.

If you have a doubt as to whether a sin is mortal or venial, confess it and leave it in the hands of God. That way you will no longer have to worry about it.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I have also always received the advice to confess first and only any mortal sins in aspecific confession. You can then say, “For these and all my sins I am heartily sorry”. This then covers the venial sins. You certianly don’t want to give the impression that you consider mortal and venial sins to be equivalent.

Also, you don’t need to go into a lot of detail – simply state the sin and the number of times committed (this can be approximate). So you would say something like, “I gossiped 3 times a week in the past month.” The priest doesn’t need to know with who, what you said, why you said it. If he does need to know something he will ask!

You were absolved and you don’t need to confess those sins again. I’m sure that like us all, you’ll have another list of new instances of sin for your next confession!

 

[perfectpeach]

My suggestion would be to make an appointment when you have a long list of sins…

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

Hi

last week I went to Confession… I was waiting for it for a while, and was very happy I finally got a chance to go. I had some sins to confess that were really bothering me.

I went to a parish I’d never been to because the time fit me better. (it was a busy day)

There were lots of people in line for confession… and I guess there wasn’t really enough time, cause the priest didn’t let me finish all my sins… maybe I made my list too long and included lots of venial sins, LOL, I don’t know… so he just went right ahead and absolved me.

Afterwards, I was very upset, cause I was hoping for a patient confessor lol cause I knew my list was sort of long. But at the same time, I felt really forgiven…I felt much like I did after my first Confession in the Church - so clean inside, and reconciled with God. I thought that maybe my sins weren’t actually sins, or weren’t mortal, and that’s why God didn’t allow me to confess them. Or maybe, they were sins but God still forgave me cause I felt so bad about them, and brought them to confession, though I never got the chance to say them out loud.

I really felt like God wanted me to trust in His mercy, and that I was hurting Him by being distrustful. I decided to trust the priest, in obedience, and trust God. After I decided this was God’s will and thanked Him for His mercy, all the confusion in my mind disappeared and I felt a lot of peace.

The next day, I received the Eucharist and I don’t think I received in a state of sin, - it was wonderful and God helped me so much.

But now, it’s Thursday, and I’m second guessing myself… was a right to believe that I was forgiven?

what does the Church teaching say? does anyone know?

thanks

Don’t worry! Some priests are hard-pressed for time, and although you would like to stay, they have other business to attend to. You said all you could, and that’s important. Don’t allow your doubts to make you second guess yourself. You received in a state of grace. Just make sure that you continue the Confession the next time you go. Maybe it would be a really good idea to make an appointment with a priest instead of waiting until Saturday Confessions. I did this once because I wanted to make a general life Confession, and it was so much more peaceful because I wasn’t worried about taking up someone elses time.

 

[JimG]

I really felt like God wanted me to trust in His mercy, and that I was hurting Him by being distrustful. I decided to trust the priest, in obedience, and trust God. After I decided this was God’s will and thanked Him for His mercy, all the confusion in my mind disappeared and I felt a lot of peace.

You did fine, and this feeling of peace was God’s blessing to you. Don’t second guess your confession.

 

[Monica4316]

thanks everyone

yes, I’m a new Catholic, and I still have some difficulty figuring out which of my sins are venial and which are mortal… I know the definition of mortal sin, but I have some trouble applying it still. Hopefully I’ll learn with time

I’m going to go to confession and in the end just explain the situation to the priest… I do believe that I was absolved, but just so the priest knows or maybe he’ll tell me not to worry about it. I’ll just go to my parish this time lol. I’m more used to confession there.

thanks again, and God bless!

 

[jmcrae]

Don’t worry. The intention of your heart is what counts. Confession is the one thing in life that you can completely muck up, and it still works, as long as you have the right intentions in your heart.

Fear not; you are just fine.