Confession question

[cviolette]

I went to mass and confession today. I was very nervous because this is my first time using the confessional. I have always gone face to face. Not that I have gone to confession often.

It was a very uncomfortable experience and I panicked. I know from a previous thread that I am suppose to say the number of times that I committed a mortal sin. I told the mortal sin but just couldn’t bring myself to say the number. It has only been 3 weeks since my last confession and I felt awful about the number of times. Plus, I rushed through all my sins and didn’t really cover them well. Maybe a little too generic. I was just not sure how much detail was needed. I knew they were mortal sins from reading through this website but it just feels strange confessing them.

Is the confession still valid? The priest only asked one question and I answered it honestly. I just do not feel forgiven. I feel worse now then before I went to confession.

 

[Bookcat]

I went to mass and confession today. I was very nervous because this is my first time using the confessional. I have always gone face to face. Not that I have gone to confession often.

It was a very uncomfortable experience and I panicked. I know from a previous thread that I am suppose to say the number of times that I committed a mortal sin. I told the mortal sin but just couldn’t bring myself to say the number. It has only been 3 weeks since my last confession and I felt awful about the number of times. Plus, I rushed through all my sins and didn’t really cover them well. Maybe a little too generic. I was just not sure how much detail was needed. I knew they were mortal sins from reading through this website but it just feels strange confessing them.

Is the confession still valid? The priest only asked one question and I answered it honestly. I just do not feel forgiven. I feel worse now then before I went to confession.

It depends on if you were forgetting or intentionally not saying the number.

One is obliged to confess mortal sins in number and kind. and if one forgets…one is obliged to mention them the next time.

Also one can not be too generic …one needs to say what it was…like "murder, adultery etc…not just the generic sin. jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/03/specific_confes.html

It depends on what you mean by “i just could not bring myself to tell the number”

I mean …there is the intentional…I do not want to tell him how many times…and there is the nervious…oops I forgot…due to panic etc

Did you know at the time you were not saying the number…that you should and did not want to…or was it a fast paced nervious thing that you realized too late that you did not say it??

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2005/04/confession_vali.html
jimmyakin.org/2009/12/what-if-you-suddenly-remember-in-confession.html

You could …especially with Christmas coming up…go see the Priest for confession…call make an appointment even. (the same one would help prob.)

Tell him what happened in confession.

The links I gave are from Jimmy Akin the senior apologist at Catholic Answers…

 

[cviolette]

I knew the number but just did not say it. I just said the sin in plural form. Panicked and went right on to the next sin.

Thank you for the links. They were very helpful. It is very uncomfortable to get into the details so it is good to know that the priest will understand what I mean. I used inappropriate instead of impure but I would think the priest would understand what I mean. I feel I do need to go back to confession because I realize that I missed a few things. I was worried about saying the number that I kind of lost track of the rest of the confession. And left out some important information.

There was a seat in the confessional. Is that there for people that want to go face to face? I knelt but would prefer face to face.

 

[k8e308]

When you go back, simply ask the priest for a face to face confession if it’s not clear how to go about this. Most priests will happily oblige.

 

[cviolette]

I will ask face to face next time. I like my priest. The previous time we went face to face and it was much better. I did not have a problem confessing everything. I am just disappointed in myself that I haven’t managed to change. I try and pray but keep screwing up. Then when I screw up, I give up and do something even worse. It is not like I am a teenager. This should not be so hard.

 

[Bookcat]

I knew the number but just did not say it. I just said the sin in plural form. Panicked and went right on to the next sin.

Thank you for the links. They were very helpful. It is very uncomfortable to get into the details so it is good to know that the priest will understand what I mean. I used inappropriate instead of impure but I would think the priest would understand what I mean. I feel I do need to go back to confession because I realize that I missed a few things. I was worried about saying the number that I kind of lost track of the rest of the confession. And left out some important information.

There was a seat in the confessional. Is that there for people that want to go face to face? I knelt but would prefer face to face.

yes i think the seat usually is there for that reason…

make sure when you go back you tell him exactly what happened…you may need to confess the fact that you did not say the number so make sure that is mentioned too…again i do not know what was just nerves and a “forgetting” etc…

as for how to say it…just call a spade a spade He has heard worse.

but go see the priest (you can show up or make an appointment)

and have a very joyful Christmas!

 

[Edward_H]

I will ask face to face next time. I like my priest. The previous time we went face to face and it was much better. I did not have a problem confessing everything. I am just disappointed in myself that I haven’t managed to change. I try and pray but keep screwing up. Then when I screw up, I give up and do something even worse. It is not like I am a teenager. This should not be so hard.

Sincerity with yourself and your confessor is tough sometimes. It’s clear you intend to put forth good effort in your approach to Confession. Keep at it. Work on a few tough things at a time - or just one tough one…some of the lesser sins might actually spring from a lax effort on the bigger ones.

Be brief, be blunt; put the worst sins up front. It’s a wonderful sacrament, and with tough-minded approach to it - it leads to a deep joy. I am not kidding. Stay with it.

 

[Bookcat]

I I try and pray but keep screwing up. Then when I screw up, I give up and do something even worse. It is not like I am a teenager. This should not be so hard.

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows you and loves you…

Do not give up…run to him make an act of contrition and firm purpose of amendment and to avoid the near occasions of sin…and receive his grace and mercy…

Know that he came to give us true life

and take heart…he loves you.

 

[cviolette]

yes i think the seat usually is there for that reason…

make sure when you go back you tell him exactly what happened…you may need to confess the fact that you did not say the number so make sure that is mentioned too…again i do not know what was just nerves and a “forgetting” etc…

as for how to say it…just call a spade a spade He has heard worse.

but go see the priest (you can show up or make an appointment)

and have a very joyful Christmas!

I will. I think I will write down a few things next time. That way I won’t stumble trying to get the words out. He has confessions before the daily masses. So I will go on Monday.

Sincerity with yourself and your confessor is tough sometimes. It’s clear you intend to put forth good effort in your approach to Confession. Keep at it. Work on a few tough things at a time - or just one tough one…some of the lesser sins might actually spring from a lax effort on the bigger ones.

Be brief, be blunt; put the worst sins up front. It’s a wonderful sacrament, and with tough-minded approach to it - it leads to a deep joy. I am not kidding. Stay with it.

I’ll keep trying. That may be my problem. I am trying to fix everything at once. I went from going to church every few months and not following any rules to going every week and trying to follow all the rules. One step at a time.

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows you and loves you…

Do not give up…run to him make an act of contrition and firm purpose of amendment and to avoid the near occasions of sin…and receive his grace and mercy…

Know that he came to give us true life

and take heart…he loves you.

Thank you