Confession valid if no intention of stopping sinning?

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yellow8yellowM

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If you confess to a sin but have no intention of stopping committing the sin, is your confession valid?

For example, confessions for people having relations before marriage, or people using contraception.

The main reason I’m asking is to know if the person would at least be able to participate in Holy Communion if the confession happened directly before Mass.
 
If you have no intention of trying to stop then it’s not a valid Confession.
 
yellow8yellowM said:
If you confess to a sin but have no intention of stopping committing the sin, is your confession valid?

For example, confessions for people having relations before marriage, or people using contraception.

The main reason I’m asking is to know if the person would at least be able to participate in Holy Communion if the confession happened directly before Mass.
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Not valid…and sinful.

(if say a person confesses though among his sins --a venial sin --which he is not sorry for …such does not effect the validity. But yes if the sin is mortal – not valid)
 
yellow8yellowM said:
If you confess to a sin but have no intention of stopping committing the sin, is your confession valid?

For example, confessions for people having relations before marriage, or people using contraception.

The main reason I’m asking is to know if the person would at least be able to participate in Holy Communion if the confession happened directly before Mass.
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As others have said, the sin remains. In fact, I believe that the person who does this is actually making matters worse. Is an Act of Contrition being said during the confession? If so, I would be concerned with lying to God in addition to the original sin in question.
 
It depends on intent.Some sins like masturbation are habitual and may be considered venial.
 
There has to be** “a firm purpose of amendment”**, in other words, a genuine desire, and determination, to avoid those sins in the future.
 
“He who enters the confessional with six sins and confesses five leaves with seven”- Fr.Larry Richards. I would say in a similar manner that if you confess all six but only confess five with intention to repent you still leave with seven.
 
As previous posters have stated, if one has no intention to give up the sin, the confession is invalid and worse than nothing.

However, many people find themselves in the situation where they have every intention to avoid [particular] sin in the future, and yet find themselves falling into habitual sin time after time.

In the latter case, the confession would be valid. Although it would be advisable for the person to seek help (including a regular confessor) and examine whether their behaviour is a near occasion of sin.
 
Thank you all for your help–your answers are all very clear and in agreement.
 
Inego_de_Loyola said:
“He who enters the confessional with six sins and confesses five leaves with seven”- Fr.Larry Richards. I would say in a similar manner that if you confess all six but only confess five with intention to repent you still leave with seven.
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Note --he would mean “mortal sins” here.
 
It will depend on how you say it I guess in that could a person be sorry that they don’t intend on stopping a sin? Thats between the priest and sinner to discuss between them and yes you will get 1000 answers on here may be but really the most helpful answer is the one you will get in confession with the priest having explored what is really happening.

We only know our own situations and put together can help but that can also hinder too because I am fairly certain if I posted my last confession here I’d get mixed reaction. I don’t because I want to remain sure with what was said to me and it has nothing to do with anyone else.
 
englishredrose said:
…but really the most helpful answer is the one you will get in confession with the priest having explored what is really happening.
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So what would the priest say if you told him that you committed mortal sin, were sorry for it, but that you had no intention of stopping in the near future?

Would he bless you without absolution? (Keep in mind that I am only a catechumen and have not been to confession before).
 
yellow8yellowM said:
So what would the priest say if you told him that you committed mortal sin, were sorry for it, but that you had no intention of stopping in the near future?

Would he bless you without absolution? (Keep in mind that I am only a catechumen and have not been to confession before).
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Yes one cannot be absolved for such a mortal sin one is not contrite for.

1451 Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is “sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.”

scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#VII

(keep in mind that 1. such does not mean one has to have any “emotion” per se and 2. one can have the resolution to not sin again and yet fear that one may")
 
yellow8yellowM said:
So what would the priest say if you told him that you committed mortal sin, were sorry for it, but that you had no intention of stopping in the near future?

Would he bless you without absolution? (Keep in mind that I am only a catechumen and have not been to confession before).
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The point of confession is to receive absolution from God. 1 mortal separates you from God. In my opinion, if you don’t plan on changing that sin, don’t go to confession. You can get a blessing from the priest outside of confession.
 
I would ask such a person, “Who are you trying to fool? God? Yourself?” Confession isn’t magic. You’re either sorry or you aren’t. If you are, then certain actions logically flow from that. If you aren’t, then why are you at Confession?
 
Windmill said:
I would ask such a person, “Who are you trying to fool? God? Yourself?” Confession isn’t magic. You’re either sorry or you aren’t. If you are, then certain actions logically flow from that. If you aren’t, then why are you at Confession?
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My point exactly. 👍
 
yellow8yellowM said:
If you confess to a sin but have no intention of stopping committing the sin, is your confession valid?

For example, confessions for people having relations before marriage, or people using contraception.

The main reason I’m asking is to know if the person would at least be able to participate in Holy Communion if the confession happened directly before Mass.
Click to expand...
Have you seen the old act of contrition: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. And I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen
The near occasion of sin is the proximate occasion.

Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon:**OCCASION OF SIN. **Any person, place, or thing that of its nature or because of human frailty can lead one to do wrong, thereby committing sin. If the danger is certain and probable, the occasion is proximate; if the danger is slight, the occasion becomes remote. It is voluntary if it can easily be avoided. There is no obligation to avoid a remote occasion unless there is probable danger of its becoming proximate. There is a positive obligation to avoid a voluntary proximate occasion of sin even though the occasion of evildoing is due only to human weakness.
 
yellow8yellowM said:
So what would the priest say if you told him that you committed mortal sin, were sorry for it, but that you had no intention of stopping in the near future?

Would he bless you without absolution? (Keep in mind that I am only a catechumen and have not been to confession before).
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The priest may well be willing to discuss it fully with you and between you reach a conclusion on the actual sin. It may mean you need more time to work on being sorry for it or have reached a mutual agreement. Whichever is private between priest and sinner. None of us knows what happens to each other in confession and no one should really be trying to preempt a priest. And really this question should be asked with the priest rather than with us here because we all mean well but only the priest knows the full situation outcome with the sinner upon listening.
And bearing in mind I am Anglican so things are different for us but did something very similar without saying what and the priest knew the whole situation. Though mortal didn’t come into it because we/ or I at least don’t seperate the sins and yes he did absolve the whole confession. I wont say what I said etc that is very private. I am thankful am Anglican I guess
 
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