Confession - valid?

[Cupcake143]

I posted a previous thread about going to confession and confessing sins that I left out in a previous confession with the same priest (sins I didn’t think were mortal so didnt say them). Anyway, I went today and confessed the ones I had left out and he said that if only I purposely left them out for a reason but also said that they weren’t mortal. So I didn’t confess all my sins from that previous confession.

He asked if I wanted to confess sins from after that confession I had previously. I mentioned about a bad thought I had before in the past , and again I had it again after that confession so I told him about it. Then I asked when does it become mortal, and asked along the lines of ‘did u want that to happen?’ And I said ‘no.’ He continued talking, but then I was thinking what if I did want that to happen so I told him that ‘i don’t know’ if I do or not.

My question is, what if I have a bad thought about wanting somethin bad to happen to someone. Although I don’t dwell on the thought, what if I really mean it? Is that a mortal sin? I guess I don’t even know if I did truly mean the thought I had , but right when the priest asked I said ‘no’ . But then told him ‘i don’t know’ bc I didn’t want to lie in the confession. Hope this makes sense. I do struggle with being scrupulous and bad thoughts randomly.

 

[1ke]

Scrupulosity and compulsive thoughts needs ongoing counseling. We cannot help you here, you need regular counsel with your priest. Please go to him and tell him you are suffering from scrupulosity, not at confession time but by appointment where you will have time for counseling.

For the compulsive/intrusive thoughts, please get help from a mental health professional.

 

[Cupcake143]

Scrupulosity and compulsive thoughts needs ongoing counseling. We cannot help you here, you need regular counsel with your priest. Please go to him and tell him you are suffering from scrupulosity, not at confession time but by appointment where you will have time for counseling.

For the compulsive/intrusive thoughts, please get help from a mental health professional.

I’ve been a lot better with thoughts and dealing with them. But, when I do have them it bothers me and I become scrupulous about it.

I don’t know if my confession was valid. Are thoughts only mortal if we dwell on them???

 

[captainrick]

I’ve been a lot better with thoughts and dealing with them. But, when I do have them it bothers me and I become scrupulous about it.

I don’t know if my confession was valid. Are thoughts only mortal if we dwell on them???

Like everyone us telling you, please see a priest! A random group of anonymous strangers, although well-meaning, cannot help you.

 

[987mk]

I used to go to confession, 5, 6 or 7 times a week. Sometimes I’d mess up a confession and end up going 3 times in a day. This went on for years, I rotated church’s, rotated priests and made generous use of a great big Church that had multiple priests hearing confessions twice a day.

I was plagued with unwanted horrible thoughts.

I was a wreck and it finally dawned on me, that my behaviour could not possibly be normal.

So one day, instead of going to the confessional, I went to my Doctor and spilled my beans. I was terribly embarrassed, but it turned out to be the best decision of my life.

It turned out that yes, my behaviour wasn’t normal, and I had a very real anxiety disorder, OCD to be specific and with my Doctors care, I’ve regained a wonderful quality of life and my horrific scrupulosity is a thing of the past.

No longer plagued with unwanted horrible thoughts and I’ve learned that when I do get them, it’s out of my control and I remind myself, that every single other human being on earth has unwanted thoughts that drift in and out of their minds every day.

I wish you luck in whatever choices you make. I just wanted to share this with you.

 

[Cupcake143]

I used to go to confession, 5, 6 or 7 times a week. Sometimes I’d mess up a confession and end up going 3 times in a day. This went on for years, I rotated church’s, rotated priests and made generous use of a great big Church that had multiple priests hearing confessions twice a day.

I was plagued with unwanted horrible thoughts.

I was a wreck and it finally dawned on me, that my behaviour could not possibly be normal.

So one day, instead of going to the confessional, I went to my Doctor and spilled my beans. I was terribly embarrassed, but it turned out to be the best decision of my life.

It turned out that yes, my behaviour wasn’t normal, and I had a very real anxiety disorder, OCD to be specific and with my Doctors care, I’ve regained a wonderful quality of life and my horrific scrupulosity is a thing of the past.

No longer plagued with unwanted horrible thoughts and I’ve learned that when I do get them, it’s out of my control and I remind myself, that every single other human being on earth has unwanted thoughts that drift in and out of their minds every day.

I wish you luck in whatever choices you make. I just wanted to share this with you.

Thank you so much! I don’t get the thoughts a lot, but it’s just if or when I do, I can’t seem to understand if it’s really me that wants it or not. And although I don’t want to admit to myself that I wanted that thought, I’m thinking at the time I might have wanted that thought. Anyway, I probably should talk more with a priest about my situation. Thank you for sharing , God Bless you