Confession VS good confession

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I’m a EMHC ministering to the elderly & homebound. Whenever I’m scheduled to bring our Lord to someone, I make it a point to go to confession just before so that I can be as free of sin as possible when handling the Eucharist. As a result, I tend to go to confession in a number of different parishes besides my own – depending on who has confessions scheduled when.

Sometimes some priests will say to me … “you have made a good confession” … or words with a similar meaning. Other times, even the same priests will not make mention of it.

What constitutes a “good” confession? I once made nearly identifical confessions to two different priests (a few weeks apart). One priest told me that I made a good confession while the other one didn’t. What constitutes a “good” confession?

And, if one time a priest tells me that I made a ‘good’ confession and another time the SAME priest doesn’t say that, does that mean that it wasn’t a ‘good’ confession – implying that it was a ‘bad’ confession?
 
Sir Knight…my dear friend…it has been way too long since we last chatted. I often face the same dilemna. So many times have I given the most honest and sincere confession with a truly contrite heart, to only hear my penance and absolution…however, sometimes, I hear the words, “you have truly made a great confession”…along with my penance and absolution…why is that??? IS it because I did not make a good or great confession? I think not…I think it depends on the mood of the priest at the time…sometimes they are motivated to say those extra words…sometimes not. It has been my experience, that the better I know the priest, and if it is a face to face confession…I nearly always get that response…if I go behind the screen, I normally just get my penance and my absolution. I guess what I am saying, is don’t beat yourself up over this…truly, in the eyes of God, any confession, is a great confession, because wants us to make straight our crooked ways and come back to him. God Bless and Merry Christmas. Sonny
Sir_Knight said:
I’m a EMHC ministering to the elderly & homebound. Whenever I’m scheduled to bring our Lord to someone, I make it a point to go to confession just before so that I can be as free of sin as possible when handling the Eucharist. As a result, I tend to go to confession in a number of different parishes besides my own – depending on who has confessions scheduled when.

Sometimes some priests will say to me … "you have made a good confession" … or words with a similar meaning. Other times, even the same priests will not make mention of it.

What constitutes a “good” confession? I once made nearly identifical confessions to two different priests (a few weeks apart). One priest told me that I made a good confession while the other one didn’t. What constitutes a “good” confession?

And, if one time a priest tells me that I made a ‘good’ confession and another time the SAME priest doesn’t say that, does that mean that it wasn’t a ‘good’ confession – implying that it was a ‘bad’ confession?
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I made a difficult confession once and after I was done talking the priest told me I did a good job. By that I can only guess he meant that I was clear, concise, and contrite. Maybe that’s what your priest(s) mean too.

Another time I went to confession and mentioned 3 things. The priest made comments about 2 of the 3. I was so curious about why he did not address the third thing that I later made another confession appt to ask why he didn’t address the third thing. He told me that he doesn’t always address every item that is mentioned. So, I think priests don’t feel compelled to comment on every thing at every time.
 
The priests who refer to you having made a ‘good’ confession are probably related to the ones who ask me to make a ‘good’ act of contrition sometimes. What makes a ‘good’ act of contrition as opposed to any other kind? Probably sincerity above all.
 
Sir_Knight said:
I’m a EMHC ministering to the elderly & homebound. Whenever I’m scheduled to bring our Lord to someone, I make it a point to go to confession just before so that I can be as free of sin as possible when handling the Eucharist. As a result, I tend to go to confession in a number of different parishes besides my own – depending on who has confessions scheduled when.

Sometimes some priests will say to me … "you have made a good confession" … or words with a similar meaning. Other times, even the same priests will not make mention of it.

What constitutes a “good” confession? I once made nearly identifical confessions to two different priests (a few weeks apart). One priest told me that I made a good confession while the other one didn’t. What constitutes a “good” confession?

And, if one time a priest tells me that I made a ‘good’ confession and another time the SAME priest doesn’t say that, does that mean that it wasn’t a ‘good’ confession – implying that it was a ‘bad’ confession?
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I’m not sure, but I’ve had priests say that to me before. I always took it to mean my confession was thoughtful, ie I took the time to really search the state of my soul and to think about my shortcomings. Not sure though. I never asked.
 
The pastor of my parish usually says something like “Thank God for your good confession” and sometimes the priests at the cathedral do as well, others do not. I think it’s just an optional thing that can be said and when it’s not said I don’t think it means that the priest doesn’t think you made a good confession. Otherwise he’d just ask more questions or withold absolution. Asking the priest himself might be worth a try though 🙂
 
A ‘good’ is simply a valid confession. Some priests will say this, others won’t. Any priest who gives you absolution, though, is presuming that you have made a valid confession. Otherwise he would not be permitted to give you absolution.
 
I used to hear the Priest say “Well thank God for the grace of a good confession…”
 
At the end of the list of my sins in confession, I say, '‘for these, and all my other sins, I am truely sorry’'

Is it necessary therefor, to speak out verbally every single solitary sin, or, having called to mind all the sins I can remember, and truely repenting to God for the hurt they have caused Him, am I covered for ALL my sins in the absolution, or JUST the ones I said out loud, bearing in mind I have said ‘’ for these AND all my other sins… ‘’

Hope that question makes sense :confused:

I have to say, having gone to confession 2 weeks in a row, following a gap of more than 2 decades I’m finding it a lot easier to make a good confession - there’s a limit to how much sinfullness even someone like me can committ in 7 days 😃
 
alpslapper said:
At the end of the list of my sins in confession, I say, ''for these, and all my other sins, I am truely sorry’’

Is it necessary therefor, to speak out verbally every single solitary sin, or, having called to mind all the sins I can remember, and truely repenting to God for the hurt they have caused Him, am I covered for ALL my sins in the absolution, or JUST the ones I said out loud, bearing in mind I have said ‘’ for these AND all my other sins… ‘’

Hope that question makes sense :confused:

I have to say, having gone to confession 2 weeks in a row, following a gap of more than 2 decades I’m finding it a lot easier to make a good confession - there’s a limit to how much sinfullness even someone like me can committ in 7 days 😃
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You must mention all mortal (serious) sins that you can recall, it is not necessary to specifically mention venial sins, although if you have any that are particularly frequent or bothersome it is a good idea to mention them as well.
 
"

LESSON NINETEENTH: On Confession
Q. 776. What is Confession?
A. Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.

Q. 777. Who is a duly authorized priest?
A. A duly authorized priest is one sent to hear confessions by the lawful bishop of the diocese in which we are at the time of our confession.

Q. 778. Is it ever allowed to write our sins and read them to the priest in the confessional or give them to him to read?
A. It is allowed, when necessary, to write our sins and read them to the priest, as persons do who have almost entirely lost their memory. It is also allowed to give the paper to the priest, as persons do who have lost the use of their speech. In such cases the paper must, after the confession, be carefully destroyed either by the priest or the penitent.

Q. 779. What is to be done when persons must make their confession and cannot find a priest who understands their language?
A. Persons who must make their confession and who cannot find a priest who understands their language, must confess as best they can by some signs, showing what sins they wish to confess and how they are sorry for them.

Q. 780. What sins are we bound to confess?
A. We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well also to confess our venial sins.

Q. 781. Why is it well to confess also the venial sins we remember?
A. It is well to confess also the venial sins we remember:
  1. (1) Because it shows our hatred of all sin, and
  2. (2) Because it is sometimes difficult to determine just when a sin is venial and when mortal.
Q. 782. What should one do who has only venial sins to confess?
A. One who has only venial sins to confess should tell also some sin already confessed in his past life for which he knows he is truly sorry; because it is not easy to be truly sorry for slight sins and imperfections, and yet we must be sorry for the sins confessed that our confession may be valid – hence we add some past sin for which we are truly sorry to those for which we may not be sufficiently sorry.

Q. 783. Should a person stay from confession because he thinks he has no sin to confess ?
A. A person should not stay from confession because he thinks he has no sin to confess, for the Sacrament of Penance, besides forgiving sin, gives an increase of sanctifying grace, and of this we have always need, especially to resist temptation. The Saints, who were almost without imperfection, went to confession frequently.

Q. 784. Should a person go to Communion after confession even when the confessor does not bid him go?
A. A person should go to Communion after confession even when the confessor does not bid him go, because the confessor so intends unless he positively forbids his penitent to receive Communion. However, one who has not yet received his first Communion should not go to Communion after confession, even if the confessor by mistake should bid him go.
Q. 785. Which are the chief qualities of a good Confession?
A. The chief qualities of a good Confession are three: it must be humble, sincere, and entire.
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Q. 786. When is our Confession humble?
A. Our Confession is humble when we accuse ourselves of our sins, with a deep sense of shame and sorrow for having offended God.
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Q. 787. When is our Confession sincere?
A. Our Confession is sincere when we tell our sins honestly and truthfully, neither exaggerating nor excusing them.
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Q. 788. Why is it wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have not committed?
A. It is wrong to accuse ourselves of sins we have not committed, because, by our so doing, the priest cannot know the true state of our souls, as he must do before giving us absolution.
Q. 789. When is our Confession entire?
A. Our Confession is entire when we tell the number and kinds of our sins and the circumstances which change their nature." Baltimore catechism
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