Confession without mortal sin

[Dr.Colossus]

I have been contemplating recently the efficacy of frequent confession. It seems that, without fail, every Saint and other holy Catholics recommend the frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Yet, these holy people rarely (if ever) commit mortal sin, and the Church teaches that venial sins are forgiven in many ways outside of the confessional, such as private confession to God, use of sacramentals, reception of the Holy Eucharist, etc.

So if we are in a state of grace, what need or benefit is there for Confession? I know that, as a Sacrament, Confession is a source of grace. But how does this help us if we are already living a moral life?

 

[otm]

Dr. Colossus:

I have been contemplating recently the efficacy of frequent confession. It seems that, without fail, every Saint and other holy Catholics recommend the frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Yet, these holy people rarely (if ever) commit mortal sin, and the Church teaches that venial sins are forgiven in many ways outside of the confessional, such as private confession to God, use of sacramentals, reception of the Holy Eucharist, etc.

So if we are in a state of grace, what need or benefit is there for Confession? I know that, as a Sacrament, Confession is a source of grace. But how does this help us if we are already living a moral life?

Somewhat the same way that the reception of the Eucharist helps us; we are in a state of grace when we receive that Sacrament (or had best be). One may be in a state of grace without being in the state of the"fullness of grace" as was Mary, to quote the angel.

 

[whatevergirl]

Personally, I’ve started going to Confession every week or every other week, since last October. I confessed a mortal sin back then, and felt that I just wanted to cleanse my conscience as often as possible. There’s something about Confession, like nothing else, that makes one feel whole again. Even non-mortal sins, if done frequently, can mount up and soon our consciences start struggling. I think that for me, anyways, frequent Confession keeps me always admitting (out loud in some way) that I’m in deep need of the Lord’s mercy. Not that this isn’t also accomplished through prayer, or saying the Rosary, for example, but there’s something about the act of Confession. It teaches us to continuously reflect, and clear our minds of wrong doing–even if the wrong doing is something like gossip (not mortal sin), etc…

I think it’s great!

 

[nova147]

whatevergirl:

Personally, I’ve started going to Confession every week or every other week, since last October. I confessed a mortal sin back then, and felt that I just wanted to cleanse my conscience as often as possible. There’s something about Confession, like nothing else, that makes one feel whole again. Even non-mortal sins, if done frequently, can mount up and soon our consciences start struggling. I think that for me, anyways, frequent Confession keeps me always admitting (out loud in some way) that I’m in deep need of the Lord’s mercy. Not that this isn’t also accomplished through prayer, or saying the Rosary, for example, but there’s something about the act of Confession. It teaches us to continuously reflect, and clear our minds of wrong doing–even if the wrong doing is something like gossip (not mortal sin), etc…

I think it’s great!

Have you always felt this way about confession? I converted nearly 3 years ago, and I am somewhat afraid of confession. I always get jittery and forget what I mean to say and I never know how to say what I mean. So I don’t really find it to be very comforting. Just wondering if it will get better.

MJ

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

nova147:

Have you always felt this way about confession? I converted nearly 3 years ago, and I am somewhat afraid of confession. I always get jittery and forget what I mean to say and I never know how to say what I mean. So I don’t really find it to be very comforting. Just wondering if it will get better.

MJ

The more you go, the easier it gets. I write down my sins. I also do a mental rehearsal. I take my list. If you are really nervous, you might just tell the priest–he will put you at your ease.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Thanks everyone for your responses so far. I guess I should be more specific. I’m not denying the usefulness/benefit/grace of frequent Confession. I’m trying to understand why it’s so good. Obviously it’s a mystery that we will never fully understand this side of Heaven. But to my current understanding of what the sacrament does, it would seem not to make any sense to go when one is not in need of it.

whatevergirl:

Even non-mortal sins, if done frequently, can mount up and soon our consciences start struggling.

I think this is the main point I’ve been wondering about. If our venial sins can be forgiven outside the confessional, how is it that they build up and make it more difficult to resist temptation? It’s obvious that they do build up – my own experience is proof enough of that. But what is it about Confession that strengthens us in a way that prayer, or even the Eucharist, does not?

 

[Tonks40]

Dr. Colossus:

I think this is the main point I’ve been wondering about. If our venial sins can be forgiven outside the confessional, how is it that they build up and make it more difficult to resist temptation? It’s obvious that they do build up – my own experience is proof enough of that. But what is it about Confession that strengthens us in a way that prayer, or even the Eucharist, does not?

I believe because through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we are assured or affirmed that via the priest in persona Christi, we can get a more concrete feeling of absolution whereas in confessing your sins outside of the sacrament, you get an idea, you know it’s true if approached with a contrite heart, but you really don’t know.

Humans at times demand signs of God’s work in the world. The Lord, through the Church, has made it possible so that the Sacrament of Reconciliation becomes a definate sign, a definate affirmation, that God can, has, and will continue to forgive your sins, whether venial or mortal, if approached honestly.

 

[tdandh26]

The Saints rarely commited mortal sins that is true, but they did commit venial sins and the more a person grows in the spiritual life the more sensative they become to sin. Where a regualar joe might not see sin in a certain action the saint may see lack of charity or lack of faith. They then confess these faults, so as to receive the grace to not fall into them again or rather to grow in charity and faith. The saints realized that they could not by their own power overcome their human shortcomings so they relied on the sacrements to give them the grace they needed in order to advance spiritually.
Does that help?

 

[Jake1]

as we go to confession in a state of grace that is without mortal sin on our soul we become more intamately united with our Lord. And using the sacrament more often helps us to aviod the habitual sins that we commit most often. regardless if it is mortal or not . It is in this same way that we root out our domanant faults, by constantly admitting we have a fault. it is also important that we have the same priest of confessor so he can help us with those sins.

 

[banjo]

Regarding confession of venial sins Pope Pius XII wrote:

“By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, bad habits are corrected, spiritual negelct and tepidity are resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a salutary self-control is attained, and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself.”

Taken from The Catholic Catechism; John A. Hardon, S.J. pgs. 495-96.

 

[whatevergirl]

I agree with banjo. I think that at first, Confession was very daunting for me. ( I was frightened to confess a mortal sin last year, but I went and have been in love with this Sacrament ever since.) I think that at times I forget some things to confess, but I will make a point of stating that to the priest. And, sins of omission are also sins, too.

I think that non-mortal sins, if done frequently, without at least an annual Confession, can make us a bit hardened. So, that’s what I meant by being cleansed, even if you have not committed a mortal sin. It keeps my conscience in better spiritual ‘shape,’ so to speak. If we only exercise when we’ve REALLY NEGLECTED IT, woah…it would be really hard to do it, then. Been there, too! LOL

So, that’s how I look at frequent Confession…if you keep going every month, for example, your conscience will be in better shape to fend off more serious temptations! Hope that helps!

 

[whatevergirl]

Dr. Colossus:

Thanks everyone for your responses so far. I guess I should be more specific. I’m not denying the usefulness/benefit/grace of frequent Confession. I’m trying to understand why it’s so good. Obviously it’s a mystery that we will never fully understand this side of Heaven. But to my current understanding of what the sacrament does, it would seem not to make any sense to go when one is not in need of it.

I think this is the main point I’ve been wondering about. If our venial sins can be forgiven outside the confessional, how is it that they build up and make it more difficult to resist temptation? It’s obvious that they do build up – my own experience is proof enough of that. But what is it about Confession that strengthens us in a way that prayer, or even the Eucharist, does not?

I meant to add your quote to my prior post LOL I hope that I was a bit more clear with my reply–was I clearer?

 

[batteddy]

Any time we worthily recieve any sacrament, besides the primary effects of that sacrament (forgiveness of sins, marriage, ordination, etc)…we recieve an increase in sanctifying grace.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

batteddy:

Any time we worthily recieve any sacrament, besides the primary effects of that sacrament (forgiveness of sins, marriage, ordination, etc)…we recieve an increase in sanctifying grace.

Does that grace differ between sacraments? I.e., is it better to receive Eucharist and Reconciliation than Eucharist twice?

 

[Jake1]

IN recieving the Eucharist. the eucharist may be recieved more than once a day only if the reading differ. For example: if you go to a Saturday morning Mass then you go to the anticipated Mass on Saturday afternoon the readins will not br the same and you can also go to a wedding that night a recieve again the readins will not likly be the same. There is no subsitute for going to confession. the graces increases every time e go to confession and we are not in mortal sin. but we must be scrupulious with going to confession because this will become a sin in itself. the sin of pride along with the sin of presumption.

 

[baltobetsy]

Jake1:

IN recieving the Eucharist. the eucharist may be recieved more than once a day only if the reading differ.

This is not correct. One may receive the Eucharist twice in one day provided the second time is in the context of Mass. There is no stipulation that the readings be different if both times are at Mass.

And Dr Colossus, when you confess a sin, mortal or venial, you receive specific help to avoid the sin you confess - it’s one of the graces of the Sacrament. Kind of like the reward for your humility.

Betsy

 

[maryj]

banjo:

Regarding confession of venial sins Pope Pius XII wrote:

“By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, bad habits are corrected, spiritual negelct and tepidity are resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a salutary self-control is attained, and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself.”

Taken from The Catholic Catechism; John A. Hardon, S.J. pgs. 495-96.

The conscience is purified!!! I believe that’s it!!

 

[otm]

nova147:

Have you always felt this way about confession? I converted nearly 3 years ago, and I am somewhat afraid of confession. I always get jittery and forget what I mean to say and I never know how to say what I mean. So I don’t really find it to be very comforting. Just wondering if it will get better.

MJ

tere is a reason that Confession’s name was changed to Reconsilliation; it is to emphasize the aspect of healing that the Sacrament brings. There is nothing to fear.

If you have a problem, jot yourself a note; there is nothing that says you can’t bring that with you into the Sacrament. Just write it in a way that, if you should misplace it, it won’t have any particular meaning to anyone else.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

baltobetsy:

when you confess a sin, mortal or venial, you receive specific help to avoid the sin you confess - it’s one of the graces of the Sacrament. Kind of like the reward for your humility.

Ok, now I feel stupid, LOL. That’s exactly the explanation I’ve been trying to get, and it’s so obvious and simple! I feel like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. How did I not make that connection? Anyway, thank you so much.

 

[Pug]

Dr. Colossus:

Does that grace differ between sacraments?

Yes, there is something called sacramental graces that go with each sacrament. They all confer sanctifying grace, however!

Marriage will give them specific grace to do what they need to do in marriage. When deciding which sacrament to go to (confession or eucharist), I’d listen to the promptings of the HS. If you are draw to confession, go. If you feel drawn to daily mass, go. Both confession and eucharist cover venial sins. Eucharist will especially strengthen you in charity. Both will help you avoid sin in the future. I’d try reading the CCC specifically in the sections for each sacrament if you want to get a better feel for each.