Confession

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Provigil

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My topic is confession.

I was told by a moral theologian that I can NEVER commit a MORTAL sin and I NEVER have to go to confession. He said to receie Communion at each mass and he said because I cannot commit moral sin, I can alays go to Communion.

If any theologian or priest can explain this I would be appreciated.

He said if I think I have sinned or have doubts, NEVER go to confession and use these word in any situation: “JESUS, I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS; I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY.”

How can I be forgiven if it it not sacramental absolution?

When I die, what will I be basef on?

Thank you and may the Gd of mercies bless you.

PROVIGIL
 
Mortal sin is a grave sin that you commit with full knowledge and consent - for example, murder, abortion, homosexual acts (not homosexual tendencies), and disobedience.

You must confess all mortal sins (within sacramental confession) before you can receive Jesus, because via mortal sin you have cut yourself off from Jesus. Every time you receive Holy Communion in mortal sin, you commit sacrilege, which is a mortal sin. (So you can see how the sins pile up!)

Jesus forgives us of every sin, so do not be afraid of confessing to Him through His minister (the priest) in the confessonal. Jesus is infinitely merciful and infinitely benevolent. He understands your sins, for He bore them upon His own shoulders and He has been tempted in every way.

If you die in mortal sin (i.e., unrepentant), you go to Hell.
 
“Eucharisted” is a far more reliable moral theologian than your “moral theologian.” I can only hope and pray it was not one you had in seminary. The advise you were given by whomever that was is not only incorrect by harmful to your soul. Please listen to “Eucharisted”…I hold their posts in very high regard.

Pray for this “moral theologian” and their change of heart in these matters.
 
This “moral theologian” could not possibly be Catholic. So then Jesus had nothing better to say in John 20:23 and priests have nothing better to do? I would agree that we can be very hard on ourselves thinking that everything is a mortal sin. God’s mercy is infinite but so is His justice.

Go to confession and tell this “moral theologian” that in Catholic theology we do recognize that people can sin mortally and definitely need confession. Then tell him that you’ll save a place for him in line if for nothing more than his confession of this false gospel that he teaches…teachccd
 
Minor off topic suggestion: Check the spelling of Catholic in your profile. You have a typo…
 
Provigil,

did the theologian mean only YOU, or people in general?

What led to these things he said? Maybe he wanted to help you because you tend to be scrupulous?

Kathrin
 
Provigil said:
My topic is confession.

I was told by a moral theologian that I can NEVER commit a MORTAL sin and I NEVER have to go to confession. He said to receie Communion at each mass and he said because I cannot commit moral sin, I can alays go to Communion.

If any theologian or priest can explain this I would be appreciated.

He said if I think I have sinned or have doubts, NEVER go to confession and use these word in any situation: “JESUS, I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS; I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY.”

How can I be forgiven if it it not sacramental absolution?

When I die, what will I be basef on?

Thank you and may the Gd of mercies bless you.

PROVIGIL
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Under what circumstances are you, specifically, not able to commit mortal sins? Is there something about you that precludes you from committing mortal sins that you haven’t told us? I just want to understand why this moral theologian could have said this. It sounds wrong, but I don’t know about you, so maybe he had a reason??

Incidentally, confession is not just for mortal sins. I go once a month and I find it really helps me work on those pesky little venial sins. The more often you take your sins (venial or mortal) to Jesus, the more grace and strength He grants you to avoid such sins. I have found the patience, charity and understanding toward others I thought I’d never have.

Pope John Paul II went to confession once a week. You can rest assured he had no mortal sins.
 
Eucharisted said:
Mortal sin is a grave sin that you commit with full knowledge and consent - for example, murder, abortion, homosexual acts (not homosexual tendencies), and disobedience.

You must confess all mortal sins (within sacramental confession) before you can receive Jesus, because via mortal sin you have cut yourself off from Jesus. Every time you receive Holy Communion in mortal sin, you commit sacrilege, which is a mortal sin. (So you can see how the sins pile up!)

Jesus forgives us of every sin, so do not be afraid of confessing to Him through His minister (the priest) in the confessonal. Jesus is infinitely merciful and infinitely benevolent. He understands your sins, for He bore them upon His own shoulders and He has been tempted in every way.

If you die in mortal sin (i.e., unrepentant), you go to Hell.
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I agree with what you say, but I hesitate with your list of mortal sins (murder, abortion, etc). That is what I heard in Catholic grade school and high school. The problem is this gives the impression that mortal sins are only the “big ones” that few people commit. In reality, something as common as missing Mass, a holy day of obligation, masturbation, lust, premarital sex, birth control, can equally be a mortal sin. I didn’t really learn this myself until much later, because previously everyone only used examples such as murber, robbery, etc. Did others have that experience as well?
 
Dear People of God:

WIth my regards to confession, I do trust this Franciscan Moral Theologian in the advice her gave me. You have to REMEMBER, this advice was given only to me because of my condition and not to be applied to others.

This priest is in excellent standing with the Church.

I’m sorry for those of you who disagree, but remenber, this advice was only in “my situation.”

Thank you for your ideas.

May Almighty God bless you and your great efforts.

Respectfully yours,
Provigil
 
Provigil said:
Dear People of God:

WIth my regards to confession, I do trust this Franciscan Moral Theologian in the advice her gave me. You have to REMEMBER, this advice was given only to me because of my condition and not to be applied to others.

This priest is in excellent standing with the Church.

I’m sorry for those of you who disagree, but remenber, this advice was only in “my situation.”

Thank you for your ideas.

May Almighty God bless you and your great efforts.

Respectfully yours,
Provigil
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Sounds like you’d already made your mind up about the advice given. Can I ask what the point was of bringing it up here then, that being the case? And of soliciting opinions if you’re just happily going to ignore those who suggest that your theologian is possibly wrong?

Consider the possibility that what they’re telling you might be something you don’t want to hear, but might nonetheless be correct. As to his ‘excellent standing’, it’s entirely possible that the full extent of his views is either unknown to his superiors, or that they share them and might similarly be wrong in their opinions also.

You must’ve known that we can only give general advice, not advice related to your circumstances. Which are seemingly utterly unique, as I’ve never heard the like even remotely suggested except in cases where someone has intellectual, emotional and/or spiritual capacity inferior to that of a seven-year-old child. Which can’t be true in your case or there’s no way you would have been admitted to the seminary.
 
Provigil said:
How can I be forgiven if it it not sacramental absolution?

When I die, what will I be basef on?

Thank you and may the Gd of mercies bless you.

PROVIGIL
Click to expand...
Provigil,

The closest category that this advice seems to fall in would be advice to a scrupulous person, or maybe some type of infant/incompetent. I didn’t hear what the priest/theologian/confessor said to you, though, so I can’t say for sure. I’m surprised at the idea that you ought never go to confession for the rest of your life, assuming you are in good health with the usual expectations of living for a long time. Was it your confessor who told you this, or some other person, one not connected with you? Since you apparently have access to someone who is a priest, namely the one who gave you this advice, why are you not asking that person to explain to you further? They ought to be able to explain to you how you are to be forgiven, and they would have the details of your life so that they could tailor the explanation to you.

If he is right, and you are incapable of doing a mortal sin, then you do not need to worry about being forgiven for mortal sins, since you won’t have any. If you are worried about venial sins, remember that they can be forgiven through other means besides sacramental confession, for example by receiving communion. Your justification would be based on the same thing anyone else’s is, the merits of Christ. And, if you are permanently incapable of mortal sin, you can’t lose that justification. Think of a small infant. Surely they are justified after they are baptized, and they cannot lose that justification while they remain infants.
 
This is just like when evil disguises itself as good, which alot of tempting new age cults and other groups do… they disguise themselves as “moral” or “Truth” when they don’t even use those words in the right way or in a manipulating, deceptive manner. The devil is the master of deception, confusion, and lies.

This “moral theologian” you’re talking to is no moral theologian in reality. He’s just a charlatan… go talk to a drunk bum on the corner if you want better advice or just as good advice. Remember, just because some one says they’re “Catholic” or “a Jesus believer” doesn’t mean they ARE that.

People can lie and don’t even know they’re lieing!! Check with the POPE and the MAGISTERIUM ALWAYS! You got a catechism? That’s the Truth.
 
Dear Members,
I probably should not have written about Confession because the Moral Theologian is a Francisan Priest in good standing with the Church and the answer he gave only applies in my situation.

Please do not be critical of him or judge him, because he is highly respected and for me and my condition, he gave me the right advice.

For the person who said I should learn to spell “Catholic”, I am not a typist and I try to do the best.

“I have compassion on the crowd.” Matt: 15:32 ]
Hurting people were everywhere in Jesus’ life. He understood their pain. He embraced their woundedness. He stood by them in their sorrow. This compassionate approach required much of him. He could not be absorbed only in his own hurt. He needed to be attentive to others around him, giving them the pecious gift of his time and presence. Jesus had to be willing to keep a place in his heart for the woundedness of others as wll as his own. As we stand in love with the hurting ones of our life and our world, much will be required of us as well. Let us be compassionate as Jesus was. Let us pray: Jesus, open my heart to embrace others in their pain. May I be wiling to pay the price of loving so fully.

May God bless us in His efforts.

PROVIGIL
 
Provigil said:
Dear People of God:

WIth my regards to confession, I do trust this Franciscan Moral Theologian in the advice her gave me. You have to REMEMBER, this advice was given only to me because of my condition and not to be applied to others.

This priest is in excellent standing with the Church.

I’m sorry for those of you who disagree, but remenber, this advice was only in “my situation.”

Thank you for your ideas.

May Almighty God bless you and your great efforts.

Respectfully yours,
Provigil
Click to expand...
Even the saints went to confession. Funny, no one told Pope John Paul II that he never had to go.

I see that deception can even clothe itself in Franciscan garb. I don’t know what your situation is but all are called to the graces of this sacrament, To say that someone told you that you NEVER have to ever go again for the rest of your life is in error. If your mental capacity is that of a small child whereby you absolutely cannot rationalize then perhaps he is right. You did not state your condition but at face value you got the responses that any Catholic would give to you. I cannot judge you and my response has been given as if you can rationalize between right and wrong.

Perhaps someone who has been given advice from someone that they hold as in good standing with the Church, whatever that means, should not exclude all others. Your original post was looking for a priest or a theologian to offer suggestions concerning this upstanding moral theologian’s advice. Therefore you do question his advice.

Your post above shows that you already know what you need to know and you are now dismissing for our trivial answers since they do not agree with what you were told. Why did you even ask? I will pray for you and your friend that you will be guided in the right way whatever that way is for you…teachccd
 
Provigil said:
Dear Members,
I probably should not have written about Confession because the Moral Theologian is a Francisan Priest in good standing with the Church and the answer he gave only applies in my situation.

Please do not be critical of him or judge him, because he is highly respected and for me and my condition, he gave me the right advice.

For the person who said I should learn to spell “Catholic”, I am not a typist and I try to do the best.

“I have compassion on the crowd.” Matt: 15:32 ]
Hurting people were everywhere in Jesus’ life. He understood their pain. He embraced their woundedness. He stood by them in their sorrow. This compassionate approach required much of him. He could not be absorbed only in his own hurt. He needed to be attentive to others around him, giving them the pecious gift of his time and presence. Jesus had to be willing to keep a place in his heart for the woundedness of others as wll as his own. As we stand in love with the hurting ones of our life and our world, much will be required of us as well. Let us be compassionate as Jesus was. Let us pray: Jesus, open my heart to embrace others in their pain. May I be wiling to pay the price of loving so fully.

May God bless us in His efforts.

PROVIGIL
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I never said that you have to learn how to spell Catholic. You type quite well and I was merely pointing out a typo that appears in the header of every one of your posts. I’m sorry.

You will be in my prayers…teachccd
 
Provigil said:
Please do not be critical of him or judge him, because he is highly respected and for me and my condition, he gave me the right advice.

PROVIGIL
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Then be kind to him and do not question his advice. We thought that you were and that is why we offered our thoughts. If you are scrupulous then you would find it necessary to double check so I can understand that since I deal with that in some degree. If you truly know that this priest is giving you sound advice then stay the course and know that God put him in your life for a reason. When you come to the forum you will get standard answers. That is what happened here. God bless you…teachccd
 
A person who is capable of posting in complete sentences on the Internet is capable of committing a mortal sin.

There are many disobedient, ignorant, mistaken, etc. people in positions in the Church. It is not Church teaching that everyone who gives you advice within the Church always gets it right. Period.
 
Eucharisted said:
If you die in mortal sin (i.e., unrepentant), you go to Hell.
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“Mortal sin” doesn’t equal “unrepentant”. A person can commit a mortal sin and soon after feel truly sorry for what they’ve done. After all, that’s what moves them to go to Confession.

The way you worded it, a person could read it and think that if they die on the way to the confessional, they’re going straight to Hell.
 
I think Eucharisted was referring to unrepented mortal sins, in which case sanctifying grace and Christ’s kingdom would be lost to that individual.

Also, a perfect contrition outside the confessional is needed for God’s forgiveness. Within the confessional imperfect contrition, although less desirable, absolves the individual.

If someone were to die on the way to the confessional, I would trust in the mercy of our Lord. A more likely scenario would be someone studying to enter the Catholic faith who died before entering the Church and receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation.

God is not bound by the sacraments. He can operate outside them. However, isn’t it a wonderful gift that we have the assurance of the confessional? There is a danger in “assuming” that God will forgive me for a particular sin.

With that said, I cannot see any circumstance where the advice given to the original poster can be in line with Church teaching. I cannot imagine anyone saying, “Don’t take advantage of this sacrament instituted by Our Lord. You don’t need it.” The sacrament is more than for confessing mortal sins.
 
Rothchild said:
With that said, I cannot see any circumstance where the advice given to the original poster can be in line with Church teaching. I cannot imagine anyone saying, “Don’t take advantage of this sacrament instituted by Our Lord. You don’t need it.” The sacrament is more than for confessing mortal sins.
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Apart from which, someone who apparently is incapable of committing a mortal sin and/or feels the sacrament of confession is to be avoided except in cases of mortal sin cannot be a good priest.

A good priest has to be a confessor too, and to be anything like an effective confessor you need to both believe in frequent reception of the sacrament, mortal sin or no, and avail yourself of it frequently personally. Think of St Padre Pio, St Leopold Mandic, St John Nepomucene (who chose death rather than break the seal of the confessional) and St John Vianney.

A priest who doesn’t frequently receive the sacrament themselves lacks the necessary empathy with sinners, the necessary awareness of the true horror of even venial sin, and the necessary devotion to the sacrament, to do it any sort of justice - or to do their penitents more than the barest minimum of good that the sacrament offers.
 
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