Contrition and Justification

[thistle]

But we have to admit that it is a possibility that there are those who have an act of imperfect contrition but have no intention to go to confession.

In addition, CCC does not state that intention to go to confession is an inherent part of imperfect contrition, without which, there is no imperfect contrition. What I am saying is that imperfect contrition is distinct and separate from the intention to go to confession and the two do not necessarily go together. Imperfect contrition by itself, cannot forgive mortal sins. But imperfect contrition plus sincere intention to seek reconciliation with God through the Sacrament of Confession can. And I believe sincere intention is what the merciful God is required of us.

Here is what the CCC states:

You are making my case by requoting the CCC passage on Imperfect Contrition.

Imperfect Contrition with or without the intention to go to Confession does NOT forgive mortal sins. The sincere intention has no impact on that. Do not try to distort the Church teachings.

Imperfect Contrition does NOT forgive mortal sins. To be forgiven you must go to Confession. The intent is insufficient whereas with Perfect Contrition the intent IS sufficient.
Perfect Contrition DOES forgive mortal sins.

The difference between the two is that with Imperfect Contrition you are not primarily sorry for having offended God but rather the main reason for the contrition is being sacred of going to Hell whereas Perfect Contrition means the prime reason for the contrition is that you are sorry for having offended God.

 

[w_stewart]

You are making my case by requoting the CCC passage on Imperfect Contrition.

Not really. My quotation just disproved your argment that imperfect contrition and intention to confess sins always go together.

Imperfect Contrition with or without the intention to go to Confession does NOT forgive mortal sins. The sincere intention has no impact on that. Do not try to distort the Church teachings.

Imperfect Contrition does NOT forgive mortal sins. To be forgiven you must go to Confession. The intent is insufficient whereas with Perfect Contrition the intent IS sufficient.

Perfect Contrition DOES forgive mortal sins.

The difference between the two is that with Imperfect Contrition you are not primarily sorry for having offended God but rather the main reason for the contrition is being sacred of going to Hell whereas Perfect Contrition means the prime reason for the contrition is that you are sorry for having offended God.

We are talking here of the extreme situation where a person who has imperfect contrition sincerely seeks for reconciliation but is unable because of his sudden death. To argue that a person, despite his sincere intent to reconcile with God but is unable due to circumstances beyond his control, ends up in hell makes God unmerciful. The Catholic Church teaches that hell is for those who wilfully rejects God. And any person who genuinely and sincerely intends to reconcile with God essentially is not wilfully rejecting God. Committing mortal sins is wilfull rejection of God. But a mortal sinner who intends to be reunited with God through the sacrament of Confession but unable due to sudden death is not rejecting God.

 

[thistle]

Not really. My quotation just disproved your argment that imperfect contrition and intention to confess sins always go together.

We are talking here of the extreme situation where a person who has imperfect contrition sincerely seeks for reconciliation but is unable because of his sudden death. To argue that a person, despite his sincere intent to reconcile with God but is unable due to circumstances beyond his control, ends up in hell makes God unmerciful. The Catholic Church teaches that hell is for those who wilfully rejects God. And any person who genuinely and sincerely intends to reconcile with God essentially is not wilfully rejecting God. Committing mortal sins is wilfull rejection of God. But a mortal sinner who intends to be reunited with God through the sacrament of Confession but unable due to sudden death is not rejecting God.

Then they should be making an act of Perfect Contrition because that forgives sins the intent to go to Confession as soon as possible whereas an act of Imperfect Contrition requires actual confession (not merely intent to go) at the Sacrament of Reconciliation without which the mortal sins are not forgiven.

I repeat the Church teaching is that an act of Imperfect Contrition does not forgive mortal sins on its own. To be forgiven the sins have to be confessed at the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Your private interpretation/opinion is not in line with Church teaching.

 

[w_stewart]

Then they should be making an act of Perfect Contrition because that forgives sins the intent to go to Confession as soon as possible whereas an act of Imperfect Contrition requires actual confession (not merely intent to go) at the Sacrament of Reconciliation without which the mortal sins are not forgiven.

I repeat the Church teaching is that an act of Imperfect Contrition does not forgive mortal sins on its own. To be forgiven the sins have to be confessed at the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Your private interpretation/opinion is not in line with Church teaching.

We have to be very clear here. The situation presented is that a person who committed a mortal sin, has an act of imperfect contrition and has sincere intention to confess sins but unable to due to his death.

The Church teaches that imperfect contrition ALONE cannot remit mortal sins. However, the Church is silent whether a person who committed sins, has an imperfect contrition and has sincere intention to go to confession but unable due to his death, will be saved or damned.

The Church rules out the possibility of salvation for those mortal sinners who have an act of imperfect contrition alone. But the Church does not have definitive ruling as to those who committed sins, have imperfect contrition and have sincere intent to confess their sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation but unable due to his death.

However, because God is so merciful and that he desires all men to be saved, it is unlikely and contrary to his merciful nature, that he will condemn a sincere soul seeking reconciliation with him but unable due to his death.

 

[thistle]

We have to be very clear here. The situation presented is that a person who committed a mortal sin, has an act of imperfect contrition and has sincere intention to confess sins but unable to due to his death.

The Church teaches that imperfect contrition ALONE cannot remit mortal sins. However, the Church is silent whether a person who committed sins, has an imperfect contrition and has sincere intention to go to confession but unable due to his death, will be saved or damned.

The Church rules out the possibility of salvation for those mortal sinners who have an act of imperfect contrition alone. But the Church does not have definitive ruling as to those who committed sins, have imperfect contrition and have sincere intent to confess their sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation but unable due to his death.

However, because God is so merciful and that he desires all men to be saved, it is unlikely and contrary to his merciful nature, that he will condemn a sincere soul seeking reconciliation with him but unable due to his death.

The Church teaching is very clear and unambiguous.

Imperfect Contrition alone does not forgive mortal sins. Imperfect Contrition with actual confession in the Sacrament of reconciliation does forgive mortal sins. There is nothing in between. Intent to go to Confession with Imperfect Contrition does not forgive the mortal sins. If such a sinner dies before Confession they condemn themselves.

On the other hand Perfect Contrition which requires an intent to go to Confession does forgive mortal sins. If such a sinner dies before Confession they are saved.

By the way what you are even trying to argue does not make sense. Why would someone have a “sincere intent” to go to Confession after making an act of Imperfect Contrition when Imperfect Contrition means that the sinner is making such an act because they are mainly scared of going to Hell and not because they are sorry for having offended God.
Not being primarily sorry for having offended God and “sincere intent” to go to Confession are contradictory.

 

[CentralFLJames]

I think the old Baltimore Catechism is very helpful here.

This shows a compelling need for sacramental confession. Unfortunately, most parishes do not have but a single confession time available on Saturdays - usually in the afternoon. In larger parishes, especially those that are the seat of a bishop there is often a daily mass with confession before mass. So, in this day and age of high temptation and very public temptations (mostly of the impurity type) it can be up to 7 days before one has a chance to go to confession depending on when the grave sin was committed. Frankly, given the eternal consequences its hard to imagine anyone can offer an act of pure contrition since there is a real fear ever-present that conspires to offset the pure love aspects of offending God. Habitual grave sin can also make it hard to form a credible “perfect contrition” day after day of committing the same sins.

It all comes down to grace and the best anyone can do who falls into grave sin is to always first spend some serious time praying for the grace to make a perfect act of contrition - perhaps going to the adoration chapel for an hour if confession was not available. Frankly, if it was me I’d call the priest and make an appointment for a private confession ASAP or go travel to wherever there was a confession being offered. I can just imagine somone in hell regretting he did not drive the hour to go to the larger parish of the Bishop’s seat to have an opportunity for a daily confessional if your own priest is too busy. Can you imagine? Given that perfect contrition is so hard to know for certain I’d consider being in a state of mortal sin as every bit an emergency situation as a heart attack personally.

Minimally I’d pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet begging God for His Mercy.

Here from the Baltimore Catechism:
From the Baltimore Catechism:

catholicity.com/baltimore-catechism/

1. Will God forgive us any sin unless we have true contrition for it?
   God will not forgive us any sin, whether mortal or venial, unless we have true contrition for it.

Now therefore saith the Lord: "Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting and in weeping and in mourning. And rend your hearts and not your garments. (Joel 2:12-13)

1. When is sorrow for sin true contrition?
   Sorrow for sin is true contrition when it is interior, supernatural supreme, and universal.

Create a pure heart for me, O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit. (Psalm 50:12)

1. When is our sorrow interior?
   Our sorrow is interior when it comes from our heart, and not merely from our lips.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 50:19)

1. When is our sorrow supernatural?
   Our sorrow is supernatural when, with the help of God’s grace, it arises from motives which spring from faith and not merely from natural motives.
2. When is our sorrow supreme?
   Our sorrow is supreme when we hate sin above every other evil, and are willing to endure any suffering rather than offend God in the future by sin.
3. When is our sorrow universal?
   Our sorrow is universal when we are sorry for every mortal sin which we may have had the misfortune to commit.

Turn thy face away from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. (Psalm 50:11)

1. Should we always try to have sorrow for all our venial sins when receiving the sacrament of Penance?
   We should try to have sorrow for all our venial sins when receiving the sacrament of Penance, and, when we have only venial sins to confess, we must have sorrow for at least one of them or for some sin of our past life which we confess.
2. Why should we have contrition for mortal sin?
   We should have contrition for mortal sin because it is the greatest of all evils, gravely offends God, keeps us out of heaven, and condemns us forever to hell.

If anyone does not abide in me, he shall be cast outside as the branch and wither; and they shall gather them up and cast them into the fire, and they shall burn. (John 15:6)

1. Why should we have contrition for venial sin?
   We should have contrition for venial sin because it is displeasing to God, merits temporal punishment, and may lead to mortal sin.
2. How many kinds of contrition are there?
   There are two kinds of contrition: perfect contrition and imperfect contrition.
3. When is our contrition perfect?
   Our contrition is perfect when we are sorry for our sins because sin offends God, whom we love above all things for His own sake.

Create a pure heart for me, O God, and renew in me a steadfast spirit. (Psalm 50:12)

1. When is our contrition imperfect?
   Our contrition is imperfect when we are sorry for our sins because they are hateful in themselves or because we fear God’s punishment.

And the children of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do thou unto us whatsoever pleaseth thee, only deliver us this time.” (Judges 10:15)

1. To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily, what kind of contrition is sufficient?
   To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily,** imperfect contrition is sufficient**.
2. Should we always try to have perfect contrition in the sacrament of Penance?
   **We should always try to have perfect contrition in the sacrament of Penance **because perfect contrition is more pleasing to God, and because with His help we can always have it.
3. How can a person in mortal sin regain the state of grace before receiving the sacrament of Penance?
   A person in mortal sin can regain the state of grace before receiving the sacrament of Penance by making an act of perfect contrition with the sincere purpose of going to confession.
4. What should we do if we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin?
   If we have the misfortune to commit a mortal sin, we should ask God’s pardon and grace at once, make an act of perfect contrition, and go to confession as soon as we can.

Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)

1. May we receive Holy Communion after committing a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition?

We may not receive Holy Communion after committing a mortal sin if we merely make an act of perfect contrition; one who has sinned grievously must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion.

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)

1. What is the firm purpose of sinning no more?
   The firm purpose of sinning no more is the sincere resolve not only to avoid sin but to avoid as far as possible the near occasions of sin.

Go thy way, and from now on sin no more. (John 8:11)

1. What purpose of amendment must a person have if he has only venial sins to confess?

If a person has only venial sins to confess, he must have the purpose of avoiding at least one of them.

Much more on confession at the link…

I am afraid that most Catholics have contracted the Protestant contagion of “just tell God you are sorry & he wil understand”. Sin is not easy to get out of. It’s nature is to try seperate us as far from God as it can and it does not want to be exorcised (and that is really what is going in in confession - an exorcism). It takes real tears and real sorrows folks and even in sacramental confession no one mocks God with insincere confession when one goes right back into the environment that tempted us to sin in the first place.

James

 

[theMutant]

I think the old Baltimore Catechism is very helpful here.

Thanks, James. Very helpful indeed.

It all comes down to grace and the best anyone can do who falls into grave sin is to always first spend some serious time praying for the grace to make a perfect act of contrition - perhaps going to the adoration chapel for an hour if confession was not available. Frankly, if it was me I’d call the priest and make an appointment for a private confession ASAP or go travel to wherever there was a confession being offered. I can just imagine somone in hell regretting he did not drive the hour to go to the larger parish of the Bishop’s seat to have an opportunity for a daily confessional if your own priest is too busy. Can you imagine? Given that perfect contrition is so hard to know for certain I’d consider being in a state of mortal sin as every bit an emergency situation as a heart attack personally.

This is what I was trying to say before, but the imperative nature of the need to go to confession is much clearer in light of the clear teaching of the Baltimore Catechism.

I am afraid that most Catholics have contracted the Protestant contagion of “just tell God you are sorry & he wil understand”. Sin is not easy to get out of. It’s nature is to try seperate us as far from God as it can and it does not want to be exorcised (and that is really what is going in in confession - an exorcism). It takes real tears and real sorrows folks and even in sacramental confession no one mocks God with insincere confession when one goes right back into the environment that tempted us to sin in the first place.

James

Sad, but all too true.