Did I fulfill my assigned penance, is my confession invalid?

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Ana_v

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I went to confession on Thursday afternoon, and the penance I was assigned by the priest was to pray the Rosary by tomorrow night. Meaning, Friday night. He didn’t emphasize the “tomorrow night” but it was still a part of his statement.

I had the intention of praying the Rosary on Friday. Things came up in the morning so I decided that I would pray it at night (which is my preferred and usual time of praying anyway, when I’m in bed before I go to sleep.)

I went to Barne’s & Noble with my family yesterday (Friday) afternoon. At night, some time past 8:00 pm to sometime past 11:00 pm, I was super-absored with a certain Protestant’s blog post defending Sola Fide, and his response to the comment I left him, and I was working and re-working, on Notepad, my second reply I will give him (I was struggling with it).

Sometime during 11:00 pm at night, my dad comes into my room to say he’s going to bed, (everyone else had gone to bed too), and that’s when I look at the time on my task bar, and remember, I haven’t prayed the Rosary yet!

I go wash my face and get ready for bed and shut down my computer and by the time I’m in bed it’s just a few minutes before 12:00 am.

By the time I’m done praying the Rosary, it’s Saturday morning.

Does this mean I failed to complete the penance I was assigned? Does this invalidate my confession?
 
Don’t nit-pik! Your intention was pure, and I am sure our merciful God does not condemn over a lapse of a few minutes.
You should consider saying the Rosary daily anyway-penance or not.
 
This is a very common misconception. The absolution takes place when the priest says “I absolve you.” It does not require doing penance before it “kicks in,” and it can not be retroactively undone by neglecting your penance. I suppose deliberately omitting to do your justified penance would be a separate sin, and maybe forgetting about it through culpable negligence (which may or may not describe your situation) would be a sin too. In any event, it certainly does not invalidate your prior confession and absolution.
 
I think you’re fine. You did pray it before going to bed…
 
Hello again Ana v!

I hope everything is still well with you!

Even if you didn’t pray it at all, your confession is still valid. Completing the penance isn’t required for a confession to be valid. The penance helps with the removal of the effect of the sin, but has no bearing whatsoever on being forgiven of the sin.

So rest assured, your confession is valid and your sins are forgiven!

If you care to learn more about it, this blog post sums it up nicely while linking to a lot of different resources:

ronconte.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/more-on-the-topic-of-penance-and-valid-confession/
 
The legalism in your mindset is so startling, my friend. Please, just relax and get rid of your Augustinian tensions about ritualistic, formalistic exactitude. Our Lord Jesus Christ is merciful, and He knows how to send His holy life into you just as you need it most. You were solicitous for your penance, which can be good, but the Holy Spirit speaks through St. Paul, saying: “Be careful/anxious/solicitous/worrisome for nothing; but, in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God”. Our Father is mercy itself, life itself, truth itself, and love itself.

He saw your intention, and laughed the laughter of a parent who sees his child running every which way to please Him. He appreciates the sentiment, but the difference between 28 and 29 "Hail Mary"s is very miniscule when the heart is full of contrition.
 
Thank you for the replies! They bring me relief. The issue has been worrying me throughout the day, and I had very seriously contemplated whether I would have to go to confession again because of it.

Looks like I still have a long ways to go, until I become fluent in Catholic theology.

Praise God for Catholic Answers!
 
I’ve wondered this occasionally myself. In my mind the day begins when I wake up and ends when I go to sleep. But, I wouldn’t worry about it God knows your heart and he know that you had every intention of praying the Rosary, so I doubt he’ll fault you for being a few minutes late.
 
You started the rosary before midnight.
You completed it after.
You intended to do it before.
Somewhere in the world it was still Friday.
God isn’t bound by time.
God wasn’t there holding a clock and checking the time you started and finished.

Don’t start doing this to yourself, it’s a sure way to developing scrupulosity. You don’t want to go there. The answer to your question is “yes” and “yes”.
 
Ana_v said:
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Does this mean I failed to complete the penance I was assigned? Does this invalidate my confession?
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even had you not said the rosary at all your confession was valid, as the priest did all that is required. you just do the penance as you can, when you can, but it is always best to do it before leaving church just for the reason you state.
 
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