dishonesty

[angell1]

i have cheated on a few tests in university a long time ago. went to confession for it and was absolved. i was just wondering if i have to go back and tell my professort about doing it. you know, like restitution. not that it will really change anything, they can’t change your grades a year after the course is done. i havne’t done it again after confession but i was just wondering about restitution. would i sitll be in mortal sin if i don’t do it?

 

[Euwe]

i have cheated on a few tests in university a long time ago. went to confession for it and was absolved. i was just wondering if i have to go back and tell my professort about doing it. you know, like restitution. not that it will really change anything, they can’t change your grades a year after the course is done. i havne’t done it again after confession but i was just wondering about restitution. would i sitll be in mortal sin if i don’t do it?

As part of your confession were you instructed as part of your penance to disclose the fact to your professor that you cheated?

 

[teachccd]

Just complete the penance given to you by your confessor and carry on.

 

[Catholic1954]

i have cheated on a few tests in university a long time ago. went to confession for it and was absolved. i was just wondering if i have to go back and tell my professort about doing it. you know, like restitution. not that it will really change anything, they can’t change your grades a year after the course is done. i havne’t done it again after confession but i was just wondering about restitution. would i sitll be in mortal sin if i don’t do it?

Do or do not do whatever your confessor told you. If he told you to tell your professor, then do it, if he did not, then don’t worry about it. Go in peace and avoid this sin in the future.

 

[angell1]

As part of your confession were you instructed as part of your penance to disclose the fact to your professor that you cheated?

no, i wasn’t. which makes me feel like i’m getting off easy though. i didn’t really give details though; just listed academic dishonesty as one on my list of many sins. won’t God also look at how we tried to mend the things we did wrong?

 

[Euwe]

no, i wasn’t. which makes me feel like i’m getting off easy though. i didn’t really give details though; just listed academic dishonesty as one on my list of many sins. won’t God also look at how we tried to mend the things we did wrong?

You’re required to only do what your confessor stipulates as penance.

If you wish to do more than that, it is your own decision and not your confessors.
If you feel that God is asking you to do more to mend the things that you did wrong, then it is up to you to discern this.

 

[dusza]

Why not ask your confessor? Tell him what’s nagging you the way you told us and then do what he tells you.

 

[angell1]

i don’t actually have a regular confessor. i go to a lot of catholics events and confess to whoever is running it at the time. also i hadn’t gone to confession until the beginning of this year. that’s a long story though. my baptism and first communion were kind of rushed when i was younger; party because, i think, the priest wanted to catch me up to my confirmation class… i was 12 at the time so for some reason, they told me that i wasn’t ready for confession. anyways, over the years, i just kept finding excuses for putting it off until, i finall made myself go. still not prepared at all but i decided it was time to at least attempt it. anyways, as you can imagine, i had piles of sins to confess and this was just one of them so naturally there wasn’t a penance prescribed to each and every single thing. most of the sins have just been things that you can’t really make resittution for like sexual things and the like. so i guess that’s why this is standing out more than those. or perhaps i am just overthinking; i have a tendency to do that as well. i’ve had enough of a time trying to remember 10+ years of sins and confessing them all; i’m sure i’ve missed a few along the way. or things that i did and dind’t even know was sin at the time. i just hope God forgives me even though i forget things

 

[edward_george]

Do or do not do whatever your confessor told you. If he told you to tell your professor, then do it, if he did not, then don’t worry about it. Go in peace and avoid this sin in the future.

The confessor actually cannot require that someone reveal their sin, for this is a violation of the sacramental seal.

To the OP: you have confessed, you were absolved, do your penance and be at peace.

-ACEGC

 

[nodito]

As part of your confession were you instructed as part of your penance to disclose the fact to your professor that you cheated?

The priest cannot require the penitent to disclose his confessed sins to anyone else as a condition of absolution.

It is so important that we realize this! The priest cannot make you turn yourself into the police if you commit muder. He cannot require you to tell your spouse that you commited adultery. And he cannot ask/require you to confess that you cheated to a professor. You didn’t “just get off easy.” Through the priest in the sacrament of confession you become reconciled to God and to the larger community, including the professors and students you harmed by cheating.

I once told a priest in confession that I was experiencing severe guilt over previously-confessed sins. He told me, basically, that this guilt is not from God. That Satan can tempt us into believing that we’re not really forgiven for the sins that we’ve confessed. He advised me to be at peace. It was remarkable how much lighter I felt after that conversation. I really believe he was right and I haven’t been tempted in that way again.

We have the sacrament of penance so that, once you hear the words of absolution, you can be assured of God’s forgiveness for all your past sins, so long as you didn’t deliberately withold a grave sin. Be at peace!

 

[George_Stegmeir]

I suggest that you pay a visit to a local Rectory, preferably the Rectory of your Parish and ask to see a priest. When you see him, bring up this subject just as you have here. In fact, why not make a print out of your question as you have written it?
He will be able to help you ease your angst about your past sins. Just be honest with him, and if you have any fears, ask him to put the seal of the Confessional on your conversation.
You will find that most priests are excellent counselors.

 

[NFrancis]

I actually was academically dishonest twice in high school. I went to confession for this. I decided to tell both my teachers. It ended up being kind of awkward and they didn’t seem to really care, but sort of appreciated that I was honest. I feel like there isn’t really all that much benefit to you telling your professors besides just apologizing. However, since they do not know that you did it, I don’t really think there is a need to apologize. You have already “fixed” this by confessing it. I would just recommend being at peace knowing that you are forgiven.