Do I need to go to confession again?

[purplemittens]

I’m a candidate (baptized) who will be received into the church this Easter. I recently went to my first confession. I explained to the priest that I was a candidate, it was my first confession and I needed guidance as to how to proceed as I was very nervous.

The way I was guided, I didn’t even end up confessing any actual sins. I was asked what kind of feelings or emotions prompted me to sin. That was it. It took about 1 minute (even though it’s been 20 years since I was baptized ). I then received absolution. But I feel as if there are things still weighing on me.

Should I go to confession again?

 

[Bookcat]

One is obliged to confess all mortal sins in number and kind (and circumstance that changes the sin…such as it was your brother you murdered or the Sacred Chalice you stole).

I would seek out another Priest …

 

[triumphguy]

You have received absolution, but do go to confession again and confess any specific sins that are weighing on your mind.

 

[Bookcat]

Now it is good to note that especially with first confessions after years – it can be difficult to get the numbers…we do what can based on what we do know after our examine. It may be that one can say around 2-3 times a month for 10 years or a few times a year for 5 years or so…or at least 10 times but maybe more…or it might be that one had to say things like – many many times …few times…alot etc.

And one can also forgets a mortal sin. If that happens (and one is sorry and amended for all mortal sin) it is indirectly absolved --but one is obliged to confess it in the next confession if one remembers it.

Also - some things would be confessed as - I am not sure (or it is doubtful) that they where a mortal sin for me then…(if something is doubtful and one confesses it one says so in some way). Often one can be encouraged to confess such --though those with scruples are often told not to.

But with confession – one needs to confess all the mortal sins one is conscious of committing…adultery 2x, lustful thoughts alot, murder 3x and one was my brother…etc

Venial sins are recommended to be confessed but need not be…they can be forgiven in many ways.

For confession if one does not have any mortal sin to confess --one may confess any venial sins or any sins from after ones baptism (even though already absolved–though those with scruples need to follow their confessor). One then needs just one sin even in general that one is sorry for etc.

 

[Bookcat]

Very sorry for your encountering this difficulty

I would seek out another Priest…

(one can say simply when you begin the confession – I went to another Priest for my first confession and no actual sins got confessed (or whatever happened)…without naming anyone necessarily -one tries to avoid that–such I would consider noting rather to the Bishop or someone else perhaps over the Priest–the Priest cannot speak of your confession but the Bishop etc can speak with him about how he carries things out in general…and clear up any misunderstandings)

and then enter the Church and the Vigil with light and joy!

 

[bmullins]

If you feel a need to confess the sins again, I’d simply go when I had a chance. You received absolution and need to trust in the forgiveness of God. If you did your best, and followed the guidance of your confessor, then you have indeed been forgiven.

 

[Bookcat]

Very sorry for your encountering this difficulty

I would seek out another Priest…

(one can say simply when you begin the confession – I went to another Priest for my first confession and no actual sins got confessed (or whatever happened)…)

and then enter the Church and the Vigil with light and joy!

 

[Balian]

I’m a candidate (baptized) who will be received into the church this Easter. I recently went to my first confession. I explained to the priest that I was a candidate, it was my first confession and I needed guidance as to how to proceed as I was very nervous.

The way I was guided, I didn’t even end up confessing any actual sins. I was asked what kind of feelings or emotions prompted me to sin. That was it. It took about 1 minute (even though it’s been 20 years since I was baptized ). I then received absolution. But I feel as if there are things still weighing on me.

Should I go to confession again?

I think it would be presumptuous for anyone to offer an opinion on whether your confession was valid or invalid. None were there but you, your confessor and God. There is however some things you might consider to help you answer your own question.

Did you examine your conscience beforehand and identify the sins that you needed to confess? Were you contrite, truly sorry for your sins? Was it your intent to confess all mortal sins? One key to confession is the desire to be rid of all of one’s sins. Was this your desire? If you were willing to confess all of your sins and do any assigned penance and were resolved to do your best to sin no more, then I think your sins were forgiven.

It is my belief that only if we purposely lie to our priest and to God by purposely omitting sins, perhaps out of embarrassment, do our confessions become invalid. It seems you did your best. You informed the confessor that it was your first confessions and asked for guidance. I don’t think our merciful God would hold you accountable if the confessor failed to provide you adequate help. We are bound by the Sacraments but God is not. He has many ways of pouring out His grace and showing us mercy.

My advice is this. If you believe that you had a good, orthodox confessor, trust him, trust his advice, and trust in his absolution. If you continue to be troubled by thoughts that you weren’t able to confess specific mortal sins that you identified during your examination of your conscience, then you can certainly address those at your next confession. God bless and peace be with you.

 

[Bookcat]

Very sorry for your encountering this difficulty…should not have been a burden on you at this most wonderful time.

I would seek out another Priest…

(one can say simply when you begin the confession – I went to another Priest for my first confession and no actual sins got confessed (or whatever happened)…)

and then enter the Church and the Vigil with light and joy!

 

[purplemittens]

My advice is this. If you believe that you had a good, orthodox confessor, trust him, trust his advice, and trust in his absolution. If you continue to be troubled by thoughts that you weren’t able to confess specific mortal sins that you identified during your examination of your conscience, then you can certainly address those at your next confession. God bless and peace be with you.

Thank you for this post. It was very helpful.

 

[Bookcat]

My advice is this. If you believe that you had a good, orthodox confessor, trust him, trust his advice, and trust in his absolution. If you continue to be troubled by thoughts that you weren’t able to confess specific mortal sins that you identified during your examination of your conscience, then you can certainly address those at your next confession. .

I think you missed a bit of what was said

It is not that they were troubled about some forgotten mortal sin -as usually the case when this question is asked here (which of course they would be obliged to confess as you note in the in next confession).

But that they did not confess ANY sins…

Now can it be that they sought to make a completely honest confession and being new to all this did not know what more to do but that some sin got confessed and the rest absolved indirectly due to the honest mistake and the Priest guiding them that way…I would think sure such could be the case.

In any case yes forgotten mortal sins (or the like…say one does not have the time to confess them all due to say one is dying…but later they recover etc) are to be confessed in the next confession.

 

[Bookcat]

I think you missed a bit of what was said

It is not that they were troubled about some forgotten mortal sin -as usually the case when this question is asked here (which of course they would be obliged to confess as you note in the in next confession).

But that they did not confess ANY sins…

Now can it be that they sought to make a completely honest confession and being new to all this did not know what more to do but that some sin got confessed and the rest absolved indirectly due to the honest mistake and the Priest guiding them that way…I would think such could be the case. Another Priest can guide them in this.

In any case yes forgotten mortal sins (or the like…say one does not have the time to confess them all due to say one is dying…but later they recover etc) are to be confessed in the next confession.

 

[Bookcat]

I think you missed a bit of what was said

It is not that they were troubled about some forgotten mortal sin -as usually the case when this question is asked here (which of course they would be obliged to confess as you note in the in next confession).

But that they did not confess ANY sins…

Now can it be that they sought to make a completely honest confession and being new to all this did not know what more to do but that some sin got confessed and the rest absolved indirectly due to the honest mistake and the Priest guiding them that way…I would think such could be the case. Another Priest can guide them in this.

In any case yes forgotten mortal sins (or the like…say one does not have the time to confess them all due to say one is dying…but later they recover etc) are to be confessed in the next confession.

(scrupulosity of course can be a different boat (depending)…I note this for some here are in such a boat…they need to discuss things with their regular confessor)

 

[Rainaldo]

I think it would be presumptuous for anyone to offer an opinion on whether your confession was valid or invalid.

Sure, but the sins are the matter of the sacrament, so it’s still an edifying inquiry. Someone who has no sins cannot receive the sacrament, even if he goes through the ritual. But forgotten sins and sins left unconfessed through extrinsic impediments are understood to be included in what is absolved. (e.g. if you are confessing on the battlefield and you needed to run away before you had a chance to mention a mortal sin, or if you pass out in the middle of a sentence while confessing on your deathbed, etc.) In this case, it looks like the priest prevented her from actually mentioning any sins she was planning to confess, so I would say it was a valid confession and valid absolution.

 

[djwright4341]

Keep in mind that, as a convert from a protestant denomination, a lot of sins you may have committed prior to learning that they are mortal sins weren’t mortal sins–you don’t commit a mortal sin if you don’t know it’s a mortal sin. Some are obvious (adultery, murder, theft) and count either way. My first confession went somewhat the same way since it had been 20 years since my baptism as a teen. I truly felt forgiven and felt about 9000lbs lighter after absolution. If something still weighs on you, go back to confession. Only you and God know if your confession was good. You can’t really fool yourself, and you definitely can’t fool God.