Does 10 Months ago count as "Long Ago"?(Is my confession valid?)

[Bryan77]

I went to confession this morning because I was feeling bothered by some past sins that I may or may not have confessed, or that I may have been intentionally vague on, because I was embarrassed.

I told that to the priest. I then told him that I am about to be 24 soon, the first sin I confessed I told him that I was 13 at the time. The next couple of sins, I told him I did these when I was an adult.(I did not specify the age, but some they were about 10 months ago)

After telling him a few sins and answering a few of his questions, the priest asked me something along the lines of “These are past sins that you committed long ago? And you’re sorry for them?”

At that moment I thought to myself, " Does 10 months count as 'long ago?" I didn’t necessarily want to specify that some of them were 10 months ago, because I was embarrassed. also 10 months is very recent in relation to the other sins I confessed to him. I figured that since he didn’t specifically ask me how long ago I committed these sins, that “in the past” and “long ago” would be true. (partly because I’ve gone to confession many times since then. Also, I did tell him that I was an adult when I did these ones. I just didn’t tell him explicitly how long ago) So I said yes. Then I told him one more sin, and I did tell him that I was 21 years old. ( a little over 2 years ago)

Before absolving me of my sins he asked me if I am sorry for them, and I intend to do my best to not do them again. I said yes, because its true. I don’t want to do them again. He then absolved me.

Afterwards, I starting wondering if when he asked if these sins were in the past and “long ago” if I should have been more specific. Does 10 months count as “Long ago?” The first sin I told him I was 13. Then for the next few I said “When I was an adult”

So now I’m worried that the priest may have absolved me under false pretenses. I didn’t lie. I just thought at the time that 10 months ago (and many confessions later) long ago would be a truthful statement. I’m just worried that It might only be technically true, and thus the priest thought it was much longer ago, and thus I was absolved under false pretenses.

I’m wondering if my confession is still valid, or if I should go back and say these sins again. Maybe I’m being too OCD in all of this.

 

[bilop]

I went to confession this morning because I was feeling bothered by some past sins that I may or may not have confessed, or that I may have been intentionally vague on, because I was embarrassed.

I told that to the priest. I then told him that I am about to be 24 soon, the first sin I confessed I told him that I was 13 at the time. The next couple of sins, I told him I did these when I was an adult.(I did not specify the age, but some they were about 10 months ago)

After telling him a few sins and answering a few of his questions, the priest asked me something along the lines of “These are past sins that you committed long ago? And you’re sorry for them?”

At that moment I thought to myself, " Does 10 months count as 'long ago?" I didn’t necessarily want to specify that some of them were 10 months ago, because I was embarrassed. also 10 months is very recent in relation to the other sins I confessed to him. I figured that since he didn’t specifically ask me how long ago I committed these sins, that “in the past” and “long ago” would be true. ( partly because I’ve gone to confession many times since then. Also, I did tell him that I was an adult when I did these ones. I just didn’t tell him explicitly how long ago) So I said yes. Then I told him one more sin, and I did tell him that I was 21 years old. ( a little over 2 years ago)

Before absolving me of my sins he asked me if I am sorry for them, and I intend to do my best to not do them again. I said yes, because its true. I don’t want to do them again. He then absolved me.

Afterwards, I starting wondering if when he asked if these sins were in the past and “long ago” if I should have been more specific. Does 10 months count as “Long ago?” The first sin I told him I was 13. Then for the next few I said “When I was an adult”

So now I’m worried that the priest may have absolved me under false pretenses. I didn’t lie. I just thought at the time that 10 months ago (and many confessions later) long ago would be a truthful statement. I’m just worried that It might only be technically true, and thus the priest thought it was much longer ago, and thus I was absolved under false pretenses.

I’m wondering if my confession is still valid, or if I should go back and say these sins again. Maybe I’m being too OCD in all of this.

Yes, your confession is valid. As long as you have no attempt to deceive the priest, you are forgiven all your sins, even if you forget to mention them or have the particulars wrong.

Even if you flat out lie about one sin, or intentionally don’t confess it, all the sins you do confess are forgiven. It is only that particular sin that remains on your soul.

Confession is not a trap. God doesn’t play gotcha on technicalities. He wants to forgive you.

As long as you 1) make a honest effort to mention all mortal sins, 2) intend not to sin again (even if you fail at that intention) and 3) the priest says “I absolve you” the confession is valid, and ALL your sins forgiven.

God Bless

 

[mountee]

One of the things that should happen after confession is a lifting of burdens off your conscience. To feel the way you do now means that your confession did not do that. Having had some embarrassing confessions myself may I urge you to go back and clean up all these areas once and for all, I promise you that it will be worth it. And, please remember that the priest has heard it all before, he want to help you move forward and make a good confession.

 

[1ke]

you are being scrupulous.

 

[jmcrae]

I went to confession this morning because I was feeling bothered by some past sins that I may or may not have confessed, or that I may have been intentionally vague on, because I was embarrassed.

I told that to the priest. I then told him that I am about to be 24 soon, the first sin I confessed I told him that I was 13 at the time. The next couple of sins, I told him I did these when I was an adult.(I did not specify the age, but some they were about 10 months ago)

After telling him a few sins and answering a few of his questions, the priest asked me something along the lines of “These are past sins that you committed long ago? And you’re sorry for them?”

At that moment I thought to myself, " Does 10 months count as 'long ago?" I didn’t necessarily want to specify that some of them were 10 months ago, because I was embarrassed. also 10 months is very recent in relation to the other sins I confessed to him. I figured that since he didn’t specifically ask me how long ago I committed these sins, that “in the past” and “long ago” would be true. (partly because I’ve gone to confession many times since then. Also, I did tell him that I was an adult when I did these ones. I just didn’t tell him explicitly how long ago) So I said yes. Then I told him one more sin, and I did tell him that I was 21 years old. ( a little over 2 years ago)

Before absolving me of my sins he asked me if I am sorry for them, and I intend to do my best to not do them again. I said yes, because its true. I don’t want to do them again. He then absolved me.

Afterwards, I starting wondering if when he asked if these sins were in the past and “long ago” if I should have been more specific. Does 10 months count as “Long ago?” The first sin I told him I was 13. Then for the next few I said “When I was an adult”

So now I’m worried that the priest may have absolved me under false pretenses. I didn’t lie. I just thought at the time that 10 months ago (and many confessions later) long ago would be a truthful statement. I’m just worried that It might only be technically true, and thus the priest thought it was much longer ago, and thus I was absolved under false pretenses.

I’m wondering if my confession is still valid, or if I should go back and say these sins again. Maybe I’m being too OCD in all of this.

Rule of thumb: 1 - if you weren’t intentionally trying to deceive the priest at the time (even if you misspoke, or genuinely thought that something was not important enough to mention at the time), and

2 - the priest gave you the Absolution, then

3 - all of those sins are gone.

You confessed your sins to the best of your ability at the time. You are human; you are not a robot. Sometimes you get nervous and don’t say exactly what you meant to say - that’s okay. Jesus knows your heart and knows that you did not intend to deceive the priest - or Him.

The priest is Jesus’ agent; he actually doesn’t personally care what your sins are, and he isn’t keeping a record of them, so the accuracy as far as when it happened doesn’t matter to him, personally. Jesus knows when it happened, and He knows that you’re sorry. He has forgiven you, and wiped away the slate. :extrahappy:

Go forth and sin no more.

 

[St_Francis]

Yes, your confession is valid. As long as you have no attempt to deceive the priest, you are forgiven all your sins, even if you forget to mention them or have the particulars wrong.

Even if you flat out lie about one sin, or intentionally don’t confess it, all the sins you do confess are forgiven. It is only that particular sin that remains on your soul.

NO!!! This is NOT true!!! If you intentionally leave out a sin or if you lie about a sin, the Confession is not only not valid, it is sacriligious and is yet another sin!!!

If you UNintentionally leave out a sin, or UNintentionally make a mistake about a sin, then your confession is still valid and in fact the left-out sins are covered too (altho if they are mortal you should try to remember to include them at a later Confession.

Confession is not a trap. God doesn’t play gotcha on technicalities. He wants to forgive you.

It is true that confession is not a trap, but it is also not a free-for-all. You must make a sincere effort to confess all your mortal sins and in general your venial sins.

As long as you 1) make a honest effort to mention all mortal sins, 2) intend not to sin again (even if you fail at that intention) and 3) the priest says “I absolve you” the confession is valid, and ALL your sins forgiven.

God Bless

 

[St_Francis]

Bryan,
I think the priest was just trying to see if it was a sin you were currently staying away from or not, so I wouldn’t worry about it. This priest sounds like a good confessor, if I were you, I would just mention it to him and try to get better acquainted with him. A good confessor can be hard to find, and can make a good spiritual director

 

[bilop]

NO!!! This is NOT true!!! If you intentionally leave out a sin or if you lie about a sin, the Confession is not only not valid, it is sacriligious and is yet another sin!!!

If you UNintentionally leave out a sin, or UNintentionally make a mistake about a sin, then your confession is still valid and in fact the left-out sins are covered too (altho if they are mortal you should try to remember to include them at a later Confession.

It is true that confession is not a trap, but it is also not a free-for-all. You must make a sincere effort to confess all your mortal sins and in general your venial sins.

Sorry, I misspoke. An intentionally omitted mortal sin invalidates a confession. But only an intentionally omitted mortal sin.

If you honestly thought it wasn’t mortal, the confession remains valid. I don’t think the omission of any amount of venial sins can invalidate a confession, since we are not required to confess them individually, and can’t hope to cover even every type of venial sin we commit.

God Bless