Does contrition and desire for Reconciliation remove mortal sin?

[psteichen]

I was listening to a recent episode of Catholic Answers, and the guest explained that contrition and a sincere desire to go to Confession was enough to remove a mortal sin according to the council of Trent. I wanted to verify this, so I pulled up the documents from the council. But there are a lot of pages, and it’s not all fluff either. I also came across an answer in this forum from Fr. Vincent Serpa that says the opposite. Could anyone give me a solid answer on this including more specific documentation of the source?

I’ve known that perfect contrition absolves mortal sin, but this was not the subject of the answer given regarding Trent.

 

[psteichen]

BTW: I looked up the archive of the show. It was episode #7322 with Tim Staples, and the quote I was referring to comes at the 12 minute mark in his answer to the second caller.

 

[e_c]

Your question is confusing.

Here’s the line from the 14th session, chapter 4:

“The Synod teaches moreover, that, although it sometimes happen that this contrition is perfect through charity, and reconciles man with God before this sacrament be actually received, the said reconciliation, nevertheless, is not to be ascribed to that contrition, independently of the desire of the sacrament which is included therein.”

Helpful?

 

[tweedlealice]

Salutations,
Thank you for looking up the answer for our new member. But, my first reaction was HUH?After reading it 5 times, the headache went away and I interpret with God’s help that if I am truly sorry for my sin and confessed it to God. If I keep trying to get to confession and worldly interferences keep getting in the road, you are forgiven. Can you make up a good penance to do? Can we go to communion.? I might wait on communion but rest in the fact, if I died, the sin is forgiven. The Father is just, but He wants us home with Him. His mercy endures forever.
in Christ’s love
Tweedlealice

 

[thistle]

I was listening to a recent episode of Catholic Answers, and the guest explained that contrition and a sincere desire to go to Confession was enough to remove a mortal sin according to the council of Trent. I wanted to verify this, so I pulled up the documents from the council. But there are a lot of pages, and it’s not all fluff either. I also came across an answer in this forum from Fr. Vincent Serpa that says the opposite. Could anyone give me a solid answer on this including more specific documentation of the source?

I’ve known that perfect contrition absolves mortal sin, but this was not the subject of the answer given regarding Trent.

An act of perfect contrition would forgive mortal sins if the penitent dies before getting to Confession. However, it is conditional upon the intent to get to Confession as soon as possible and the penitent is not permitted to receive Communion before going to Confession.

 

[e_c]

An act of perfect contrition would forgive mortal sins if the penitent dies before getting to Confession. However, it is conditional upon the intent to get to Confession as soon as possible and the penitent is not permitted to receive Communion before going to Confession.

Right. This is what Trent is saying in the passage above. (I lifted it out of context so it is a bit difficult to read.)

 

[Vico]

I was listening to a recent episode of Catholic Answers, and the guest explained that contrition and a sincere desire to go to Confession was enough to remove a mortal sin according to the council of Trent. I wanted to verify this, so I pulled up the documents from the council. But there are a lot of pages, and it’s not all fluff either. I also came across an answer in this forum from Fr. Vincent Serpa that says the opposite. Could anyone give me a solid answer on this including more specific documentation of the source?

I’ve known that perfect contrition absolves mortal sin, but this was not the subject of the answer given regarding Trent.

Jim Blackburn writes:

A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible. (CIC 916)

Note that there are four conditions that must be fulfilled before going to Communion:

1. 
   *]There must be a grave reason to receive Communion (e.g., danger of death).
   *]It must be physically or morally impossible to go to confession first.
   *]The person must already be in a state of grace through perfect contrition.
   *]The person must resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.
   
   The matter of the Sacrament of Penance is: contrition, confession, and satisfaction, even when the contrition is perfect.
   
   catholic.com/quickquestions/can-someone-who-has-committed-a-mortal-sin-receive-communion-if-he-makes-a-perfect-ac
   
   Council of Trent, SESSION XIV (NOV. 25, 1551) Doctrine on the Sacrament of Penance*
   
   898 The Council teaches, furthermore, that though it sometimes happens that this contrition is perfect because of charity and reconciles man to God, before this sacrament is actually received, this reconciliation nevertheless must not be ascribed to the contrition itself without the desire of the sacrament which is included in it. …
   
   914 Can. 4. If anyone denies that for the full and perfect remission of sins there are three acts required on the part of the penitent, as it were, the matter of the sacrament of penance, namely contrition, confession, and satisfaction, which are called the three parts of penance; or says, that there are only two parts of penance, namely the terrors of a troubled conscience because of the consciousness of sin, and the faith received from the Gospel or from absolution, by which one believes that his sins have been forgiven him through Christ: let him be anathema [cf. n. 896 ].
   
   patristica.net/denzinger/#n800