P
ProVobis
Guest
No one really knows, although I’ve heard from quite a few people to the effect that Purgatory must be jam packed. We and the poor souls in Purgatory need indulgences, which confession can help us get.
- Status
T
thistle
Guest
It does not matter what I believe about people who are in a state of mortal sin because its none of my business.
An act of perfect contrition is made when the prime reason is sorrow for having upset God and fear of Hell is secondary.
When fear of Hell is the prime reason then that is an act of imperfect contrition.
In BOTH cases you intend to go to Confession.
The intent or act of going to Confession is NOT an act of perfect contrition.
B
Brendan_64
Guest
And likewise nobody can answer that he/she won’t.
It is dangerous to assume that we are more likely to end up in Heaven simply because nobody can say whether or not we will end up in Hell.
I’ve been in the position the OP has been in, on quite a few occasions, and it bothered me greatly. Confession asap is what is required and each day’s delay does represent a period of uncertain danger. Personally I’d be very reluctant to say to a person in that position, “Don’t worry, all is fine”. There’s always neighbouring parishes.
S
Sy_Noe
Guest
Right no one can answer but One. Which is why I find for me it’s just more dangerous in such situations not to trust in God’s infinite mercy and love and not to simply leave it in His merciful and loving hands and arms. Rather than for me to try to pass judgement.
W
WingsOfEagles
Guest
The intent of going to Confession usually goes along with sorrow for having upset God.
B
Brendan_64
Guest
You are right, none of us is in any position to pass judgement. However, by the same token none of us is in any position to give reassurance and suggest all will be OK. Who are we to suggest that simply trusting in God will remove the stain of mortal sin?
Outside of the Confessional box, only an act of perfect contrition will remove erase a mortal sin, that is what our Church teaches. An intention to go to Confession does not in itself constitute an act of perfect contrition.
Not necessarily. It can mean that the person doesn’t wish to be in a state of mortal sin. That can often be out of a concern for the state of the person’s own soul and the potential consequences. That would be quite different from an act of perfect contrition.
W
WingsOfEagles
Guest
I guess I never realized how paranoid so many Catholics are. From the nature of this board, you would think we are all likely going to Hell given how often we likely have sin on our souls. I really don’t think a loving, forgiving God who died on the cross for us is going to send someone to burn because he had to say his confession on Monday instead of Sunday. Sorry, don’t agree at all. I think it is easy to get so caught up on Church legalities and semantics, that one can lose all logic in the mix. 
T
thistle
Guest
Let me repeat this again. The intent to go to Confession is NOT an act of perfect contrition.
W
WingsOfEagles
Guest
Let me repeat the second half of my sentence…
**
“usually goes along with sorrow for having upset God.”**
P
ProVobis
Guest
But that’s just it, we can’t be certain of that. But we do know Christ gave the power to forgive sins through/to His priests. That part is certain.
S
Sy_Noe
Guest
I’m with you. I read this board and have to ask myself. What if someone in mortal sin according to the Catholic faith doesn’t confess to a priest before they die and a priest didn’t make it on time either to administer the Sacrament of Anointing? (True story)I guess I never realized how paranoid so many Catholics are. From the nature of this board, you would think we are all likely going to Hell given how often we likely have sin on our souls. I really don’t think a loving, forgiving God who died on the cross for us is going to send someone to burn because he had to say his confession on Monday instead of Sunday. Sorry, don’t agree at all. I think it is easy to get so caught up on Church legalities and semantics, that one can lose all logic in the mix.
Are Catholics going to comfort those left behind by emphasizing sin and fire and saying a perfect act of contrition is suspected to be difficult so if this difficulty wasn’t obtained by the last small peaceful breath drawn, there loved one was bound to hell no ifs ands or buts? (I’m just taking pieces from various posts).
Or are they going to comfort the grieving by emphasizing faith in God’s love and infinite mercy?
Catholics on this board can make their choice. I however long ago made mine. I shall always forever choose the latter. And fortunately I was blessed the celebrant at my loved one’s funeral made the same choice. I believe. And I believe my family member is not in hell but in His arms. And no one as long as I am on God’s green earth shall convince me otherwise.
B
Brendan_64
Guest
We can all have our own opinions on this issue, but ultimately when it comes to giving advice to others our opinions are really of no consequence. What does matter when giving advice is what our Church teaches.
CCC 1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.
CCC 1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.
Confessing out of fear of the consequences for one’s immortal soul is imperfect contrition, because it has a selfish (concern for the consequences of sin to one’s own immortal soul) rather than selfless, motivation.
Perfect contrition is confessing out of a love of having offended God, above all else, and not out of a fear of the personal consequences of sin to one’s immortal soul.
Simply wanting to confess is not in itself an act of perfect contrition.
CCC 1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.
CCC 1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.
Confessing out of fear of the consequences for one’s immortal soul is imperfect contrition, because it has a selfish (concern for the consequences of sin to one’s own immortal soul) rather than selfless, motivation.
Perfect contrition is confessing out of a love of having offended God, above all else, and not out of a fear of the personal consequences of sin to one’s immortal soul.
Simply wanting to confess is not in itself an act of perfect contrition.
T
thistle
Guest
Exactly.
B
Brendan_64
Guest
The case of a priest failing to make it on time to administer the Sacrament of the Sick is different. The penitent was not in a position to do otherwise and cannot be held responsible for the priest’s late arrival. That is different from an able-bodied person not making it to Confession. There is always the option of searching out Confession in another church, or even calling directly on a priest and requesting Confession outside of the advertised times for Confession.
E
Elizium23
Guest
So if I commit a mortal sin, am I bound on pain of Hell to scour Masstimes.org for the first available confession time, and take three buses to get across town if necessary? Failing that, am I obligated to phone the closest eight parishes, or show up at them, and beg for a priest to see me right away? Where exactly is the threshold of due diligence that will prevent me from going to Hell if I should die suddenly?
My parish has Confessions three days a week. I typically wait for the next one to roll around when I have to confess. That means I may go two or three days without a state of grace. Am I risking Hell here, because I prefer my confessor and my parish? For the record, my home parish has far more opportunities for Conefssion than the neighboring ones do.
B
Brendan_64
Guest
If you were visiting another place away from your home, would you not be obliged to find a Catholic Church and check the Mass times there? Why is it different with regard to Confession?
And why would three bus journeys be unreasonable? I know people who do that simply to get to work each day.
Do we really expect everything to be conveniently on our doorstep?
You do not need to beg a priest to hear your confession, it is their duty to do so.
Yes you are probably taking a risk. The Church’s teaching on the consequences of dying in a state of mortal sin is clear, as is her teaching on the need for the sacrament of Confession to absolve mortal sins. Yes an act of perfect contrition can result in absolution of mortal sins, but simply planning to go to Confession at a later date is not in itself an act of perfect contrition. That is what our Church teaches.
As for waiting for a preferred confessor, that isn’t a valid reason. If you needed life-saving emergency surgery would you delay the operation because your preferred surgeon wasn’t available, even though an operation by the available surgeon would have exactly the same outcome, despite the fact that you didn’t like his bedside manner?
Delaying confession while being in a state of mortal sin is a very dangerous risk, even though many of us have done this (myself included).
E
Elizium23
Guest
What if I commit a mortal sin at 1am in the morning? When the groggy priest receives a page from the answering service and returns my emergency call, how will that conversation go?
B
Brendan_64
Guest
And that is your defence for delaying Confession by days? That strikes me as looking for a ‘loop-hole’ to justify waiting longer than you actually needed to. If you had a heart-attack at 1am and the ambulance didn’t get there in time would you still be alive?
Mortal sin has consequences and we are not automatically entitled to a free-pass simply by thinking, “OK I’ve just committed a mortal sin, I’ll go to Confession at the next opportunity. Phew, that’s me clear then.” It is our responsibility to keep ourselves in a state of grace.
Your argument leads to the conclusion that no Catholic will ever die in a state of mortal sin, just so long as he intends to go to Confession at some stage in the future. Intention to go to Confession is not in itself an act of perfect contrition.
I think that we have a serious issue in our Church today where we in effect downplay the seriousness of mortal sin and its consequences. It’s not a very pleasant topic and it can upset people so it is glossed over. However ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.
W
WingsOfEagles
Guest
No, Elizium is not talking about cases of, “Yeah, I should really go to Confession. I need to get around to that.” She’s talking about, “My parish is holding confession at 3p on Tuesday. I will go then.”
There’s a huge difference between the two. Also, give the Church only requires a yearly confession (although suggests a bit more often), I think it is safe to say that the Church itself is not highly paranoid about people dying with some sins that have not yet been confessed, especially for someone who is making a point to attend on fairly regular basis and waits to go on Monday vs. Sunday.
- Status