Does the Penitential Act said at mass restore sanctifying grace?

  • Thread starter Thread starter s.cono
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

s.cono

Guest
I have been wondering about this. Assuming no new mortal sins have been committed since your last confession and absolution, does recitation of the penitential act at mass wipe away any new venial sins, restoring a state of sanctifying grace? I like to get indulgences as often as possible, and attend reconciliation at least weekly, but I know I slip up in between sometimes.
 
Thank you. Very helpful link. It further states that Communion and participation in other parts of the mass, and its intercessory prayers also take away venial sin. I did not know this. Good to know.
 
s.cono said:
Assuming no new mortal sins have been committed since your last confession and absolution, does recitation of the penitential act at mass wipe away any new venial sins, restoring a state of sanctifying grace?
Click to expand...
If there are no new mortal sins since your last confession and absolution, then you are in a state of grace. Venial sins do not cause you to lose your state of grace.
 
The Kylie Elaison/I Confess… followed by the Priest’s response forgives venial sins.

The Agnus Dei/Lamb of God prepares us for the Eucharist as does the “Lord I am not worthy…” and then the Blood of Christ also forgives venial sins. There are plenty of spots in the mass for forgiveness, but not for mortal sins as you mention, those must be forgiven during Confession.

You are in a state of grace even with venial sins, you only lose this with mortal sins. But these venial sins are still forgiven during these parts of the mass, that’s why you don’t have to go to confession for just venial sins. That said, you are required to go to confession at least once a year, you get penance during confession to make right any temporal damage sins cause, and you get graces to continue to fight the sins you confessed. So it is a good thing to confess venial sins in confession but they are forgiven during mass.
 
Last edited:
I don’t doubt that you are right about this. I keep getting balled up trying to remember if you have to be free of all mortal and venial sin in order to get an indulgence, or free of the attachment of all sin.

I quoted this from EWTN Indulgences - General Conditions

“have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin”

I know it’s not the same thing I was asking. I just have a hard time keeping it straight in my own head. Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.
 
Last edited:
s.cono said:
I have been wondering about this. Assuming no new mortal sins have been committed since your last confession and absolution, does recitation of the penitential act at mass wipe away any new venial sins, restoring a state of sanctifying grace? I like to get indulgences as often as possible, and attend reconciliation at least weekly, but I know I slip up in between sometimes.
Click to expand...
Baltimore Catechism, Lesson 30:
  1. Will God forgive us any sin unless we have true contrition for it?
    God will not forgive us any sin, whether mortal or venial, unless we have true contrition for it.
Click to expand...
 
s.cono said:
does recitation of the penitential act at mass wipe away any new venial sins, restoring a state of sanctifying grace?
Click to expand...
Yes, it absolves venial sins, but these do not prevent one from remaining in a state of grace, so it is not a “restoration” in the sense that the absolution is given for mortal sins in confession.
 
Vico said:
Will God forgive us any sin unless we have true contrition for it?
God will not forgive us any sin, whether mortal or venial, unless we have true contrition for it.
Click to expand...
Understood. Half the battle for me is recognizing my own venial sins. I have recurrent ones that I know immediately, and I am immediately sorry for. Other times I don’t even notice unless it is brought to my attention by my wife, for example. This is discouraging, and harder to be contrite for.
 
It’s a very nice gift for you to have your wife be able to see and let you know these venial sins you can work on. Spouses are suppose to help each other get to Heaven, very nice to hear you have that spiritual support for you!
 
Last edited:
[quote="GospelOfMatthew, post:6, topic:527836, full:.”
. That said, you are required to go to confession at least once a year, s in confession but they are forgiven during mass.
[/quote]

No, that is not so, GospelofMatthew.

The obligation to confess once a year only applies to those conscious of mortal sins.

It is not a blanket requirement for everyone (although strongly recommended)

See Canon Law 989,
 
That is interesting, @paperwight. In our RCIA course, we were told we were required to go to confession at least once per year regardless. Canon Law 989 clearly states that this is for grave sins. I wonder if the USCCB has a different, modified ruling on this. I can’t imagine they would be able to supersede canon law, though.
 
Good thing we say this twice at the mass celebrated by ICRSS priests at my parish. Deo gratias!

And by the evidence of the long confession lines before, during, and after mass there, I don’t think that praying the confiteor is reducing the number of confessions heard there.
 
jvickers said:
That is interesting, @paperwight. In our RCIA course, we were told we were required to go to confession at least once per year regardless. Canon Law 989 clearly states that this is for grave sins. I wonder if the USCCB has a different, modified ruling on this. I can’t imagine they would be able to supersede canon law, though.
Click to expand...
It’s a mystery to me, too.

Your RCIA catechist was perhaps going by what it says in the Catechism, where obliging annual confession is given as a bald statement without any qualifying… I don’t understand why such an obvious mistake is made.

It scandalises me to some extent, I have to admit.
 
s.cono said:
40.png
Vico:
Will God forgive us any sin unless we have true contrition for it?
God will not forgive us any sin, whether mortal or venial, unless we have true contrition for it.
Click to expand...
Understood. Half the battle for me is recognizing my own venial sins. I have recurrent ones that I know immediately, and I am immediately sorry for. Other times I don’t even notice unless it is brought to my attention by my wife, for example. This is discouraging, and harder to be contrite for.
Click to expand...
St. Thomas Aquinas wrote Summa Theologiae > Third Part > Question 87 The remission of venial sin
Article 2. Whether infusion of grace is necessary for the remission of venial sins?
Reply to Objection 3. Just as there are two kinds of bodily stain, one consisting in the privation of something required for beauty, e.g. the right color or the due proportion of members, and another by the introduction of some hindrance to beauty, e.g. mud or dust; so too, a stain is put on the soul, in one way, by the privation of the beauty of grace through mortal sin, in another, by the inordinate inclination of the affections to some temporal thing, and this is the result of venial sin. Consequently, an infusion of grace is necessary for the removal of mortal sin, but in order to remove venial sin it is necessary to have a movement proceeding from grace, removing the inordinate attachment to the temporal thing.
Click to expand...
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4087.htm
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top