Doubts about my first confession

[yankeesouth]

Your confession was valid but it is only up to you whether you should go again for ease of mind. You mentioned you feel cheated. I think part of what makes a good confession is the ability to name our sins but whether you do or not and the priest absolves you the confession is valid.

 

[Arwing]

You are able to receive Communion before going again.

I’m no expert, but I’ve always thought mortal sins need to be “directly” acknowledged in confession as per canon law. The answer here on the Ask an Apologist forum seems to indicate that they are to be mentioned at the next confession: What do I do when a priest won't let me finish my confession?

As for the number of times, your idea is as far as I know fine. You can approximate, or provide a frequency (i.e. about three times a week for three months), or if you just don’t know, just “hundreds of times” or “many many times” or something like that will suffice.

Since you probably have a lot on your list, (and you may have been planning to do this already) it’s probably best to confess the sins you know are mortal first.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

You’re right. But do I really have to confess everything that I had intended to confess during my next reconciliation? I just want a straight answer on that. If I’m truly forgiven, why do I have to bring up water under the bridge, so to speak?

Here’s what the Catechism says in #1456:

When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know."55

You strove to confess all the sins you could remember. You didn’t withhold anything. You are forgiven.

If, in a month or so when you’re ready for your next confession, you still feel the burden from this confession, then explain to your confessor what happened and confess whatever you want. But please, be at peace.

 

[MaryT777]

I’m sorry to hear he was unavailable and hope you can meet soon with your spiritual director and disscuss this issue with him. Welcome again to the Church and I hope it’s a wonderful journey for you!~

 

[Arkansan]

You misunderstood me. Your sins are forgiven so you can receive the Eucharist. You should just mention those mortal sins whenever your next confession is. You do not need to go to confession again this week.

 

[KurtAlert]

Okay. I think I’ve pretty much got this resolved. I’ll bring this up with my spiritual director when I see him next month, but I’m not going to worry any further about it until then. Thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Most of all, Kurt, welcome home! Delight in your First Communion and know that God is delighting in you!

 

[Cecilia2017]

I had a very similar First Confession where the experience was so different from the expectation. Your experience has actually helped me make more sense of why the Priest did not seem too insistent on details and long lists of sins from the past decades! I was however reassured - ‘God loves you and he knows you’re sorry’…and in the end I think the Lord sent me the priest I needed on the day. Every experience since has been different but I always remember the kind priest who first administered the sacrament. Rejoice in the joy of the Easter Vigil. I’ll be praying for you! x