Examination of Conscience for a General Confession

  • Thread starter Thread starter PraiseChrist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

PraiseChrist

Guest
Dear CAF members,

Hi, I was wondering if anyone who made a general confession in the past could recommend how to make the examination of conscience.

For anyone wondering what a “general confession” is:
The term has two different meanings, both referring to the reception of the sacrament of penance. Most commonly, it means a private confession where the penitent (exceptionally) resolves to confess as far as he or she can all past sins, and not only those since the last confession. The practice is recommended when a person is entering on a new state of life – the priesthood, religious life, or marriage – and is required in some religious institutes by rule to be done annually. Less often, general confession is associated with the granting of general absolution. When general absolution may be validly given, the provision for general confession is that “the penitents who wish to receive absolution” are invited “to indicate this by some kind of sign.” The penitents then say a general formula for confession, for example, “I confess to almighty God.” However, one of the necessary dispositions for receiving valid absolution, when only a general confession was made, is that the penitent “resolve to confess in due time each one of the grave sins which he cannot confess at present.”
Click to expand...
Source of quote: catholicculture.org/culture/library/dictionary/index.cfm?id=33707#

Have a great day,

Andrew K.
 
Your referring to mortal sins already confessed and absolved right? (not forgotten ones etc).

In that case one is free to do so in any number of ways.

One does not need to go through and give numbers for example (for they have already been given when they were confessed and absolved) but one can be more general.
 
Your referring to mortal sins already confessed and absolved right? (not forgotten ones etc).
Click to expand...
In that case one is free to do so in any number of ways.
Click to expand...
One does not need to go through and give numbers for example (for they have already been given when they were confessed and absolved) but one can be more general.
Click to expand...
I’m referring to forgotten mortal sins, which still need to be confessed in number and kind.

Thanks a lot
 
PraiseChrist said:
I’m referring to forgotten sins in a general confession.

Thanks a lot
Click to expand...
You mean a person goes to confession and is repentant etc for all their mortal sins - but they just forgot some.

And then next week (or next confession) they confess them?

One can simply say “I forgot in my last confession” …then give the mortal sin in number and kind (as normal).

Hiding them would be a different matter.

Or one is doing an examination of conscience for a “general confession of ones life” and one realizes - hey I forgot this and that mortal sin (one did not realize this until then). I would confess those sins first noting that they were forgotten and one just realized this - and of course number and kind are needed as always in their case (and if something changes the kind…like it was a church that you burned down…)

If one examines and do not know the actual number of the mortal sins - one can estimate according to what one knows (around 5, a few times, many times, around 5x a month for the last year…whatever)
 
Well, it’s complex…

I used to profane the Sacrament by lying, ect, ect.
I returned a couple years ago to repent of those confessions, but I didn’t know how to do so and I just made a brief examination of conscience and told what was on my mind with a couple notes. Since then I went frequently but I still had those forgotten sins; my confessor said not to go back on them, but I saw that Church law requires a diligent examination of conscience. I have not approached this Sacrament in a while, now. Any insight?
 
Persons can be in various circumstances that need the particular guidance of confessor. So make an appointment with a Priest to sort things out.

They can help one sort out if one really made “bad confessions” and assist you in getting remedied in the Sacrament.

(One recommendation could be a Priest who is in Opus Dei)

It is good your seeking to do whatever is needful.

In Christ and thus in confession is true life!
 
Speak with a priest and if he advises that you make a general confession just use an examination of conscience like this one and write down all of your sins on a piece of paper so as to not forget any. As others have stated, make sure you confess your mortal sins first in number and in kind, and again make an estimate if the exact number is unknown.

Good luck and God bless!
 
PraiseChrist said:
…my confessor said not to go back on them, but I saw that Church law requires a diligent examination of conscience.
Click to expand...
In this day and age, I can understand if someone sometimes doesn’t trust their confessor.

But do you have an obvious reason to be distrustful? He’s not manifestly leading you astray, or telling you obvious sins are not sinful, is he? (Don’t answer. :))

We should work more on trusting our priests, rather than ignoring their counsel and trying to find ways to counsel ourselves. I agree, sometimes this is necessary. But I think it can often be a sign of something other than an incompetent priest.

I’ll say it again: unless you have a very good and obvious reason not to, then trust Father.
 
Bookcat said:
Persons can be in various circumstances that need the particular guidance of confessor. So make an appointment with a Priest to sort things out.

They can help one sort out if one really made “bad confessions” and assist you in getting remedied in the Sacrament.

(One recommendation could be a Priest who is in Opus Dei)

It is good your seeking to do whatever is needful.

In Christ and thus in confession is true life!
Click to expand...
 
Alright, and that examination of conscience listed by Josie is very good.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top