Explicit desire for confession

[Psalm89]

If a person were to commit a mortal sin, be convicted of it in his or her spirit and then desires to be reconciled to God, is the explicit desire enough?

The case being that the person is killed before he or she can get to a priest for confession. Whether a heart attack before hand, death in a car accident on the way, or other calamitous event. The person really wants to confess his or her sin, but by God’s sovereign action doesn’t make it to the actual confession.

Would Aquinas’ teaching about baptism hold for confession in this instance as well?

Aquinas stated …the sacrament of baptism may be wanting to anyone in reality but not in desire: for instance, when a man wishes to be baptized, but by some ill-chance he is forestalled by death before receiving baptism. And such a man can obtain salvation without being actually baptized, on account of his desire for baptism, which desire is the outcome of ‘faith that worketh by charity’ [Gal. 5:6], whereby God, whose power is not tied to the visible sacraments, sanctifies man inwardly.

Does it stand to reason then that a man can obtain salvation without actually confessing a mortal sin to a priest on account of his desire for confession?

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Psalm89

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Yes if a person repents and seeks forgiveness from God. God could forgive their sin outside of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If they survive the accident they must receive the Sacrament. Or in the case of a person who is injured and unconscious the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick also forgives sins.

 

[EENS]

The only possible way a person can be forgiven of a mortal sin without the Sacrament of Penance is through what is termed “perfect contrition.” He must be completely sorry for his sins based upon the fact that they offend God, not from a fear of Hell (which is sufficient for a sacramental Confession). Also, he must have, as you noted, an explicit desire for the Sacrament of Penance. Without this, he cannot be forgiven by Almighty God. I believe there are other factors for a “perfect contrition,” but I am not sure. I have been told, though, that it is about as rare as a plenary indulgence. God bless.

 

[Psalm89]

I appreciate the answers!

I’m a Lutheran trying to understand Catholic theology.

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Psalm89

 

[_veritas]

While I do believe fully in the Church’s teaching regarding the need for perfect contrition outside of the confessional, I always remember this advice I was once given – “Man is bound by the sacraments in his relationship to God; God however is not bound by the sacraments in His relationship with man.” I think this was quoted from one of the saints (doctors?) of the Church. It basically means that God is all-soverign; while He instituted the sacraments as our “ordinary” means of asking for, and receiving, His graces, God Himself does not “need” the sacraments to bestow grace on a soul.

Hence, the Church will never state outright and “officially” that any soul is in hell–God is not bound by the sacraments, and we have no way of knowing the true state of another’s soul in relation to him.

Can souls be saved without confession? Yes, we have to admit that it is definitely possible. How “likely” this is to happen is something none of us can know, and it certainly isn’t anything we want to test…!!

I pray every day for, first of all, the grace to NOT sin, and secondly, for the grace to immedately reach out to my Father when I have fallen and to be sorrowful for my sins out of love for Him–namely, the grace to have perfect contrition. I don’t know that I’ve ever actually had perfect contrition, but that’s no reason to stop asking for it!!

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Man is bound by the sacraments in his relationship to God; God however is not bound by the sacraments in His relationship with man.

This was said by the Angelic Doctor himself, St. Thomas Aquinas.

 

[Ben_F]

While I do believe fully in the Church’s teaching regarding the need for perfect contrition outside of the confessional, I always remember this advice I was once given – “Man is bound by the sacraments in his relationship to God; God however is not bound by the sacraments in His relationship with man.” I think this was quoted from one of the saints (doctors?) of the Church. It basically means that God is all-soverign; while He instituted the sacraments as our “ordinary” means of asking for, and receiving, His graces, God Himself does not “need” the sacraments to bestow grace on a soul.

Hence, the Church will never state outright and “officially” that any soul is in hell–God is not bound by the sacraments, and we have no way of knowing the true state of another’s soul in relation to him.

Can souls be saved without confession? Yes, we have to admit that it is definitely possible. How “likely” this is to happen is something none of us can know, and it certainly isn’t anything we want to test…!!

I pray every day for, first of all, the grace to NOT sin, and secondly, for the grace to immedately reach out to my Father when I have fallen and to be sorrowful for my sins out of love for Him–namely, the grace to have perfect contrition. I don’t know that I’ve ever actually had perfect contrition, but that’s no reason to stop asking for it!!

The last two petitions of the Our Father cover this. God bless:thumbsup: