Firm Purpose of Amendment

[PeteZaHut]

What if I wasn’t sure whether or not I had a firm purpose of amendment at a previous confession?

 

[PhilotheaZ]

As long as you had the desire to change your ways, you’re “good to go.” Even if we think that we will probably fall again at some time, our sincere intention should be to try to avoid the sins we confess.

If you confessed a serious sin with the express plan to go and do it again, with no intention to try to avoid it, your confession might be invalid.

 

[kentuckyliz]

That prayer in confession where we promise to sin no more needs to be edited: add [yeah, right]

…in my case anyway. I just have a very healthy skepticism of myself. Perhaps y’all are a lot more holy than me.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

That prayer in confession where we promise to sin no more needs to be edited: add [yeah, right]

…in my case anyway. I just have a very healthy skepticism of myself. Perhaps y’all are a lot more holy than me.

We’re all just “work in progress”! It’s a good thing God is patient with us.

 

[LilyM]

That prayer in confession where we promise to sin no more needs to be edited: add [yeah, right]

…in my case anyway. I just have a very healthy skepticism of myself. Perhaps y’all are a lot more holy than me.

Nup - it just needs to say, as it does beforehand, ‘with the help of Your grace’ It’s all about His grace, y’know, which can and does achieve anything and everything …

Being skeptical of yourself is one thing, but in this case you’re skeptical of much more than yourself. It’s incredibly unhealthy to doubt God even for an instant. He turned St Paul and St Augustine away from their many and serious sins and make saints of 'em - He can and will do the same for you - if you ask sincerely and persistently, and wait with patience.

 

[porthos11]

Nup - it just needs to say, as it does beforehand, ‘with the help of Your grace’ It’s all about His grace, y’know, which can and does achieve anything and everything …

Being skeptical of yourself is one thing, but in this case you’re skeptical of much more than yourself. It’s incredibly unhealthy to doubt God even for an instant. He turned St Paul and St Augustine away from their many and serious sins and make saints of 'em - He can and will do the same for you - if you ask sincerely and persistently, and wait with patience.

And in the case of St. Augustine, it took 40 long years and many tears from his mother before his conversion.

there’s hope for all of us.

 

[puzzleannie]

What if I wasn’t sure whether or not I had a firm purpose of amendment at a previous confession?

did you make sincere act of contrition? do you intend to do your best to avoid sin in the future? unless you are absolutely determined to keep sinning you have made a valid confession and have expressed the purpose of amendment.

Most of your posts are obsessing about details related to this sacrament. You are doing yourself no spiritual good, and a lot of potential harm, by raising these issues here. If you have a tendency to scrupulosity, which obsession of whether or not “my confession is valid” can be one great sign, you must for your own welfare cease and desist discussing your confession with third parties, here or anywhere else. Find one trusted priest and confess to him, only as often as he recommends, follow his advice, do not question, do not do additional devotions he does not okay, and do not monday-morning quarterback your confessions.

nobody here, including me, is your confessor, so don’t come here with your confessions, go where you belong.