Forgetting what was said in Absolution

[Tannhauser]

First Question
If you come out of Confession, and have no reason to doubt the validity of the Sacrament, but find you completely forget the Priest intoning the words I absolve you of your sins, what do you do?

Basically, I came out from Confession and found that I completely forgot (e.g., I could not remember) the Priest intoning the words of absolution. I had no reason to doubt the validity of the Sacrament and I know that he said the full formula, but I couldn’t remember those specific words being spoken.

Second Question

If somebody receives Absolution, and subjectively understands the Sacrament to be complete and valid… but if in actual fact the Sacrament was invalid (let’s say the Priest said the words incorrectly, but the penitent didn’t realise this) what happens?

Objectively, everything the penitent does is surely still in mortal sin? Yet he or she will understand him or herself to be free from sin?

How do we judge/ understand this situation?

Thank-you

 

[Barbkw]

Do you remember your Priest raising his hand and making the sign of the cross?

P.S. Were you in there so long you went into a diabetic coma

 

[Tannhauser]

Do you remember your Priest raising his hand and making the sign of the cross?

P.S. Were you in there so long you went into a diabetic coma

Yes… Well, I had my head bowed, but I do remember him motioning.

 

[Monte_RCMS]

I have heard this many times. People are so totally focused that they miss out on what the priest said in terms of the specifics of his advice or even the prayer of absolution or even the specifics of the penance.

Do the penance as best you can remember it.

 

[SonCatcher]

In the first case, absolution is not dependent upon the penitent hearing/remembering (although it is certainly comforting).

I don’t know about the second case but would venture to guess that (at least) God would not hold the penitent guilty of accidental violation if, for example, he received Communion while unknowingly in a state of sin. A subsequent valid absolution would cover for any previous invalid one and accidental, unknown sins committed in the meantime.

I do not know what would happen for one who dies in such a state but trust that God would provide a way for true reconciliation.

 

[Barbkw]

If the priest made the motion of the cross, he would also have been saying, “By the powers vested in me, I absolve you from your sins; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

 

[JimG]

You don’t have to remember the words of absolution.

Consider that for hundreds of years the priest spoke those words in Latin, and no one bothered to listen closely or follow along. All those confessions were valid.

 

[Michael_Francis]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)