Generalized Confession

[Ascalon]

Say a person commits a mortal sin multiple times. They realize their sinfulness and go to Confession. When they went to Confession, they said that they did, whatever.

What if that person committed another mortal sin before their Confession, that is almost the same thing, is it necessary for them to say that too?

Secondly, when going to Confession, is it OK too divide sins in two? Let’s say you did two bad things at the same time. Is it necessary to say “I did this and this.” Or is it OK to confess by saying "I did this. And then separately saying “I did this.”

I apologize for the title and my poor English.

 

[bmullins]

You are supposed to confess your mortal sins in kind and number. If you’ve done it twice, you need to confess both times. Not just one of them, or a blanket of I did ‘this’. So yes, you need to confess both instances.

I think if you did two things at the same time, you should elucidate exactly what your confessing to the confessor. If you stole something while lying, you shouldn’t say I stole a car . Then later confess that you lied. Simply say it all at once, I stole a car and then lied about it.

 

[Franksr]

I had not gone to confession, church for many years. Last year I returned to my relgion, went to confession, the priest didn’t ask me to tell him all the sins I committed all those years. I’m on stiil we sin?

 

[Ascalon]

You are supposed to confess your mortal sins in kind and number. If you’ve done it twice, you need to confess both times. Not just one of them, or a blanket of I did ‘this’. So yes, you need to confess both instances.

I think if you did two things at the same time, you should elucidate exactly what your confessing to the confessor. If you stole something while lying, you shouldn’t say I stole a car . Then later confess that you lied. Simply say it all at once, I stole a car and then lied about it.

Uh oh. Does this mean that when I confessed a mortal sin, but did not specify how many times I committed it, I was not absolved of it?

 

[bmullins]

Uh oh. Does this mean that when I confessed a mortal sin, but did not specify how many times I committed it, I was not absolved of it?

What sins do you have to confess?

All your mortal sins.

What kind of sin is it deliberately to omit telling a mortal sin in Confession?

A mortal sin of sacrilege. This is called making a bad Confession.To undo a bad Confession, you have to confess that you made a bad Confession, confess the omitted mortal sin(s), and confess any other mortal sins you have committed since then (including Communions received in the state of mortal sin).

What should you do if you forget to confess a mortal sin?

You must tell it in your next Confession and tell the priest that you forgot it. But the sin is forgiven and you may receive Communion in the meantime.

Check out this document: Lesson 42: The Sacrament of Reconciliation

 

[Bookcat]

Uh oh. Does this mean that when I confessed a mortal sin, but did not specify how many times I committed it, I was not absolved of it?

Is it possible for a person to unknowingly omit (such as they don’t have a clue such is necessary) the number of the mortal sin and still be absolved thinking that they are making a good confession and doing what they are supposed to do? Yes. The such would be like a person who simply forgets a mortal sin but is sorry for all mortal sins and were intending to confess them all. The forgotten mortal sin is absolved “indirectly” along with the rest. But they still need to confess what was honestly omitted in the next confession…(they can say “I did not realize I had to confess this other thing…so I accuse myself of…”)

Is it possible for a person to “hide” or intentionally omit a mortal sin and thus invalidate the confession? Yes. And such can be an additional mortal sin of sacrilege. The person would need then to confess not only all his mortal sins again …but also add the omitted one and the new sin of sacrilege. (not saying this is what you did but I note both aspects).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd …he loves us and is ready to forgive us and give us new life. Let us always run to him in this wonderful Sacrament.

 

[Ecoclimber]

But you have to remember that confession of sin is based on your desire to repent. Repent does not necessarily mean that I’m just sorry although that is an ingredient of repentance. Remember, confessing that we are sorry for our sins because we don’t want to go to hell will not absolve us of mortal sins. We must have the attitude of asking God for forgiveness because our motive is loving and serving God and fell short through our disobedience. The catechism fully states how the attitude of our heart should be when confessing mortal sins.

The first motive is base on ourselves, the second illustration is based on our attitude of offending God.

Otherwise, if we do not have that firm attitude of loving God and not doing anything offensive to Him, we are seriously falling into the heresy of antinomianism or "cheap grace knowing that we can sin up a storm between Monday and Saturday and just go to confession on Saturday to confess our sins only to repeat them the next week figuring out we got the ‘system’ beat and have the best of both worlds.

Love God or love the world but you cannot love both. Not only is the Gate narrow but the Path is narrow as Jesus said and very few find their way. It is a race and as a race it requires sacrifice on our part to die to self and the flesh in order to achieve our prize, the salvation of our souls.

Blessings
%between%

 

[Ascalon]

So… I forgot to mention a mortal sin in Confession. Even if i had remembered it individually, I think then I would have considered it the same kind of thing as the other mortal sin.

My question now is… am I currently in a state of mortal sin? Quick answers would be nice, I have Mass tomorrow.

 

[Bookcat]

So… I forgot to mention a mortal sin in Confession. Even if i had remembered it individually, I think then I would have considered it the same kind of thing as the other mortal sin.

My question now is… am I currently in a state of mortal sin? Quick answers would be nice, I have Mass tomorrow.

One judges according to what actually happened. Forgetting honestly is different than not confessing intentionally.

If you intended to confess and were sorry and amended for all your mortal sins but just forgot to mention it (not hid it etc) …then it was absolved “indirectly” and one could go to Communion. One would need to confess it though in the next confession.

If I committed lust and murder and in the nervousness of confessing the murder I forgot to confess the lust but was sorry and amended for all my mortal sins and was intending to confess whatever mortal sins I had…no worries. I can go to communion. I just need to confess what was forgotten in the next confession.

If on the other hand I confess the lust but hide the murder…such is a bad confession and I may not…but need to go to confession and confess both mortal sins and the hiding of it.

 

[Ascalon]

Alright then, I guess I can receive Communion.

Should I seek out a Confession ASAP?

 

[Bookcat]

Alright then, I guess I can receive Communion.

Should I seek out a Confession ASAP?

An honestly forgotten mortal sin (readers see my post above for detail) does not require one to go sooner to confession again (one need though to confess it in the next confession). But it would prob. be best to do so sooner than later.

 

[thistle]

But you have to remember that confession of sin is based on your desire to repent. Repent does not necessarily mean that I’m just sorry although that is an ingredient of repentance.** Remember, confessing that we are sorry for our sins because we don’t want to go to hell will not absolve us of mortal sins.** We must have the attitude of asking God for forgiveness because our motive is loving and serving God and fell short through our disobedience. The catechism fully states how the attitude of our heart should be when confessing mortal sins.

The first motive is base on ourselves, the second illustration is based on our attitude of offending God.

Otherwise, if we do not have that firm attitude of loving God and not doing anything offensive to Him, we are seriously falling into the heresy of antinomianism or "cheap grace knowing that we can sin up a storm between Monday and Saturday and just go to confession on Saturday to confess our sins only to repeat them the next week figuring out we got the ‘system’ beat and have the best of both worlds.

Love God or love the world but you cannot love both. Not only is the Gate narrow but the Path is narrow as Jesus said and very few find their way. It is a race and as a race it requires sacrifice on our part to die to self and the flesh in order to achieve our prize, the salvation of our souls.

Blessings
%between%

That only applies if you die prior to getting to Confession. That is imperfect contrition.
If you are motivated to go to Confession and repent when the main reason is fear of going to Hell such a Confession is valid and the penitent would be absolved.