T
TheOne33
Guest
Has anyone here ever dealt with scrupulosity? If so, can you post about how to dealt with it and how you possibly got over it. Thanks.
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F
fred_conty
Guest
I know that a person must seek out a good confessor and stay with that one priest.
I know that that person must do exactly as that good confessor says you should do.
This means no exceptions or doubts about doing exactly what he says. Just do it.
It means that you must have absolute trust in your confessor and the the heart of Jesus.
Whatever he says, Jesus backs that up doublefold. Right or wrong does not enter the picture at this point but only obedience to doing what the confessor directs.
No buts,ifs or ands. Feelings do not have any value in this.
Just remember on judgement day, Jesus will ask you if you followed HIS priest’s instructions. If you can say yes, you pass.
Hope is the virtue that makes us go forward in times of trial. Charity you must give away, but hope you must keep.
I know that that person must do exactly as that good confessor says you should do.
This means no exceptions or doubts about doing exactly what he says. Just do it.
It means that you must have absolute trust in your confessor and the the heart of Jesus.
Whatever he says, Jesus backs that up doublefold. Right or wrong does not enter the picture at this point but only obedience to doing what the confessor directs.
No buts,ifs or ands. Feelings do not have any value in this.
Just remember on judgement day, Jesus will ask you if you followed HIS priest’s instructions. If you can say yes, you pass.
Hope is the virtue that makes us go forward in times of trial. Charity you must give away, but hope you must keep.
B
Bookcat
Guest
Having responded to a number of persons with various degrees of scruples over time – I will note the following:
One must distinguish between a scrupulous conscience (though in a way it is more a “a conscience affected by scruples”) and a delicate conscience.
A ‘delicate conscience’ sees the finer distinctions and seeks very much to avoid even very small sins …and …who can judge normally between mortal and venial sin…when in doubt is able to make judgments overcoming his doubt by prudence or abide by good advice etc
As for scruples…or scrupulosity
A person who struggles with such take venial sin to be mortal…or non-sins to be sins…or are plagued by doubts…seeking an unreasonable kind of certainty…confesses all sorts of unneeded details…experiences unreasonable fears/anxieties about sins…seeing them or fearing them where they need not…is always or often worried about past confessions or how they said a thing in confession…if they fulfilled their penance or did this or that correctly etc etc…often involving what if-ing" in an excessive way.
Scruples can come in many and varied forms and degrees.
The French call it the doubting disease (though it is not a disease) for one has lot of problems knowing one knows…thus with doubt (or more often “apparent doubt”).
Of course there are degrees and it is possible for a person to have generally a delicate conscience or a normal conscience and still have a struggle with scruples in certain areas…or have very transient scruples such at the time of their conversion …or deeper conversion etc.
And a person may go from one to the other…
One combats scruples with a good regular confessor…(via a kind of obedience in all but of course manifest sin – so if the confessor says murder his secretary or use contraception --well then one needs a new confessor!)
by forming ones conscience…(with such as the Catechism etc)
and with the guidance of the confessor – acting against ones scruples…
possibly by him giving some general principles for the person to follow in their case.
Contra scruplos agendum est, et fixo operis pede certandum
(Act contrary to scruples and with a firm foot overcome them) (with the assistance of the confessor/spiritual director)
Overcoming ones scruples…ones fears… with a “firm foot”. Learning to act against them under the guidance of your confessor. Dismiss them. Not argue with them. (ie. ones confessor says…“unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin…go to communion”…and you feel the fear and the doubts and the worries at the time of communion “but perhaps I committed one…?” you tell yourself “I am not certain of any mortal sins and my confessor told me to go” and you act against your fears and go to Communion!) etc
by the Sacraments…prayer…greater simplicity…
Thinking more on the love of God and true life in Christ…
etc
One must distinguish between a scrupulous conscience (though in a way it is more a “a conscience affected by scruples”) and a delicate conscience.
A ‘delicate conscience’ sees the finer distinctions and seeks very much to avoid even very small sins …and …who can judge normally between mortal and venial sin…when in doubt is able to make judgments overcoming his doubt by prudence or abide by good advice etc
As for scruples…or scrupulosity
A person who struggles with such take venial sin to be mortal…or non-sins to be sins…or are plagued by doubts…seeking an unreasonable kind of certainty…confesses all sorts of unneeded details…experiences unreasonable fears/anxieties about sins…seeing them or fearing them where they need not…is always or often worried about past confessions or how they said a thing in confession…if they fulfilled their penance or did this or that correctly etc etc…often involving what if-ing" in an excessive way.
Scruples can come in many and varied forms and degrees.
The French call it the doubting disease (though it is not a disease) for one has lot of problems knowing one knows…thus with doubt (or more often “apparent doubt”).
Of course there are degrees and it is possible for a person to have generally a delicate conscience or a normal conscience and still have a struggle with scruples in certain areas…or have very transient scruples such at the time of their conversion …or deeper conversion etc.
And a person may go from one to the other…
One combats scruples with a good regular confessor…(via a kind of obedience in all but of course manifest sin – so if the confessor says murder his secretary or use contraception --well then one needs a new confessor!)
by forming ones conscience…(with such as the Catechism etc)
and with the guidance of the confessor – acting against ones scruples…
possibly by him giving some general principles for the person to follow in their case.
Contra scruplos agendum est, et fixo operis pede certandum
(Act contrary to scruples and with a firm foot overcome them) (with the assistance of the confessor/spiritual director)
Overcoming ones scruples…ones fears… with a “firm foot”. Learning to act against them under the guidance of your confessor. Dismiss them. Not argue with them. (ie. ones confessor says…“unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin…go to communion”…and you feel the fear and the doubts and the worries at the time of communion “but perhaps I committed one…?” you tell yourself “I am not certain of any mortal sins and my confessor told me to go” and you act against your fears and go to Communion!) etc
by the Sacraments…prayer…greater simplicity…
Thinking more on the love of God and true life in Christ…
etc
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