HELP Question

[luvthelight]

I am afraid that before Christmas Eve of this year I had not been to confession in some time. However, I suddenly felt a very strong desire to go, and I felt I needed to before Christmas so I could celebrate the Lord’s birth with true inner peace. However, there was one grave sin I needed to confess. When doing so, I’m afraid I got very upset, and during the sacrament I only managed to utter my grave sin and the “other bad things” and the priest, whom I know personally, continued with the prayers, granting me absolution. Am I forgiven for the other things I did not say? HELP!

 

[Scott_Waddell]

Yes, you are forgiven them, as you did not deliberately try to conceal sins. I believe you may mention them at your next confession.

Scott

 

[Mysty101]

luvthelight:

I am afraid that before Christmas Eve of this year I had not been to confession in some time. However, I suddenly felt a very strong desire to go, and I felt I needed to before Christmas so I could celebrate the Lord’s birth with true inner peace. However, there was one grave sin I needed to confess. When doing so, I’m afraid I got very upset, and during the sacrament I only managed to utter my grave sin and the “other bad things” and the priest, whom I know personally, continued with the prayers, granting me absolution. Am I forgiven for the other things I did not say? HELP!

It is always best to discuss matters of reconciliation with a priest–preferably a regular confessor.

Sin is a very personal matter, and not only in that it is private also since there are three elements Grave matter, sufficient reflection and full consent, a situation which is seriously sinful for one person may be venial or not at all for another.

You are the only one who knows for sure, if you made a sincere confession—if you did not intentionally withhold a SERIOUS sin (venial sins can be mentioned, but they are not serious matter which would affect absolution). Honestly forgetting something in a situation such as you describe would not affect absolution.

 

[Sir_Knight]

If you did not intentional not confess those sins, then ALL of your sins as they stand in the eyes of God were forgiven during confession. If you intentionally not mention them, then you have committed an invalid confession and none of your sins were forgiven.

Based upon what you said, I would suspect that all of your sins were forgiven but I obviously can say with complete certainity because I can not see into your mind and your heart (nor would I want to as that is reserved for God alone).