How does forgetting sins work?

[Jragzz123]

I thought of a sin today that I committed maybe like seven or plus years ago! I’ve been going to confession once a week for the past 3 years however I’ve never confessed that sin specifically. I’ve confessed the broader category that it falls under but never the specific sin. I’ve had priest tell me that that’s okay or when you forget a sin it’s still absolved when you go. But I also have priest tell me that you need to name the specific sin. I was wondering if this is true and what the church taught on this before Vatican 2.

 

[BarbTh]

I am from pre V2 days and I cannot recall anything different from today re the subject you have raised. I am now 74 years of age and memory however is poor nowadays.

If we have forgotten to confess a serious sin and remember it years later, we are required to confess it at our next Confession and as something we had forgotten to confess in the past. Other than that, one can be guided by the priest and any advice and or questions he might raise.
One does not have to go into details, sufficient is to confess, for example, the sin of adultery or fornication or some other serious sin. The only qualification that needs to be confessed is if some other person was involved not only oneself Then again, details are not required and sufficient to state “one other person was involved:” or similar according to what happened.

If perchance one should die prior to the next Confession, the forgotten sin is forgiven. God knows that we would have confessed it if we had had the opportunity.

 

[Vico]

I thought of a sin today that I committed maybe like seven or plus years ago! I’ve been going to confession once a week for the past 3 years however I’ve never confessed that sin specifically. I’ve confessed the broader category that it falls under but never the specific sin. I’ve had priest tell me that that’s okay or when you forget a sin it’s still absolved when you go. But I also have priest tell me that you need to name the specific sin. I was wondering if this is true and what the church taught on this before Vatican 2.

Council of Trent, Session XIV, Chapter V, 15 November 1551, On Confession.

From the institution of the sacrament of Penance as already explained, the universal Church has always understood, that the entire confession of sins was also instituted by the Lord, and is of divine right necessary for all who have fallen after baptism; because that our Lord Jesus Christ, when about to ascend from earth to heaven, left priests His own vicars, as presidents and judges, unto whom all the mortal crimes, into which the faithful of Christ may have fallen, should be carried, in order that, in accordance with the power of the keys, they may pronounce the sentence of forgiveness or retention of sins. For it is manifest, that priests could not have exercised this judgment without knowledge of the cause; neither indeed could they have observed equity in enjoining punishments, if the said faithful should have declared their sins in general only, and not rather specifically, and one by one. Whence it is gathered that all the mortal sins, of which, after a diligent examination of themselves, they are conscious, must needs be by penitents enumerated in confession, even though those sins be most hidden, and committed only against the two last precepts of the decalogue, – sins which sometimes wound the soul more grievously, and are more dangerous, than those which are committed outwardly. For venial sins, whereby we are not excluded from the grace of God, and into which we fall more frequently, although they be rightly and profitably, and without any presumption declared in confession, as the custom of pious persons demonstrates, yet may they be omitted without guilt, and be expiated by many other remedies.

… for it is certain, that in the Church nothing else is required of penitents, but that, after each has examined himself diligently, and searched all the folds and recesses of his conscience, he confess those sins by which he shall remember that he has mortally offended his Lord and God: whilst the other sins, which do not occur to him after diligent thought, are understood to be included as a whole in that same confession; for which sins we confidently say with the prophet; From my secret sins cleanse me, O Lord. Now, the very difficulty of a confession like this, and the shame of making known one’s sins, might indeed seem a grievous thing, were it not alleviated by the so many and so great advantages and consolations, which are most assuredly bestowed by absolution upon all who worthily approach to this sacrament.

 

[TheMortenBay]

So, your sins are already absolved. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is valid so long as you had no intention of keeping sins hidden. However, when we remember a mortal sin we’ve forgotten previously, we are asked to bring it up at the next confession.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The Church teaching on mentioning sins in confession did not change after Vatican II. It’s been the same before and after Vatican II.

The scenario as you describe it:

1. You committed Sin X at some time in the past
2. You then forgot you committed Sin X
3. You went to confession but didn’t mention Sin X because you honestly forgot about it. You received absolution.
4. Some time later you remembered you committed Sin X and didn’t mention it specifically in confession.

What happened as a result:
5. The absolution in Step 3 above already absolved you of Sin X, because you had honestly forgotten it.

What you should do next:
6. If Sin X was a serious sin (in other words, might have been a mortal sin) then you must mention it at your next confession.
If Sin X was not a serious sin, then you don’t have to mention it at your next confession, but you could do so if it’s bothering you.

 

[Annie]

The reason that we should mention the once-forgotten sin at Confession is that it helps us: we get help heaing and we get additional grace to combat that type of sin.