How in-depth for confession?

[PiousTemplar]

How in-depth do you get? I was thinking today after I read Michelle Arnold say that the priest must know exactly what happened. I will try think of some examples to use, please correct on how indepth they are supposed to be.

You said: I had sexual experiences with another person
What happened: You had sexual experiences with another of the same sex

You said: I physically hurt someone
What happened: You bashed them so much they had to go to hospital

You said: I watched pornography
What happened: You watched child pornography

You said: I was uncharitable
What happened: You bullied somone for 6 months

You said: You thought sexual thoughts
What happened: You thought sexual thoughts about your pet rotfl: sorry having trouble thinking of more)
You said: You broke someones property
What happened: You bashed someone’s car up so badly that it couldn’t be repaired

Sorry if some are disgusting, I can’t think of any others!

God Bless,

PiousTemplar

 

[TeenageConvert]

How in-depth do you get? I was thinking today after I read Michelle Arnold say that the priest must know exactly what happened. I will try think of some examples to use, please correct on how indepth they are supposed to be.

You said: I had sexual experiences with another person
What happened: You had sexual experiences with another of the same sex

You said: I physically hurt someone
What happened: You bashed them so much they had to go to hospital

You said: I watched pornography
What happened: You watched child pornography

You said: I was uncharitable
What happened: You bullied somone for 6 months

You said: You thought sexual thoughts
What happened: You thought sexual thoughts about your pet rotfl: sorry having trouble thinking of more)
You said: You broke someones property
What happened: You bashed someone’s car up so badly that it couldn’t be repaired

Sorry if some are disgusting, I can’t think of any others!

God Bless,

PiousTemplar

I think with some things you need to be specific, like sexual thoughts about your pet…the priest would need to know that it wasn’t just about a girl you saw.
But like you had sexual expiriences would be good enough, I don’t think you would have to add it was with the same sex.

 

[Cider]

Yes, the priest needs to know if you had sexual experiences with someone else, if you are married IE adultery or single IE fornication or if they were same sex IE practiced homosexuality, or by yourself IE masturbation. Just the same way you need to relay how often, although once, a few times or many times or countless times could be used instead of the exact number.

 

[I_Thirst]

But like you had sexual expiriences would be good enough, I don’t think you would have to add it was with the same sex.

Yes, you do. You must confess that you had homosexual sex, not just sexual experiences. Fornication is a sin, and homosexual acts are also sinful. If you don’t confess the homosexual aspect of it, you haven’t fully confessed your sins.

Check the Cathechism …

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

 

[TeenageConvert]

Yes, you do. You must confess that you had homosexual sex, not just sexual experiences. Fornication is a sin, and homosexual acts are also sinful. If you don’t confess the homosexual aspect of it, you haven’t fully confessed your sins.

Check the Cathechism …

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

Well then I guess I stand corrected. Sorry for my ignorance everyone!

 

[PiousTemplar]

Sorry if this post was sort of disgusting everyone, I just couldn’t think of any examples that I could use!

 

[PbloPicasso]

God bless Michelle Arnold. She has a wonderful ministry here on CAF. However, she is not always spot on. The truth is that one must confess their sins. How in depth they confess the specifics depends on whether the priest asks for more information. They are determining whether a sin is mortal or venial and for information that may help them minister to you. Please don’t spill your guts to the point of giving them a propoganda speach or pornographic recitation of events. All you really have to do is for example say:

1st commandment - once

4th commandment - 2 times

etc.

If the priest asks you to specify, then do so, but don’t if he asks you do a “shopping list” style confession. He may be in a hurry to get somewhere important - hospital. These types of confessions that Michelle Arnold is talking about is more of a therapeutic confession, which is great if time permits. But it is not necessary to get that specific. Sure there are some points one might want to state lie “i performed a homosexual act” or self-impurity, or else. But you don’t have to stop and haggle over it. keep on going until you are complete. This protects you and the priest. Sometimes I believe that the old style confessions work best because one can concentrate better and make us realize we are confessing our sins before the Father in Heaven, through the Priest who is acting in the person of Christ by his ordination.

Please do not be offended. So many people get these ideas that certain methods are appropriate when in fact there is no canonical or rubric grounds for it. It’s great if you can specify, but keep it brief.

 

[dailey]

I went to confession a while back and was basically telling my priest all the details (as I know we are suppose to be specific) and he actually stopped me. He told me I did not need to go any further. Maybe sometimes you can be too specific, lol!

 

[AndyF]

The more detailed and brief the better. The difference *is *in the context. FI: Fondling an adult and a minor carry different weights of seriousness and the priest’s (name removed by moderator)ut would be more relevant, and that is absolutely what you want to hear. Besides, it humbles one even more by divulging all has any remnant of pride has no where to hide.

Andy

 

[PbloPicasso]

The more detailed and brief the better. The difference *is *in the context. FI: Fondling an adult and a minor carry different weights of seriousness and the priest’s (name removed by moderator)ut would be more relevant, and that is absolutely what you want to hear. Besides, it humbles one even more by divulging all has any remnant of pride has no where to hide.

Andy

This is what I mean. The brevity is important but categorize.

 

[PiousTemplar]

The more detailed and brief the better. The difference *is *in the context. FI: Fondling an adult and a minor carry different weights of seriousness and the priest’s (name removed by moderator)ut would be more relevant, and that is absolutely what you want to hear. Besides, it humbles one even more by divulging all has any remnant of pride has no where to hide.

Andy

Would you be able to take each example sin I listed and write what would be the most appropriate depth? I still have trouble understanding. Is it more up to the individual person?

 

[I_Thirst]

Would you be able to take each example sin I listed and write what would be the most appropriate depth? I still have trouble understanding. Is it more up to the individual person?

In your original scenarios, use What Happened rather than You Said. Each one is brief and detailed. If the priest requires you to go more into depth or for more details, he will ask.

 

[PiousTemplar]

In your original scenarios, use What Happened rather than You Said. Each one is brief and detailed. If the priest requires you to go more into depth or for more details, he will ask.

Thanks, but please remember! They were made up for examples! I didn’t really commit them!

 

[puzzleannie]

to you and all others who spend endless hours here speculating on what to confess and what words to use, quit playing games with the sacrament as if Jesus does not already know the depths of your heart. You will get no spiritual benefit from the sacrament by such a practice as searching for excuses not to confess, for making up sins where none exists, and for trying to find cutesy words to avoid naming your sin.

Say the common English word for the sin, noun and verb. Use adjectives and adverbs only if necessary. there, was that so hard?

and for the love of heaven if you have difficulties with confession, share them with the priest in confession. There is nothing to be gained and much potential damage in sharing your confession and rehashing it over and over with third parties.

 

[Stavros]

Here’s an Audio Sancto homily that I listen to frequently to get over the jitters of going to the confessional. The relevant point that is made for this discussion is: God already knows what you did. Who cares if the priest knows?

The Sacrament of Penance

 

[Bro_Justin]

You do not have too go into depth for anything UNLESS the confessor tells you do.

It is like going to a doctor, if you do not tell him the designated symptoms, how can he treat you?

It is the same calculated way with confession, you are telling your sins in depth so the priest can advise you of your sins.

You can also go to another priest who does not do this.

Ii have gone to many, many priests and as a rule, they never ask to go into detail.

It is you telling the sins and the priest should not question you .

You are really telling your sins to the Holy Spirit, so what the priest says is doing his job, but in essence,it is the Holy Spirit with you in the confessional.

God is always waiting for a penitent.

God bless you now.

Brother Justin, OP

 

[PiousTemplar]

You do not have too go into depth for anything UNLESS the confessor tells you do.

It is like going to a doctor, if you do not tell him the designated symptoms, how can he treat you?

It is the same calculated way with confession, you are telling your sins in depth so the priest can advise you of your sins.

You can also go to another priest who does not do this.

Ii have gone to many, many priests and as a rule, they never ask to go into detail.

It is you telling the sins and the priest should not question you .

You are really telling your sins to the Holy Spirit, so what the priest says is doing his job, but in essence,it is the Holy Spirit with you in the confessional.

God is always waiting for a penitent.

God bless you now.

Brother Justin, OP

Thanks Br. Justin.

May I ask, would the examples I gave be good enough then? Would you be able to ‘re-phrase’ the examples if they are not in-depth enough, so I get the general idea? Thankyou!

 

[oratorymatt]

I would recommend going into depth if it was pertinent to gravity of the sin, or multiplied the sin, for example if a sexual act outside marriage was homosexual.

 

[Bookcat]

For mortal sins…one is *obliged *to confess in *number and kind *(not just generic kind…but species) (and circumstance that changes the sin…like it was your brother you murdered)

(and if you forget…you are to bring it to the next confession)

Here from Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers…particular pay attention to the first part

jimmyakin.org/2007/03/specific_confes.html

 

[PiousTemplar]

For mortal sins…one is *obliged *to confess in *number and kind *(not just generic kind…but species) (and circumstance that changes the sin…like it was your brother you murdered)

(and if you forget…you are to bring it to the next confession)

Here from Jimmy Akin of Catholic Answers…particular pay attention to the first part

jimmyakin.org/2007/03/specific_confes.html

Thanks alot bookcat. Sorry if I have asked a lot this thread, I just wanted to find out more about confession without getting into itty gritty detail. I have left satisfied.