Hypothetical Scenario for Mortal Sin

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Benjinho

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Let’s say I’m a new Roman Catholic, I go to Confessions before Sunday Mass with every intention of confessing mortal sin but the line is long and the pastor has to get to running the mass before I confess my sins, and then I don’t get communion because I’m not in a state of grace. I plan on going earlier for Confession the next week, but on my way home I die in a car accident.
Is my soul doomed to Hell?
 
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Benjinho said:
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Could be. If you have perfect contrition for sin, then say your confession immediately to God as soon as you are repentant and have the disposition to avoid the near and voluntary occasions of sin, with the plan to go to individual confession as soon as possible.
 
You are only required to confess mortal sins once a year. The Catechism doesn’t say we have to go to Confession immediately. Obviously you should. And you should never take Communion in a state of mortal sin. But if the person went to hell in the situation you described then the Catechism should say we have to confess mortal sins IMMEDIATELY after committing them. It doesn’t though. It says at a minimum they have to be confessed once a year durning Easter. So if a person is sorry and intends to go to Confession and turn away from their sin God forgives them. He loves us.
 
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IMO, it is reasonable to trust that God would grant a repentant person who simply couldn’t get to confession the grace for perfect contrition before death.

Not an excuse to put off confession, of course.
 
It would seem that has to be the case. Or the Catechism shouldnt say mortal sins have to be confessed at least once a year at minimum.
 
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We are still granted absolution solely through confession with a priest though, correct?
 
Then the Catechism should say that mortal sins have to be confessed immediately after you commit them. It doesn’t. It says at least once a year.

Saint Faustina said at death God gives everyone a last chance to choose him or not. I’m all for frequent Confession. But in the hypothetical situation above hell makes no sense for the person. And if that is how God operates then the Catechism should say you need to call a Priest and schedule Confession immediately after committing a mortal sin. Instead of saying once a year at minimum for mortal sins is permissible.
 
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Also to go to hell you have to persist in mortal sin without repenting. And have no lessened culpability or any other factors.
 
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There is a very strong possibility that the supposed sinner did not actually commit a mortal sin. If he did, I believe our Lord would show great mercy for one who wanted absolution.
Jesus made it clear that the Pharisees got it wrong with their unbending enforcement of Jewish law. We should not think God’s mercy will be restricted by our human understanding!
 
I think asking this question here is pointless. Who goes to hell and who does not is according to the judgement of God.
 
Not necessarily. God will take into account your attempt to go to Confession.

When one finds one has committed grave sin, one should make an Act of Perfect Contrition and have a firm intention to confess as soon as possible.
 
Phatmass1 said:
You are only required to confess mortal sins once a year. The Catechism doesn’t say we have to go to Confession immediately.
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Not correct.
When we commit mortal sin, we need to make that right with God right away.
We can’t recieve communion in the meantime, either.
 
This is correct.
Mortal sins need to be confessed as soon as possible.
You can’t recieve the Eucharist with an unconfessed mortal sin on your soul.
 
0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
Not correct.
When we commit mortal sin, we need to make that right with God right away.
We can’t recieve communion in the meantime, either.
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We’re only required to take Communion once a year. Same with confessing grave/mortal sins. Should it be done way more? Yes. I agree grave/mortal sins should be confessed to a Priest immediately. My response was due to the fact a poster immediately implied that a person could probably end up in hell becuase they were to far back in line to make Confession and got in a car wreck on the way home. That’s not how it works. God loves us. Furthermore if thats how it truely worked the Catechism WOULDN’T say mortal sins have to be confessed at least once a year. It would say you have to find a Priest immediately after and really hope you don’t get in a car wreck on the way there. Because if you do you’re going to hell for all of eternity.
 
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The requirement is to confess mortal sins at least once a year. If a person has no mortal sins on their conscience they are not required to go to Confession once a year. And again I think frequent Confession should be the goal. Esspecially when falling into grave sin. But God is not out to get people. He forgives those who are sorry and attempt to do better and love him.
 
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When people say they don’t like religion this is what they are talking about. They are talking about religious folks who would infer a person genuinely trying to get to Confession and dies in a car wreck before making it would go to hell. On top of that they try to act as if the Church/Religion teaches this. But if you read the Catechism its clear it doesn’t. False teachers push people away from the Catholic Church while also hardening the same people’s hearts of being receptive to the full truth.
 
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I’m disturbed by the legalistic approach some of the people in this thread are taking.

The bottom line is, the person was repentant of their sin, they made a sincere effort to confess, and were prevented through circumstances beyond their control.
God is not going to send somebody who is truly sorry off to hell just because they didn’t make it to the head of the confession line before the priest cut the line off. At the very least God would personally hear that individual’s confession.

God doesn’t play gotcha with people and he knows what is in people’s hearts. Intent and effort counts for a lot.
 
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PatK63 said:
There is a very strong possibility that the supposed sinner did not actually commit a mortal sin. If he did, I believe our Lord would show great mercy for one who wanted absolution.
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This is also a good point. The person trying to go to Confession may have committed a grave matter sin. But if he is repentant and anxious to confess, is it truly mortal? A mortal sin severs the relationship with God. If you are truly sorry and standing in the confession line, you clearly still have some thread of a relationship with God. You’re like the prodigal son who God can see at a distance, coming down the road towards him. Would not God run to meet you if necessary?
 
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