I forgot if I already confessed it

[GLam8833]

I have been thinking of a situ. where I have
committed a mortal sin 10 years ago, but
CANNOT remember if I have confessed it to
a priest, should I confess it?

 

[Murmurs]

I have been thinking of a situ. where I have
committed a mortal sin 10 years ago, but
CANNOT remember if I have confessed it to
a priest, should I confess it?

If you’ve at any point made a “for these and all those sins I cannot now remember…” sort of thing in the last 10 years then my understanding is a sin you’ve forgotten committing, is forgiven (and if you remember only later, one should confess ‘to make sure’ but it arguably isn’t strictly necessary - and so by the same token, logically, if you have forgotten the confession but either did or fully intend to, it should be similarly treated. So I think please take comfort from that.

That said, it is playing with fire (unfortunate phrase!), and I think there is nothing wrong with the insurance of confessing it anyway - just tell the priest “this is from 10 years ago and in all good conscience I thought I had confessed it but now I am not so sure”.

I think we can be fairly sure that a loving and merciful God isn’t to be too riled by this kind of genuine mistake or confusion, so I wouldn’t worry too much - but yes I would confess it anyway to relieve your own mind, even if you don’t actually need to

God bless you

 

[Ophelia23]

I asked this question recently to my pastor. He recommended I confess it anyway. He said not to allow the burden of the sin I was thinking of to weigh heavily on my heart, and not to allow it to hold me from the Eucharist, but to mention it in my next confession. …But then he sat down and heard my confession, so I didn’t really have to carry it with me.

 

[Jeannie52]

I would tell the priest about this when you go to confession, if he tells you to go ahead and confess your sins then do so.

When this happens to me I will confess the sin or sins as soon as I can get to confession again. I try to go to confession at least once a month but I don’t let 8 weeks go by without going back to confession.

 

[zz912]

If you have been to confession since that time (I would assume you have) then the sin has been forgiven. Just confess the sin at your next regular confession (you don’t need to make a special trip just for this sin).

 

[porthos11]

I have been thinking of a situ. where I have
committed a mortal sin 10 years ago, but
CANNOT remember if I have confessed it to
a priest, should I confess it?

On the assumption that your conscience is normal, mention it during your next confession, and add that you don’t recall if you’ve confessed it before, so you’re just mentioning it.

Then follow whatever advice Father gives you.

Assuming there is no fresh mortal sin on your soul since your last confession, there is no need to go out of your way to confess this. Just mention it whenever you get to your next confession. And you are free to receive Communion.