I forgot to mention a sin at confession

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brshooter

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I had my first confession last Tuesday with the other candidates in our RCIA group. Being 47, I had quite a list that I had put together during my examination of conscience. I didn’t take a list in with me as I really wanted it to be a heartfelt confession and not sound like reading a laundry list.
I thought everything went well and felt great afterwards. I still do. I came across my list and realized that I missed a couple of items. Nothing was willfully withheld; I think that in the flow of that first confession, some things were omitted. I was so nervous. Believe me, if I was able to talk about pornography and sterilization, that wrench I stole when I was a teenager would have been easy if I had remembered it.
Our parish is having a penance service tomorrow night with extra Priests on hand for individual confessions. Someone told me I didn’t need to go, that my sins were forgiven last week, but somehow I feel I need to go. I am being welcomed into the Church over the Easter Vigil and really want to have my mind free of this. This is probably the last opportunity prior to Easter to do this. I just want to make sure I am doing the right thing.
 
Why is everyone so down on laundry lists? 🙂 We are to confess every mortal sin in kind and number. It’s important to remember that contrition does not depend on feeling sorry, but rather the acknowledgement that it is wrong and the resolve not to do it again. (We’d all be in a lot of trouble if it depended on getting our emotion meter up to the red.

Anyway, you are covered and those sins forgotten are forgiven. You can mention it at next regular confession. Be aware to watch out for scrupulosity: mission.liguori.org/newsletters/scrupulosity.htm

And on a note not related to this thread, but rather to some justice from the moderators:
Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead. 😃
 
brshooter said:
I didn’t take a list in with me as I really wanted it to be a heartfelt confession and not sound like reading a laundry list. … I came across my list and realized that I missed a couple of items. Nothing was willfully withheld; I think that in the flow of that first confession, some things were omitted. I was so nervous. Believe me, if I was able to talk about pornography and sterilization, that wrench I stole when I was a teenager would have been easy if I had remembered it.
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I had a list with me when I went to confession last night, but I didn’t bring it into the confessional, and forgot I had spoken ill (“gossiped”) about a co-worker. I didn’t withhold it, I just forgot it. I also confessed to a sin from about 6 years ago (a theft). I’ve been to confession several times since that theft, and just never thought to bring it up.

The priest told me that because I had made good confessions and never intentionally withheld that sin, it had already been forgiven. It was nice to know I’d been carrying around a burden that wasn’t mine anymore.
 
Thanks for the link. Scrupulosity is something I could be prone to. Just my personallity type. I will aim to keep that in check. This journey has been a constant learning experience.
 
In the Act of Contrition, there is the phrase about being sorry “for these and ALL MY SINS” after which you receive absolution. When I went for my first confession, I was halfway home when I remembered something else~ just like Father said would probably happen. :o Father explained to me that “all my sins” covers those that we might forget specifically in the confessional. When I went for my second confession, I mentioned that I had something which I remembered after my other confession and Father asked, “And did you remember to THANK GOD that it was already forgiven?” I said, “Yes but I still feel like I should mention it now.” He let me confess, but it was pretty clear it wasn’t necessary.

Go in peace. 🙂
 
This happened to me. It drove me crazy, so I went to Confession yesterday, and I’m better. I suggest the same for you … just for your own sake, even though, yes, you are already forgiven, it probably will make you more at peace once you receive the Eucharist for the first time.

Also, in my case, I want to make a habit of monthly confessions and it was my one month anniversary 🙂 so, that’s what I did.

God bless!
 
The sins we have forgotten are forgiven but we should confess them at the next available opportunity.
 
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