I swallow a Birth-Control-Pill today

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Hypothetical:

I’m married and swallow a BCP with the intent of preventing any pregnancy that may otherwise occur.

I swallow another pill for the next 29 days in a row.

I never actually have marital relations in those 30 days with my husband or anybody else.

On day 31, I go to Confession. How many sins do I confess to the priest?
 
None. You confess to Christ. The priest then absolves you. Wink!
 
One

The sin of deciding what is God’s will instead of submitting to His will deliberately and with an evil intent.

You would specify the general details as you just did at Confession.

Unless I am wrong, then I accept someone else’s better judgement.

In Christ
Scylla
 
Wendy-Kay:

LOL Great Answer !!!

Our pre-Vatican Church though, always wanted numbers. The nuns training us always made sure we mentioned the count.
 
You have to have numbers?

I’m in RCIA and was on BC for two years(no never married, very bad I know) How am I supposed to know how many sins I commited there? I mean, it was definitely a lot.😦

I’m honestly very nervous about confession. Like, what to say and how and such. Then again, I have 20 years of confessing to do.

Not trying to jack the thread or anything. Just confused I guess about the…what has to be done/said.

Very good question BTW OP!
 
The OP said her (hypothetical) intent was to prevent conception, so in that case the intent was the sin…I’m not sure the number matters in that case.

Homewardbound, I can definitely relate to your situation, as I returned to the Church after 20 years, and had to make a 20-year general confession. I had a very kind confessor who urged me just to let the Holy Spirit stir my memory and do the best I could in confession. I met him on a Tuesday to talk, then made an appointment to meet him just prior to confession time on Saturday (so as not to hold up the line). I took a written list with me, but in many cases I just had to say “many times.” If your heart is contrite, the exact number doesn’t matter in that case, we’re not expected to remember everything. Since I go on a regular basis now, I am as specific as possible.
 
franksta said:
Homewardbound, I can definitely relate to your situation, as I returned to the Church after 20 years, and had to make a 20-year general confession. I had a very kind confessor who urged me just to let the Holy Spirit stir my memory and do the best I could in confession. I met him on a Tuesday to talk, then made an appointment to meet him just prior to confession time on Saturday (so as not to hold up the line). I took a written list with me, but in many cases I just had to say “many times.” If your heart is contrite, the exact number doesn’t matter in that case, we’re not expected to remember everything. Since I go on a regular basis now, I am as specific as possible.
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Thank you very much, I’ll remember that. I’m sure I’ll need a list as well. I’m looking forward to when I can go regularly.
 
buffalo: I stated my intent in my original post.

homewardbound: Fret not. Rarely are number discussed anymore. Confession will free you like you’ve never been freed before. May God Bless You.
 
Every blessing to you, homewardbound, and congratulations in advance!

I just realized why the OP sounded funny to me…I was Anglican for several years, and Anglicans use “BCP” as an abbreviation for their liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer. So “swallowing a BCP” is quite a picture for me! :eek:

OK, I’m done hijacking this thread, I promise!
 
AkronPonderer said:
buffalo: I stated my intent in my original post.

homewardbound: Fret not. Rarely are number discussed anymore. Confession will free you like you’ve never been freed before. May God Bless You.
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I know. The intent is the key to whether something is sinful.

The Priest may even ask the question, how many times have you done this to determine the gravity of the sin and the penance. If you confess without the whole truth intentionally then you have another sin as well. It is always best to confess the whole truth as best you can recollect. We would want to be totally honest with God wouldn’t we?
 
buffalo:

Knowing the intent I stated in my original post, how many sins should I Confess?
 
AkronPonderer said:
homewardbound: Fret not. Rarely are number discussed anymore.
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Canon 988: The faithful are bound to confess, in kind and in number, all grave sins committed after baptism, of which after careful examination of conscience they are aware, which have not yet been directly pardoned by the keys of the Church, and which have not been confessed in an individual confession.
 
Mortal sins must be confessed in kind and in number. That may mean we cannot remember everything so perhaps some say they are sorry for all the sins they cannot remember.

BTW, we all should be examining our consciences every day even if we are not going to daily confession.
 
Timidity said:
Canon 988: The faithful are bound to confess, in kind and in number, all grave sins committed after baptism, of which after careful examination of conscience they are aware, which have not yet been directly pardoned by the keys of the Church, and which have not been confessed in an individual confession.
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What if there’s no way to know the exact number? Maybe something like “more then X number of times”? Would that be good enough?
 
OK. 1 sin committed 30 times.

Another hypothetical:

I’m a single virgin and swallow a BCP with the intent of preventing any pregnancy that may otherwise occur.

I swallow another pill for the next 29 days in a row.

I have no relations with a man for these 30 days.

On day 31, I go to Confession. How many sins do I confess to the priest?
 
AkronPonderer said:
Hypothetical:

I’m married and swallow a BCP with the intent of preventing any pregnancy that may otherwise occur.

I swallow another pill for the next 29 days in a row.

I never actually have marital relations in those 30 days with my husband or anybody else.

On day 31, I go to Confession. How many sins do I confess to the priest?
Click to expand...
If it is your intention to continue taking the pill there is no need for you to go to Confession. In order to receive absolution you need to have repented for your sins. in the scenario you give it sounds like you plan on continuing to take the pill.
 
OK. 1 sin committed 30 times.

Another hypothetical:

I’m a single virgin and swallow a BCP with the intent of preventing any pregnancy that may otherwise occur.

I swallow another pill for the next 29 days in a row.

I have no relations with a man during these 30 days.

On day 31, I go to Confession. How many sins do I confess to God through the priest?
 
AkronPonderer said:
OK. 1 sin committed 30 times.

Another hypothetical:

I’m a single virgin and swallow a BCP with the intent of preventing any pregnancy that may otherwise occur.

I swallow another pill for the next 29 days in a row.

I have no relations with a man during these 30 days.

On day 31, I go to Confession. How many sins do I confess to God through the priest?
Click to expand...
Again, intent. Is your intent now to prevent pregnancy from a rape? Or is your boyfriend out of town? I would say see a priest.

Another aspect comes up. The injurious effects the pill has on a woman’s body. So now you are intentionally putting your body at risk.

So now 2 sins committed 30 times each?
 
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