Intentional Vagueness when Confessing a Mortal Sin

[Pieman333272]

If you confess to mortal sins, but are intentionally vague, are they still forgiven? Like, for example, if a person were to confess to watching porn, but only say “Lust(ing)” or wanted to confess to robbing a bank, but only said “greed” or “Theft” would they still be forgiven? This is a hypothetical situation, I always outrightly state what my (mortal) sins are when I go to confession, don’t watch porn (in actuality I find it gross and queer, to say the least), and don’t plan on and haven’t robbed any banks, but this has been making me think recently.

 

[mlz]

If you confess to mortal sins, but are intentionally vague, are they still forgiven? Like, for example, if a person were to confess to watching porn, but only say “Lust(ing)” or wanted to confess to robbing a bank, but only said “greed” or “Theft” would they still be forgiven? This is a hypothetical situation, I always outrightly state what my (mortal) sins are when I go to confession, don’t watch porn (in actuality I find it gross and queer, to say the least), and don’t plan on and haven’t robbed any banks, but this has been making me think recently.

I’m not Catholic but considering becoming Catholic so I’m not sure how helpful I could be… Still I listened to a wonderful priest on a tape about Confession and he was quite clear about being very honest and open about everything and never withholding anything or it might not be valid. He said a good confessor will probe if need be. God sees the heart so who are we trying to fool…! If you know you’re witholding and understand this, you probably aren’t having a good confession and might possibly make it unvalid. If I were Catholic I’d not want to take any chances. Why wouldn’t you want to be made as clean as can be and avail yourself to more graces? Just my opinion and thoughts…
mlz

 

[notredame_999]

I’ve had the same questions. For example does a man actually have to use the word masturbation, or can he say sins of the flesh/impurity?

 

[Bookcat]

If you confess to mortal sins, but are intentionally vague, are they still forgiven? Like, for example, if a person were to confess to watching porn, but only say “Lust(ing)” or wanted to confess to robbing a bank, but only said “greed” or “Theft” would they still be forgiven? This is a hypothetical situation, I always outrightly state what my (mortal) sins are when I go to confession, don’t watch porn (in actuality I find it gross and queer, to say the least), and don’t plan on and haven’t robbed any banks, but this has been making me think recently.

One needs to give number and kind for mortal sins…(and circumsances that are necessary like “it was my brother I killed”).

One needs to be more specific that what you give examples of…
one needs to get to the “species” see Jimmy below…

though some things are understood even when one uses a kind of “easier way to say it”…but one does need to be more specific than you give as examples.

This will help in understanding: jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/03/specific_confes.html

He is the chief apologist at Catholic Answers.

 

[Bookcat]

I’ve had the same questions. For example does a man actually have to use the word masturbation, or can he say sins of the flesh/impurity?

The priest would need to know what kind of “sins of impurity”…There can be other ways of saying it…but look he has heard that word before…no worries.

 

[Pieman333272]

One needs to give number and kind for mortal sins…(and circumsances that are necessary like “it was my brother I killed”).

One needs to be more specific that what you give examples of…
one needs to get to the “species” see Jimmy below…

though some things are understood even when one uses a kind of “easier way to say it”…but one does need to be more specific than you give as examples.

This will help in understanding: jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/03/specific_confes.html

He is the chief apologist at Catholic Answers.

I see. I recall when I confessed to masturbation, which is the worst sin I needed to confess at the time, I didn’t say the amount of times. I’ll have to remember that, even though I no longer masturbate. But I can understand why one would need to be more specific.

 

[Bookcat]

I see. I recall when I confessed to masturbation, which is the worst sin I needed to confess at the time, I didn’t say the amount of times. I’ll have to remember that, even though I no longer masturbate. But I can understand why one would need to be more specific.

Yes…one is obliged to confess in number and kind all mortal sins …and if one forgot the number or otherwise did not realize one needed to confess that way…one is obliged to confess them in the next confession after they remember (say it was …from the past that you forgot to say)…

 

[mlz]

Just my thoughts about saying the number of times…to me it just shows how you are very much aware of sin. It indicates your spiritual awareness.
mlz

 

[ccpoisonivy]

I am a little confused. I was told by my first priest that I could confess the type of sin, such as Lust, as long as I had the complete sin in my heart as God sees everything that is in my heart. There is a difference between Lust, sins of the flesh, and adultry though. I was told, by a priest, that listing the correct general type and occurance of sin is important, but details can remain between me and God. I know I pointed it out twice, but I was given this information by a priest when I let him know I was concerned with giving specific details of my sins to someone I had known for many years.

So I can say “I confess to lust yesterday” instead of saying “I watched my neighbor mow the lawn in tiny shorts and shirtless for ten minutes yesterday, just to watch him”. (Not that that has happened, but it’s a simple enough example).

Is this incorrect? And if so, does anyone have any Church documentation to prove it?

 

[Bookcat]

I am a little confused. I was told by my first priest that I could confess the type of sin, such as Lust, as long as I had the complete sin in my heart as God sees everything that is in my heart. There is a difference between Lust, sins of the flesh, and adultry though. I was told, by a priest, that listing the correct general type and occurance of sin is important, but details can remain between me and God. I know I pointed it out twice, but I was given this information by a priest when I let him know I was concerned with giving specific details of my sins to someone I had known for many years.

So I can say “I confess to lust yesterday” instead of saying “I watched my neighbor mow the lawn in tiny shorts and shirtless for ten minutes yesterday, just to watch him”. (Not that that has happened, but it’s a simple enough example).

Is this incorrect? And if so, does anyone have any Church documentation to prove it?

This will help. jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/03/specific_confes.html It is from JImmy Akin the senior apologist at Catholic Answers

One would need to get into not just the general catagory…like “lust” but the species …like “adultery”. (this is only needed for mortal sins)

One is obliged to confess mortal sins (Mortal and grave sins…same thing) in number and kind.

Canon Law:

Can. 988 §1. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience.

So yes if you looked lustfully …at the person mowing (some single guy lets say)…I mean lustfully … (some readers may need to read this: jimmyakin.org/2009/01/appreciating-beauty-vs-concupiscence.html…not from your example per se but just in general) …and this was done with full knowledge and compete consent…well you would need to say:

I would think one should add more…just a bit.

I looked lustfully at a man (you will have said at the beginning of the confession if you were married or not) 2 times. And if you had lustful thoughts too one would say that too (lust can simply be seeking to arouse oneself without actual thoughts)

But yes unnecessary details are left out. Only those that are needed to say the kind of sin or if they change the nature of the sin like…makes it worse etc…one murdered 1x and it was ones brother…that last part needs to be mentioned.

Or if one looked at pornography…one mentions that by name and the number of times.

One needs to get to the species…(read Jimmy). And for any mortal sins…from the past…do what you can to confess them the next confession (if we omit via error or forgetting mortal sins…we are obliged still to mention them…in the next confession)

(those who have a difficulty with scruples though …can want to reconfess lots of things or go back all the time and examine themselves…they need to talk with their confessor for they can be an exception)

 

[Bookcat]

I accuse myself of:

looking lustfully a woman 2 x
Murder 4 x one was my brother.
Theft of a expensive crucifix from Church 1x
lying under oath in court 4 x
missed Sunday Mass 1x
Missed the Holy Day 1x
engaged in satanic ritual worship 3x
watched pornography 2x
stole 100,000 1x (would have to give it back in some way)
Blasphemed God 4 x
Worshiped an idol 2x and it was with great malice towards God
committed adultery 2x

oh and I was over ate somewhat… (venial usually)

Ok…now that would be a BAD week. And is not one of my confessions by the way

There may be a bit more detail needed in some of them…and depending on what actually was done…sometime some other details are needed too …

but many details are not needed for confession…

 

[puzzleannie]

If you confess to mortal sins, but are intentionally vague, are they still forgiven? .

if by “intentional” you mean with intent to lie about, deny or otherwise failing to confess the sin, no you would not be forgiven, the sacrament would be invalid as well as sacrilegious. Just give the noun and the verb of the actual sin. If the priest needs adjectives and adverbs he will ask for them.

 

[Bookcat]

I accuse myself of:

looking lustfully a woman 2 x
Murder 4 x one was my brother.
Theft of a expensive crucifix from Church 1x
lying under oath in court 4 x
missed Sunday Mass 1x
Missed the Holy Day 1x
engaged in satanic ritual worship 3x
watched pornography 2x
stole 100,000 1x (would have to give it back in some way)
Blasphemed God 4 x
Worshiped an idol 2x and it was with great malice towards God
committed adultery 2x

oh and I was over ate somewhat… (venial usually)

Ok…now that would be a BAD week. And is not one of my confessions by the way

There may be a bit more detail needed in some of them…and depending on what actually was done…sometime some other details are needed too …

but many details are not needed for confession…

oh the crucifix too would need to be returned in some way… and some of the other things would need other forms of “fixing”…porn destroyed etc…

 

[ccpoisonivy]

Wow, that would be a bad week!

Thanks for clearing it up. That is basically what my priest said, that I do not have to go into the down and dirty details and if a priest asks for too much information then I do not have to answer. I can reply that I don’t feel comfortable and ask God to look into my heart at my actions and forgive me. That is a “red flag” of sorts. For example, asking number of times, man or woman, etc would be ok to help with penance, but asking me to describe word for word exactly what I was thinking when I was “lusting after the neighbor” would be wrong as I had already confessed to impure thoughts and those types of details are not needed.

I was very uncomfortable with the thought of describing to another person the sins I have committed and had lengthly discussions about this with my priest.

 

[Bookcat]

Wow, that would be a bad week!

Thanks for clearing it up. That is basically what my priest said, that I do not have to go into the down and dirty details and if a priest asks for too much information then I do not have to answer. I can reply that I don’t feel comfortable and ask God to look into my heart at my actions and forgive me. That is a “red flag” of sorts. For example, asking number of times, man or woman, etc would be ok to help with penance, but asking me to describe word for word exactly what I was thinking when I was “lusting after the neighbor” would be wrong as I had already confessed to impure thoughts and those types of details are not needed.

I was very uncomfortable with the thought of describing to another person the sins I have committed and had lengthly discussions about this with my priest.

Not only to help with penance…but number of times and some other things are “required” (for mortal sins)…and sometimes a Priest may need to still ask more to understand what one means…such is needful. But yes…other details are not needed…and can be not good for all involved. Yes no need for “step by step descriptions…” in fact mostly such detail would not be good. “I looked lustfully at a guy who is a neighbor and had impure thoughts 2 x” (and if you are married…you need to mention that at the beginning…where we mention our state in life)