Invalid confession

[TwoNames]

Hello all.

I’ve read many '‘invalid confession’ types of threads, but I still think mine had a factor that was not yet discussed and I think it might have rendered my confession invalid. I’m struggling with impurity and I fell again. But while all this thing was going on. I was looking at the time if I still had the time to make it to Church and go to confession. I feel so ashamed. I raced to Church, missed a few minutes of the Holy Mass and went to confessional. I prayed the whole way to Church for the right contrition.

So when I entered the confessional, I told all my sins, and number for the mortal sin, which was 1.

During my confession the Eucharistic prayer of consecration began and the priest paused me. While the consecration was taking place, I tried to concentrate on what was hapening on the altar.

Then we continued and it was an act of contrition time. I THINK I felt sorrow, but for the reason of being in a mortal sin. He gave me an absolution.

I asked him, if I can receive the Holy Communion, since I did not get to mass in time. He said yes. So I did. And before I genuflected before receiving the Eucharist. I started feeling that I should not be there.

That my confession was invalid, because it was so soon after my fall. That my contrition wasn’t a real contrition. But I received the Eucharist. And since then I feel terrible.

What if I didn’t really feel contrition? I feel terrible because I feel like I tried to cheat God Himself by ‘planing’ my confession while commiting the sin. I am definetly going to mention that next time at confession, but I am afraid that I am still in a state of mortal sin. I definetly got a harsh penance (not so much by the priest, but directly from God), because I feel terrible for being such a corrupt person that takes an advantage of God’s mercy like that.

God bless you all.

 

[porthos11]

Hello all.

I’ve read many '‘invalid confession’ types of threads, but I still think mine had a factor that was not yet discussed and I think it might have rendered my confession invalid. I’m struggling with impurity and I fell again. But while all this thing was going on. I was looking at the time if I still had the time to make it to Church and go to confession. I feel so ashamed. I raced to Church, missed a few minutes of the Holy Mass and went to confessional. I prayed the whole way to Church for the right contrition.

So when I entered the confessional, I told all my sins, and number for the mortal sin, which was 1.

During my confession the Eucharistic prayer of consecration began and the priest paused me. While the consecration was taking place, I tried to concentrate on what was hapening on the altar.

Then we continued and it was an act of contrition time. I THINK I felt sorrow, but for the reason of being in a mortal sin. He gave me an absolution.

I asked him, if I can receive the Holy Communion, since I did not get to mass in time. He said yes. So I did. And before I genuflected before receiving the Eucharist. I started feeling that I should not be there.

That my confession was invalid, because it was so soon after my fall. That my contrition wasn’t a real contrition. But I received the Eucharist. And since then I feel terrible.

What if I didn’t really feel contrition? I feel terrible because I feel like I tried to cheat God Himself by ‘planing’ my confession while commiting the sin. I am definetly going to mention that next time at confession, but I am afraid that I am still in a state of mortal sin. I definetly got a harsh penance (not so much by the priest, but directly from God), because I feel terrible for being such a corrupt person that takes an advantage of God’s mercy like that.

God bless you all.

Contrition is not felt. It is had. As an act of love for God, it is an act of the will, not of the emotions. We will not always FEEL sorry for our sins, even though we are TRULY sorry.

Yes, the planning of the confession while sinning is a dynamic, and if you thought it hasn’t been accounted for, you’re wrong. This kind of mindset is more common that you think, and, while dangerous (because of presumption), is not unforgivable. You may mention this at your next confession as presumption, or, as you said, planning my confession while committing the sin.

Contrition must cover that as well, but again, it’s not necessarily felt. It’s an act of the will. God help us all if our contrition must be felt to be absolved.

Also, there’s nothing wrong with Confession and Communion right after a fall into sin. In fact it is good, because it shows you’re responding to grace. When in mortal sin, run, do not walk to the Confessional.

So it sounds to me that your contrition was sufficient, your absolution is valid, and I am presuming that you had the resolve to avoid this sin and its voluntary near occasion. For one’s peace of mind, you have to trust your confessor. A confessor is not to absolve unless he is certain the person has at least imperfect contrition, and simple, truthful expression of one’s being sorry is sufficient. If he absolved you, trust him. Your absolution is valid.

 

[TwoNames]

Thank you, I’m a little calmer now. Was able to do my penance the right way. I will mention all that was going on at my next confession. And with God’s grace I will get better in my spiritual life.