Invalid Confession

[Devalera0]

Suppose someone were to go to confession and list there sins and tell all their mortal sins, then the priest were to ask them if they were in the habit of commiting a mortal sin which they mentioned and they were to reply that they were not really in the habit , when in fact they were. Would this be a mortal sin and would it invalidate the confession?

 

[Dr.Colossus]

That depends on whether or not the lie was intentional. A person who sins frequently may be under the delusion that they have the power to stop, similar to an alcoholic who claims they can quit drinking whenever they want. If they did not intend to lie, then they have not committed sin and their absolution would be valid. However, an intentional lie during the sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrilege, which is a grave sin. Committing this sin (with full knowledge and consent) would mean that the absolution would not return the penitent to a state of Grace, as this mortal sin was not confessed.

 

[chicago]

This is one of the reasons why you are supposed to confess how frequently you sin. The priest ought to be able to figure out from that whether it is habitual.