Is a Number of Sins Required?

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I’m hoping this will be my last thread here for a while , I just need to get the right information, I can’t seem to find it straight anywhere.

What exactly is meant by ‘the number’ of times one has committed a sin?

I know an exact number is not required, but what about an average number per week or so?

Would a confesssion still be valid if one were to say I commited sin X 5 times a day for 7 years or something of the like instead of saying 6738293 times? What if no amount was provided? Would it still be valid?

yes it’s true I am scrupulous, but with the help of God I’ll hopefully deal with it soon.
 
S_V7 said:
I’m hoping this will be my last thread here for a while , I just need to get the right information, I can’t seem to find it straight anywhere.

What exactly is meant by ‘the number’ of times one has committed a sin?

I know an exact number is not required, but what about an average number per week or so?

Would a confesssion still be valid if one were to say I commited sin X 5 times a day for 7 years or something of the like instead of saying 6738293 times? What if no amount was provided? Would it still be valid?

yes it’s true I am scrupulous, but with the help of God I’ll hopefully deal with it soon.
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My confessor usually probes me on the number of times I comitted the sin…so even if I try to omit the detail, I get asked for it.

I guess they need the number to see what the severity of the sin is, or if there are any habitual tendencies, etc. I’m sure if the number gets too high, an approximation or ball-park-figure would be suficient.
 
S_V7 said:
. . .
What exactly is meant by ‘the number’ of times one has committed a sin?

I know an exact number is not required, but what about an average number per week or so?

Would a confesssion still be valid if one were to say I commited sin X 5 times a day for 7 years or something of the like instead of saying 6738293 times? What if no amount was provided? Would it still be valid? . . …
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Yes, according to my former pastor who taught the RCIA. Both with the numer of times and the time since last confession, the priest is just trying to get a sense of your status.

He isn’t checking your math or memory skills. 👍
 
The thing is, I don’t exactly remember counting my sins for many confessions until recently. And when I counted for a general confession I was getting numbers like 109,500. Is it the same to just say something like what I wrote in my previous post or is an estimate (and probably way off) number the only way?

I tried doing the estimate but I just couldn’t get a clear number so I guessed wildly.
 
S_V7 said:
The thing is, I don’t exactly remember counting my sins for many confessions until recently. And when I counted for a general confession I was getting numbers like 109,500. Is it the same to just say something like what I wrote in my previous post or is an estimate (and probably way off) number the only way?

I tried doing the estimate but I just couldn’t get a clear number so I guessed wildly.
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In a general confession my preist didn’t ask for numbers.

I just told him that I want to do a general confession and that “In the past I have…” and list them like that.

Usually it’s only in the specific confessions that the numbers my become relevant.

You could try saying that you did … “fequently” or “regularly” or, for example, “approximately three times a week”? That kind of figures should be plently…if he needs more info, he will definately ask you for more info.
 
I have used the expressions like “every day” “Many times a day” “several times a week” and “at least once a month” for many, many years with many different priests and never received a complaint or request for clarification or to do the math. So, I conclude it is entirely appropriate.

Hope that helps.
 
I thought you were going to talk to your priest about your confession concerns, SV7?:whistle:
 
mommyof4 said:
I thought you were going to talk to your priest about your confession concerns, SV7?:whistle:
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I am, soon I hope. I wanted to wait until I could get my examination of conscience done, but there just seems to be no immediate end. It’s the counting that’s getting me down, and the uncertainty of my sins. I plan on having quite a talk with my priest hopefully by wedensday.

So not mentioning the number of sins doesn’t invalidate a confession?

I’m just all question marks:shrug:
 
S_V7 said:
I am, soon I hope. I wanted to wait until I could get my examination of conscience done, but there just seems to be no immediate end. It’s the counting that’s getting me down, and the uncertainty of my sins. I plan on having quite a talk with my priest hopefully by wedensday.

So not mentioning the number of sins doesn’t invalidate a confession?

I’m just all question marks:shrug:
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Talk to the priest. Get direction from him. And I mean it, young person!🙂
 
I had an adult student for Confirmation who hadn’t been to Confession for about 20 years. The pastor told her not to try to get everything - "Just hit the high points. " that meant especially focus on those you don’t want to talk about. Don’t worry about the details of the small stuff.

Don’t make yourself miserable. This is the happy time. The Father [God] is running out to meet you with the robe and sandals and ring. [Luke 15:11-24]

As others have said: Don’t get hung up on details. Just tell him about how long it has been since your last Confession and let him guide you.

I used to tell my pastor that that is what he gets paid the big bucks for. 😃
 
PennitentMan said:
In a general confession my preist didn’t ask for numbers.

I just told him that I want to do a **general confession **and that “In the past I have…” and list them like that.

Usually it’s only in the **specific confessions **that the numbers my become relevant.

You could try saying that you did … “fequently” or “regularly” or, for example, “approximately three times a week”? That kind of figures should be plently…if he needs more info, he will definately ask you for more info.
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Mhmmm… what’s the difference? You’re required to report kind and number in all confessions, aren’t you?

To the OP, you don’t need an exact number. It could be several times a day, week, w/e. Just get across the message that it has been frequent, sometimes, or in between when you report the sins. Just be sure to be as accurate as possible.
 
S_V7 said:
And when I counted for a general confession I was getting numbers like 109,500.
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My guess is you’ve only been alive about 6,000 days. Whatever this sin is, have you done it 16 times a day since the day you were born? With full knowledge and consent? It’s time to apply that important mathematical principle, the common sense test, here! 😃

Betsy
 
And furthermore, the age of reason, at which you are considered able to commit a mortal sin, is around 7, so subtract 2500 days from the 6000 you’ve been alive, so that leaves you with only 3500 days on which to commit sin.

Betsy
 
S_V7 said:
I am, soon I hope. I wanted to wait until I could get my examination of conscience done, but there just seems to be no immediate end. It’s the counting that’s getting me down, and the uncertainty of my sins. I plan on having quite a talk with my priest hopefully by wedensday.

So not mentioning the number of sins doesn’t invalidate a confession?

I’m just all question marks:shrug:
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Two points.
  1. Priests are not hesitiant to ask for more in confessionif they need to know more.
  2. Number does not require mathematical precision, just an indication of the frequency or general number, e.g., hundreds of times, many times, almost always when I ______, daily, etc.
 
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