Is mentioning one or two sins at a Commnal Penance service enough?

[Joe_Fox]

Hello,

I attend the local Lenten Reconciliation Service every year. …and I’m going again tomorrow evening.

During the Service we are invited to give a ‘brief’ private confession if we want at the same time, though many don’t. I think maybe once or twice I never did either.

My question is simply this.

Would attending and receiving absolution at a Reconciliation Service (where you are not obliged to confess your sins to another person or priest) be equal to that received at private confession (where your are obliged to confess your sins to a priest).

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

All Catholics are obliged to confess all mortal sins committed since the last Confession. ( Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1456) This holds for Communal Penance services as will as private Confessions. The only exception to this would be a case of immanent danger when general absolution is given because of the lack of time for individual Confessions. But such people are still obliged to mention those sins the next time they go to Confession as an expression of their sorrow.

No priest has the authority to change this.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.