Is my confession valid if I never stated my sins?

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stanncie

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Well, i went to confession today at a local parish where they have frequent confession hours. The priest barely let me talk! He asked me how long ago my last confession was ( 2 months) then he asked when the last time i received the Eucharist ( 2 weeks).

He then asked if I had any big sins, i said not really. He then just asked me if I was sorry for my sins and told me to say the act of contrition. He then proceeded to absolve me. Is this confession valid?

I admit I really didn’t have any mortal sins to confess but I wanted to confess none the less to be ready for Christmas. Is this OK? and if I had committed mortal sins would this have been valid nonetheless
 
stanncie said:
and if I had committed mortal sins would this have been valid nonetheless
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I thought for any sacrament to be valid it has to include valid matter (i.e., sins, i.e., confessed mortal sins if grave matter was at issue).

(Just like, if there’s no bread or wine, there’s no valid Eucharistic celebration.)

The matter of the sacrament in this case is the naming of specific sins.
 
Elizabeth502 said:
I thought for any sacrament to be valid it has to include valid matter (i.e., sins, i.e., confessed mortal sins if grave matter was at issue).

(Just like, if there’s no bread or wine, there’s no valid Eucharistic celebration.)

The matter of the sacrament in this case is the naming of specific sins.
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It sounds good to me, but I don’t think it’s accurate.
I look forward to hearing more responses.
 
Confirming what the previous poster stated, a very knowledgeable, holy priest once said (in the context of a class he was teaching at my parish) that in order for a confession to be valid, at least one real sin (venial or mortal) must be verbally confessed. Otherwise there is no matter for the sacrament. (Of course, all mortal sins must be confessed, but that is not the question here.)

In the case of a devotional confession (for the purpose of receiving the grace of the Sacrament), even the confession of one past sin (already absolved) is sufficient matter.

But I think that if no sin was confessed, there was no sacrament.
 
Further:
The Catholic Encyclopedia states that the matter of the sacrament are the “acts of the pentitent,” enumerated as “contrition, confession [of specific sin], and satisfaction.” That’s derived from Summa Theologica.

Self-editing:
The absolution is the matter, but the acts of the penitent are the proximate matter.

(I had forgotten about categories of matter; sorry about that.)
 
zz912 said:
Well not if you don’t have any mortal sins.
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Right. If you only have venial signs, then good contrition and receiving Communion is sufficient to “wipe your slate clean.”
 
You went to confession intending to repent of your sins and seek forgiveness.

You followed the priest’s lead and, as far as I can tell, did your best to truthfully answer his questions.

I would say this was a valid confession.
 
stanncie said:
Well, i went to confession today at a local parish where they have frequent confession hours. The priest barely let me talk! He asked me how long ago my last confession was ( 2 months) then he asked when the last time i received the Eucharist ( 2 weeks).

He then asked if I had any big sins, i said not really. He then just asked me if I was sorry for my sins and told me to say the act of contrition. He then proceeded to absolve me. Is this confession valid?

I admit I really didn’t have any mortal sins to confess but I wanted to confess none the less to be ready for Christmas. Is this OK? and if I had committed mortal sins would this have been valid nonetheless
Click to expand...
I am sure you know this, but when you go to confession, you usually begin with “Bless me father for I have sinned, it’s been 2 months since my last confession” So, I am wondering why he asked you how long it had been unless of course as soon as you entered the confessional and knelt down he started asking you questions. In spite of this as another poster has indicated, you did your best to answer his questions and make a good confession and as long as he absolved you, I say it was a valid confession. You could always go again to another priest or parish if you are in any doubt. 🙂
 
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