Is this considered as something to confess to a priest?

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hfcath

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Hi,

I am wondering if 2 things I have done is something I should confess to a priest?

Yesterday I got a bit frustrated with dogs jumping on to me when I had my work uniform on. I then said out loud “C… sake” (hope it’s ok to write it) and then immediately after felt horrible as I think I may have broken the 3rd commandment by saying our lord’s name in vain. I have always been able to refrain myself from talking like this-yesterday was the first time I’ve come out with it like that. Just before I was going to say it, I felt something inside me telling me not to but it still came out. I went to my church today to pray to God and apologise for saying his name in such a way.

Secondly, I have done something during Lent this year and again 2 years ago. I have accidentally eaten meat during a Friday in Lent. This year it was at work during a staff morning tea and I bit into pie before realising it was a Friday in Lent. I swallowed what was in my mouth and then threw the rest of the pie into the bin.

My other time I ate meat during a Friday in Lent was also at work during a birthday lunch. A colleague handed out 2 chicken curry pasties to me and it also wasn’t until after I had eaten them when I realised it was a Friday in Lent. Both these times I’ve eaten meat on a Friday in Lent I felt so horrible for having done so.

I would appreciate any thoughts on my concern.

Thank you.
God is Good…all the time!!!
 
Well, I think there are two questions here, the one you asked, and the one I think you meant to ask.

The question you asked: Are they things you can confess to a priest? Certainly with the “taking the Lord’s name in vain” one, and possibly with the eating meat one. In both cases, it would be a question of confessing to not taking enough care not to take the Lord’s name in vain or to avoid eating meat in Lent.

The question I think you meant to ask: Are they things you must confess to a priest? IMO, no. Neither sounds like very serious sin, since you didn’t decide to do them.

I think it would probably be a good idea to confess them, because then you will feel better about it. But I really don’t think you have to.

Just MHO, however.

–Jen
 
hfcath said:
Hi,

I am wondering if 2 things I have done is something I should confess to a priest?

Yesterday I got a bit frustrated with dogs jumping on to me when I had my work uniform on. I then said out loud “C… sake” (hope it’s ok to write it) and then immediately after felt horrible as I think I may have broken the 3rd commandment by saying our lord’s name in vain. I have always been able to refrain myself from talking like this-yesterday was the first time I’ve come out with it like that. Just before I was going to say it, I felt something inside me telling me not to but it still came out. I went to my church today to pray to God and apologise for saying his name in such a way.

Secondly, I have done something during Lent this year and again 2 years ago. I have accidentally eaten meat during a Friday in Lent. This year it was at work during a staff morning tea and I bit into pie before realising it was a Friday in Lent. I swallowed what was in my mouth and then threw the rest of the pie into the bin.

My other time I ate meat during a Friday in Lent was also at work during a birthday lunch. A colleague handed out 2 chicken curry pasties to me and it also wasn’t until after I had eaten them when I realised it was a Friday in Lent. Both these times I’ve eaten meat on a Friday in Lent I felt so horrible for having done so.

I would appreciate any thoughts on my concern.

Thank you.
God is Good…all the time!!!
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No. The actions that you mentioned are analogous to sneezing while driving and causing a wreck. Since the court cannot prevent anyone from sneezing while driving and causing wrecks, it will refuse to hold the sneezing driver liable under any tort theory.

FYI,
I personally don’t think that you should have to confess for eating meat on Friday even if you did so on purpose. Either of these items at worst are accidents and not sins therefore. You cannot be held morally culpable for something that you did not mean to do. If you did them on purpose, they would still not be that big of a deal. If you were to confess these accidents to Fulton Sheen, he would say that hearing your confession is like being pelted with grains of rice, one at a time.
 
john330 said:
I personally don’t think that you should have to confess for eating meat on Friday even if you did so on purpose. Either of these items at worst are accidents and not sins therefore. You cannot be held morally culpable for something that you did not mean to do. If you did them on purpose, they would still not be that big of a deal. If you were to confess these accidents to Fulton Sheen, he would say that hearing your confession is like being pelted with grains of rice, one at a time.
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Deliberately eating meat on a Friday in Lent would indeed be a sin to be confessed, despite what you are saying. By saying that someone does so “on purpose,” you are implying that the person is aware that the Church requires this, and does so anyway. That is significant, just as deliberately choosing not to attend Sunday or HOD Mass would also be. “To observe the laws of fast and abstinence established by the Church” is one of the precepts of the Church.
 
The eating of the meat was not intentional and not a sin.

Actually, using the Lord’s name in vain was also unintentional, but I would confess it to the priest and say that,in anger, you used the name but normally are in control of your words!
 
Thanks everyone for your valued thoughts.

For peace of mind, I think I will try making a time with the priest to have a confession. I will also not take communion this weekend, just in case these sins are mortal sins.

Thanks everyone and have a great weekend
 
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