Isn't it best to leave forgotten sins in the past?

[Nick]

Would a person incur grave guilt who obstinately refuses to, or delays in, confessing forgotten mortal sins after making a general confession to the best of his knowledge?

If a person makes a good confession, aren’t all of their sins forgiven, even the ones they forgot?

Wouldn’t it be very difficult for a person to accurately discern the gravity, or their full or partial knowledge of the gravity, of a sin committed many years in the past?

Isn’t it best to just leave the past alone after you have made a general confession to the best of your knowledge?

Thank you very much for your help.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Nick,

You are correct in stating that after making a good confession, all one’s sins of the past, including forgotten sins, are forgiven. Should we remember some of them later, we are obliged to mention them in Confession, not because they are not forgiven (They are!), but because we owe God our humble expression of sorrow, repentance and gratitude. Since it was through the sacrament that He has forgiven us, it is only right that we respond, as best we can, to such forgiveness there also.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.