Misunderstood at Confession

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reidalba

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I had my first confession last week and the priest misunderstood my confession with regards to at least 3 mortal sins, he then absolved me in a rush barely pronouncing the words and told me to leave. I feel like my sins haven’t been forgiven and for some reason I feel even more guilty than I did before. He was not my parish priest, it was in a cathedral that I happened to be walking by. My parish priest told me not to worry about it but I feel like I really want to reconfess those sins, I also didn’t mention how many times I had committed mortal sins since I didn’t know that was required. Would it be wise to go to confession again now that I am back at my home town?
 
Thing is he started giving me advice for a completely different sin, but I didn’t want to interrupt him and then he immediately started mumbling the absolution, so I know he thought I was referring to something else.
 
Wow this is a real theme tonight ! You are forgiven. Be at peace. Not every confession will be what you expect but it will be what you need and you are absolved. every conversation with a priest in confession is special and all I will say is keep going. Try to go once a month. See different priests. I went past a church last week and it said ‘come back to me with your whole heart, don’t let fear keep us apart’
 
The bottom line is you entered the confessional with the intention of confessing your sins. You made the attempt to the best of your ability at that time. The priest absolved you. Your priest told you it was okay. Christ knows your heart and knows the sins you wanted to confess. You were absolved.
 
The priest giving advice is not an essential part of the confession. All that matters is you told your sins, you sincerely repented, and he absolved you. Advice or even whether the priest paid attention or was thinking about his lunch is not relevant to the sacrament.

Advice is kind of a helpful “extra” but it’s not the reason you go, nor is it required that the priest give you advice. So if for some reason the priest gives you bad advice or doesn’t seem to be listening, just set it aside. You told your sins, you were absolved, that’s all that was needed, be at peace.
 
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God is the one giving the forgiveness for the sin, the priest is just his medium so to speak. So like all the others say, dont worry about it, your sins are completely forgiven. God knows what they were, he knows the what the priest thought and everything that happened and why, just let it go. Sorry your first confession was a confusing one, but it happens. Always know that God forgives you. You spoke to your parish priest and he said it was ok, it’s always good to get advice from a priest you trust so trust him. Try to relax about confession, sometimes it will be easy and go smoothly and sometimes it will be mixed up, much like life. You are good checking with your parish priest. God bless you
 
“Advice” is nice, but it is not actually required.

You say how long, the sin and how often:

It has been a month since my last confession

I lied 6 times

I stayed home from Mass once

I was uncharitable in my speech daily

I masturbated three times

I received the Eucharist unworthily twice

For these and all my sins I am greatly sorry, etc.

That is it. If Father wants details he will ask. Then you pray an act of Contrition, Father says the words of absolution and gives penance.

If you are seeking advice, it is better to make an appointment with Father.
 
The thing is it wasn’t the lack of advice, it was that he thought I committed another sin and not the one I committed. So he absolved me of the wrong sin.
 
Yh I’ll try to let it go, but it wasn’t that the priest gave me bad advice, but that he gave me advice for the wrong sin, meaning he misunderstood the sin I had actually committed.
 
Priests intend to impart absolution for the sins you confessed and for the venial sins, or forgotten sins. They do not go by a list and say “I forgive you of stealing and of pride”. Forgiveness is not limited that way.
 
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