An act of perfect contrition may INCLUDE fear of punishment, but must put sorrow of offending God above these fears. Some people think it must be ONLY sorrow of offending God - this is not correct:I’m not sure I can make a perfect act of contrition (putting the sorrow of offending God over the pains of hell or loss of heaven).
As an RCIA candidate, your “soon as possible” opportunity for Confession will normally be shortly before you are received into the Church. However, if you have a particular concern, you should talk to your priest. There is no theological reason why you (as a Baptized Christian) cannot receive sacramental Confession right now. It would be irregular, but not impossible.CCC 1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.
I agree with your first point in that the main motivation is sorrow for offending God but fear of Hell can also be part of it.An act of perfect contrition may INCLUDE fear of punishment, but must put sorrow of offending God above these fears. Some people think it must be ONLY sorrow of offending God - this is not correct:
As an RCIA candidate, your “soon as possible” opportunity for Confession will normally be shortly before you are received into the Church. However, if you have a particular concern, you should talk to your priest. There is no theological reason why you (as a Baptized Christian) cannot receive sacramental Confession right now. It would be irregular, but not impossible.
The OP suggested that he (or she) might have committed a mortal sin. The OP did not disclose the nature of this act, so I don’t think anybody on CAF is competent to judge whether a “grave necessity” exists - thus my advice to consult the Parish priest. Certainly a (likely) mortal sin constitutes “grave necessity” and a priest would be obliged (per the article you cited) to offer absolution to a Baptized Christian who is actively seeking full communion with the Catholic Church (who certainly fulfills the other requirements of this article).As for your second point I’m not convinced as I think it only applies in grave circumstances and I don’t think the OP’s situation can be construed as a grave necessity.
CCC 1401 When, in the Ordinary’s judgment, a grave necessity arises, Catholic ministers may give the sacraments of Eucharist, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick to other Christians not in full communion with the Catholic Church, who ask for them of their own will, provided they give evidence of holding the Catholic faith regarding these sacraments and possess the required dispositions.
Oh I think we can reasonably safely say the OP’s situation is not grave necessity. Its not a matter of competence. Committing a mortal sin does not constitute grave necessity. Grave necessity would be something like danger of death, going into battle etc. If it simply applies to anyone committing a mortal sin then every non-Catholic Christian can go to Confession.The OP suggested that he (or she) might have committed a mortal sin. The OP did not disclose the nature of this act, so I don’t think anybody on CAF is competent to judge whether a “grave necessity” exists - thus my advice to consult the Parish priest. Certainly a (likely) mortal sin constitutes “grave necessity” and a priest would be obliged (per the article you cited) to offer absolution to a Baptized Christian who is actively seeking full communion with the Catholic Church (who certainly fulfills the other requirements of this article).
My advice to the OP stands: Please consult your Parish priest. He has heard everything, and he can council you, and offer absolution if he feels it is appropriate.
Can we “reasonably” and “safely” make this assumption? The OP did not provide any such background information in the original post. Not even his(her) nationality. Is the OP a soldier in a war zone? Or does the OP work in some other occupation which is inherently life-threatening (such as law enforcement)? Is the OP battling cancer or some other major illness?Oh I think we can reasonably safely say the OP’s situation is not grave necessity. Its not a matter of competence. Committing a mortal sin does not constitute grave necessity. Grave necessity would be something like danger of death, going into battle etc.
Yes we can safely assume none of these apply. He is simply a normal person in the RCIA program.Can we “reasonably” and “safely” make this assumption? The OP did not provide any such background information in the original post. Not even his(her) nationality. Is the OP a soldier in a war zone? Or does the OP work in some other occupation which is inherently life-threatening (such as law enforcement)? Is the OP battling cancer or some other major illness?
Maybe you have discerned from his(her) nine other posts that no such condition exists, and thus feel comfortable in claiming that his(her) situation does not constitute grave necessity. I don’t recall reading those other nine more revealing posts, so I have no knowledge one way or another. Thus I advised (and still advise) that the OP consult his(her) Parish priest. Unless you have further relevant information, I trust you agree, correct?
If I understand Catholic theology correctly in this regard (and it’s notable that I completed a minor in theology at a Catholic college)…Ok, I possibly committed a mortal sin recently and I can’t go to confession. Reason being I’m in RCIA. I am baptized (Protestant) but not confirmed. What do I do? I’m not sure I can make a perfect act of contrition (putting the sorrow of offending God over the pains of hell or loss of heaven).
If I were to die repentant would I at least make it to purgatory?
Apologies to the OP for having your thread hijacked. But I cannot allow thistle’s comments to go unchallenged. Please bear with me in charity while I put an end to these irrational comments.Yes we can safely assume none of these apply. He is simply a normal person in the RCIA program.
First, seek the assistance of a priest and determine if you did indeed commit a mortal sin. As it stands now, you’re not sure. And this is not an invitation to discuss the possible grave matter in this forum. I don’t want to know. I am not a priest and cannot guide you in this situation.Ok, I possibly committed a mortal sin recently…
One of your problems is that you try to over-analyse and complicate things.Apologies to the OP for having your thread hijacked. But I cannot allow thistle’s comments to go unchallenged. Please bear with me in charity while I put an end to these irrational comments.
thistle: Why can we safely assume this? Your answer absolutely perplexes me, and strikes me as non-doctrinal as well as uncharitable. While I have known you to be somewhat uncharitable in some instances, I have never known you to be non-doctrinal.
Upon what doctrinal basis do you draw your conclusion? Do you simply assume that everyone in RCIA is a “normal person in the RCIA program?”
I have taught RCIA, and I have never seen a canonical or doctrinal definition of a “normal person” in this program. Would you please provide and cite this definition?
The Catholic Church offers Her Sacraments of Reconciliation to ANY Baptized Christian under certain circumstances. Namely TWO particular circumstances: A matter of “grave necessity” and “provided they give evidence of holding the Catholic faith regarding these sacraments and possess the required dispositions.”
Usually, a candidate of RCIA may be safely presumed to possess the second circumstance by the very virtue of their candidacy - such a person has already professed a firm resolve to join in full communion with the Catholic Church.
You seem to contest the first requirement - a matter of “grave necessity.” Upon what Catholic DOCTRINE do you base your contention that the OP does not qualify?
Is it because the OP is in RCIA? Would you care to cite that in Canon Law?
Would you please cite the canonical definition of “grave necessity” and then cite the reason why you are so confident that the OP does not qualify for this distinction? I have cited Canon Law and the CCC in my responses - would you please be so kind as to do the same? I believe Canon Law gives the minister of the Sacrament wide latitude in interpreting the term, “grave necessity.” Would you please cite why such latitude would not apply to the OP’s priest, or why the OP would not qualify for such consideration?
Or, put another way - why do you feel the Church doctrinally denies Baptized Catholic RCIA Candidates the same Sacramental rights which She offers to any other Baptized protestants under the same conditions, yet where the conditions (especially the second condition) are much more difficult to objectively verify?
thistle, I’m asking you to cite doctrine, not offer your own arbitrary opinions. It’s time to put up, or shut up, so that the OPs question can be answered for once and for all, without you running interference on the thread. I have offered both Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You have offered neither. Do you have *anything *to offer besides your own heterodox opinions to support your assertion that the OP is canonically unqualified to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation at this time, without even consulting his(her) minister of those very Sacraments?
Since the op thinks mortal sin has been committed, then this is already by definition grave matter and a grave issue. He desires to dispose of this sin ASAP. Since the op is already disposed to Catholicism, or he wouldn’t be in RCIA, I think the advice already given to see the priest is excellent advice. No one should go around with mortal sin on their soul, or put off in the future being reconciled, when it could be done immediately. You know already what [1 Jn 5:16…] says. John doesn’t recommend mortal sin to be prayed about for forgiveness like one can do for venial sin.One of your problems is that you try to over-analyse and complicate things.
Unless the OP tells us he is a soldier about to go into battle then common sense would dictate he is a normal person in the RCIA program.
I think your fighting with James White is getting you stressed out!
Yeah, but you still could die at any time. Thus, if you are in a state of mortal sin, you are risking everlasting torture, a huge risk.Just to clear things up. I am not going into battle or anything. Just a normal guy in RCIA.
Haha, quite a huge risk indeed.Yeah, but you still could die at any time. Thus, if you are in a state of mortal sin, you are risking everlasting torture, a huge risk.
But we are not talking about grave matter. We are talking about grave necessity. These are different. Grave matter is one of the conditions that has to be satisfied before a mortal sin can be committed. If a person does not know an act is a sin of grave matter then by committing the sin they have not committed a mortal sin.Since the op thinks mortal sin has been committed, then this is already by definition grave matter and a grave issue. He desires to dispose of this sin ASAP. Since the op is already disposed to Catholicism, or he wouldn’t be in RCIA, I think the advice already given to see the priest is excellent advice. No one should go around with mortal sin on their soul, or put off in the future being reconciled, when it could be done immediately. You know already what [1 Jn 5:16…] says. John doesn’t recommend mortal sin to be prayed about for forgiveness like one can do for venial sin.
thistle,But we are not talking about grave matter. We are talking about grave necessity. These are different. Grave matter is one of the conditions that has to be satisfied before a mortal sin can be committed. If a person does not know an act is a sin of grave matter then by committing the sin they have not committed a mortal sin.
The advice for him to see the priest was a good one. I hope he does that.Grave necessity is a special circumstance that would allow a non-Catholic Christian to have access to the Sacraments of Eucharist, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick. The Church does not list what is defined as grave necessity. This is left up to the local Ordinary. In an earlier post I opined that danger of death, going into battle could constitute grave necessity but our friend DavidFilmer seems to disagree yet has not ventured an opinion on what he considers grave necessity.
I know. I was explaining to you the difference between grave matter and grave necessity and just because someone has committed a mortal sin does not automatically follow that the circumstance of grave necessity exists.thistle,
Go back and read his post. He’s concerned. Therefore, in my mind he knew the matter was grave, he obviously consented, now his conscience is telling him to be rid of the sin.
The advice for him to see the priest was a good one. I hope he does that.