Must One Go To Confession Immediately?

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ATeutonicKnight

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I had forgotten some sins my last confession, thus I am forgiven of them. I will have an opportunity to go tomorrow, but it’s a very busy parish and I would rather go to mine where it’s much less busy. However, am I obligated to go tomorrow? If I don’t, may I receive the Eucharist, or is this a sin? I plan to go soon, but this Confession line lasts a very long time and I don’t want to stop someone in Mortal sin from getting forgiven. Plus, it’s not certain whether I’ll get there in time or not.

Note that I am slightly scrupulous, so if this sounds ridiculous this is why.
 
No it is a good honest question.

A person who intends to confess all their mortal sins and is of course contrite and amended…but who forgets to confess some…such sins are “indirectly absolved”. They are obliged to confess them in the next confession but the do not need to go to confession sooner. They may continue their Christian life --received Communion etc.

(Though I should note that some who are scrupulous may be in a different boat…they may think they need to confess all sorts of things which they do not…their confessor can guide them…I do not mean you here --but I note this for some readers)
 
If you forgot to mention any mortal sins you committed during your last Confession than they have become venial, but still need to be confessed the next time you go to Confession, although you are not obligated to go to Confession as soon as possible in order to confess them. If the sins were venial, you have been forgiven of them because you meant to confess them.
 
I’ve heard and read that that is the case countless times and have also learned it in religous class.
 
Bookcat’s answer, post #2, is 100% accurate.
Go to mass,receive the sacraments,
and confess at your next scheduled confession, not before, and don’t drive yourself nuts
feeling guilty about that or worried.
The DEVIL WILL try to make you THINK, falsely, that you are BACK IN mortal sin because you now remember what you forgot, and make you think that your prayers are worthless, that you don’t gain any partial indulgences, and stuff like that.
Don’t listen to his hateful, malicious voice. And believe me,
he WILL speak that to your mind and conscience to try and drive you to despair.
Listen to Bookcat, and live your Christian life.
God bless you.
 
ChibiViolet said:
I’ve heard and read that that is the case countless times and have also learned it in religous class.
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A mortal sin cannot “change” into a venial sin by forgetting it in confession. If one was contrite and amended for all ones mortal sins and intended to confess all ones mortal sins then yes (you are correct in the other aspects of the post)…it is absolved along with the rest (it is absolved indirectly) -but it does not turn into a venial sin (better than that it is “absolved!”).

I think what you were reading is that it was forgiven " sort of like" venial sins that one did not confess directly but were sorry for etc.

If one remembers it one is obliged though (as you again correctly note) to confess it in the next confession (which is not the case with any venial sins…one is never obliged to confess a venial sin (though it is highly recommended) --so if it became a venial sin…it would then lose any obligation to confess it and such is not the case)–one must “submit it to directly to the keys” in confession. If one refuses to then one can then commit a new mortal sin thereby.

(PS: I have a degree in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (with honors) if that helps…I say this so you know I am not pulling this out of a hat :))
 
Yeah, I guess. I guess I was only taught what I was taught because the reality was thought to be too confusing…any way someone explains it is confusing actually…but that’s the case with a lot of things.
 
Bookcat said:
I would note that such is not actually the case. They do not become venial.
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I learned from the Baltimore Catechism. Even the forgotten mortal sin is forgiven.

Baltimore Catechism No. 3
**
Q. 794. May a person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession go to Holy Communion before going again to confession?**

A. A person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession may go to communion before again going to confession, because the forgotten sin was forgiven with those confessed, and the confession was good and worthy.

ourladyswarriors.org/faith/bc3-19.htm
 
I never said the sin wasn’t forgiven. It’s just a little complicated.
 
Vico said:
I learned from the Baltimore Catechism. Even the forgotten mortal sin is forgiven.

Baltimore Catechism No. 3
**
Q. 794. May a person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession go to Holy Communion before going again to confession?**

A. A person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession may go to communion before again going to confession, because the forgotten sin was forgiven with those confessed, and the confession was good and worthy.

ourladyswarriors.org/faith/bc3-19.htm
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Yes I state such in my posts (I suppose your just agreeing with me here).

It can be forgiven cause one intended to confess all ones mortal sins and was contrite etc…but one just forgot it. It would thus be absolved indirectly. One would then simply be obliged to confess it in the next confession if one remembered it.
 
ChibiViolet said:
Yeah, I guess. I guess I was only taught what I was taught because the reality was thought to be too confusing…any way someone explains it is confusing actually…but that’s the case with a lot of things.
Click to expand...
The honestly forgotten mortal sin was already absolved because the person intended to confess all their mortal sins and was contrite and amended for all moral sins (even if they did not remember them all individually --they were generally sorry what mortal sins they committed).

One simply is still obliged to confess it --if and when --one remembers it.
 
Bookcat said:
Yes I state such in my posts (I suppose your just agreeing with me here).

It can be forgiven cause one intended to confess all ones mortal sins and was contrite etc…but one just forgot it. It would thus be absolved indirectly. One would then simply be obliged to confess it in the next confession if one remembered it.
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As you pointed out to me in a private message, this is not because the previous confession was invalid, rather that it would be a new sin to not confess a remembered sin. (Per the Latin Canons: CIC Can. 960 Individual and integral confession and absolution constitute the sole ordinary means by which a member of the faithful who is conscious of grave sin is reconciled with God and with the Church. Physical or moral impossibility alone excuses from such confession, in which case reconciliation may be attained by other means also.)
 
will GOD forgive people who are unable to go for confession due to sickness or bedridden ?
 
Singapore_Nick said:
will GOD forgive people who are unable to go for confession due to sickness or bedridden ?
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God’s forgiveness is infinite and His mercy unfathomable.

If this is a persistent condition that makes it physically impossible for them to go to Confession regularly, I would suggest setting up an appointment with the priest to have him come visit them. Definitely not out of the ordinary.
 
FYI …since the line was quoted above…make sure to read the response where it is noted that such is not the case.
 
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