Need clarification

[Indyann]

The Douay Catechism of 1649

Q. 700. What are the necessary conditions of a good confession?
A. That it be short, diligent, humble, sorrowful, sincere, and entire.
Q. 701. How, short?
A. By avoiding superfluous words and circumlocutions.
Q. 702. How, diligent?
A. By using a competent time and care in the examining of our conscience.
Q. 703. How, humble?
A. By making our confession with humble hearts.
Q. 704. How, sorrowful?
A. By stirring up sorrow for our sins.
Q. 705. How, sincere?
A. By confessing our sins plainly, without seeking to lessen or excuse them.
Q. 706. How, entire?
A. By confessing not only in what things we have sinned mortally, but also how often, as
near as we are able to remember.

Baltimore Catechism (1941 Revised Edition)

1. Is it necessary to confess every sin?
   It is necessary to confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven; it is not necessary to confess our venial sins, but it is better to do so.

He that hideth his sins shall not prosper; but he that shall confess and forsake them shall obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13

Please everyone who is disagreeing with the Catechisms, stop spreading misinformation.

We MUST confess all MORTAL sins.

 

[JM3]

This is such an odd discussion. The Canon requires that the faithful go to confession for all sins, at least once a year, and for grave sins as soon as humanly possible and until done, the person cannot recieve the Eucharist.
This seems to be splitting hairs and a deliberate misinterpetation of Church teaching, for what reason I can’t imagine.

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P3H.HTM

Can. 988 §1. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience.

§2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins.

 

[FAB]

Baltimore Catechism (1941 Revised Edition)

1. Is it necessary to confess every sin?
   It is necessary to confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven; it is not necessary to confess our venial sins, but it is better to do so.

He that hideth his sins shall not prosper; but he that shall confess and forsake them shall obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13

Please everyone who is disagreeing with the Catechisms, stop spreading misinformation.

We MUST confess all MORTAL sins.

Lets try something more current.

1457
According to the Church’s command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58

1458
Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.59 Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:60

Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man”—this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner”—this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light.61

We can slit hairs about the meaning of what “strongly recomends” means, perhaps not the level of being required, but something that is is extreamly important to do. any time someonr strongly recomends that I do something, I assume that it is for my good and do it and recomend the same for others.

 

[Indyann]

Lets try something more current.

We can slit hairs about the meaning of what “strongly recomends” means, perhaps not the level of being required, but something that is is extreamly important to do. any time someonr strongly recomends that I do something, I assume that it is for my good and do it and recomend the same for others.

The OP was asking about pre VatII teachings. That is why older catechisms were quoted.

But do you say it is required or strongly recomended?

 

[Indyann]

Sin is Sin, the Canon requires a full confession of all sins by name and act.

This is what you said and is blatently false.

I have heard “sin is sin”, when defending mortal and venial sins to Protestants.

 

[FAB]

This is what you said and is blatently false.

I have heard “sin is sin”, when defending mortal and venial sins to Protestants.

What is false? When is sin not sin? I’m not being over scrupulous and understand fully the difference between Mortal and venial sin, but sin is still sin, it depends on the degree and if there was intent of the offense.

I don’t know the OP’s original intent for the question. It is, as I first posted, doesn’t matter what pre VII doctrine catichism said, since it has changed.

 

[JM3]

You are required to confess ALL sins.

Sin is Sin, the Canon requires a full confession of all sins by name and act.

To confess grave sins once a year does not mean not to confess ALL sins. Sins weigh heavily on the soul and prevent us from having a close relationship with God. A grave sin is breaking one of the ten commandments. Little white lies count, missing church on Sunday counts, eying skin bare women or men count. Yes there are the big ones, like adulatory, but lying, cheating and stealing still effect our relationship with he Lord.
God already knows what your sin is, the sacrament is to provide a chance to be totally honest, not only with him but with yourself. To do anything else defeats the purpose.

Peace,
Deacon FAB

With all due respect, Deacon, your first two quotes do not agree with the teaching of the Catholic Church, as you have shown by your quote of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

I do agree with your point of veiw. However, you can not say that someone’s confession is not valid, because they forgot a few venial sins. Which is what your words seem to imply (though I’m sure you didn’t mean it this way. ). Perhaps, this is why the Church does not ‘require’ confession of all sins, but only ‘strongly recommendeds’ it (just my opinion).

 

[Monica4316]

To confess grave sins once a year does not mean not to confess ALL sins. Sins weigh heavily on the soul and prevent us from having a close relationship with God. A grave sin is breaking one of the ten commandments. Little white lies count, missing church on Sunday counts, eying skin bare women or men count. Yes there are the big ones, like adulatory, but lying, cheating and stealing still effect our relationship with he Lord.
God already knows what your sin is, the sacrament is to provide a chance to be totally honest, not only with him but with yourself. To do anything else defeats the purpose.

Peace,
Deacon FAB

I clarified and said this question has nothing to do with not wanting to be open in Confession…

Either the 1917 and the recent Canon law requires only to confess by number and kind the mortal sins.

1917

1983

thanks for the reply, - would it be possible to translate the Latin? I don’t fully understand what it says

Being scrupupous is a different mannor.
Even though sin is sin and we do so in some way daily, we ask for forgivenss in the penitential rite for forgivness of our failings in doing the Lords work. If a person has committed a grave sin, they are not to receive the Eucharist until they have gone to confession. The Church teaches that all sins need to be confessed on a regular bases which has been defined at least once a year.

so you agree that if a person confesses only grave sins in Confession, they are able to receive the Eucharist and are in a state of grace? If so then venial sins are not necessary to confess. Sure, it’s a great idea to confess them. I always do. But my priest said to focus on confessing mortal sins for now cause I’m scrupulous. I was just curios what the teaching of the Church has been through the ages about this. Seems it was always the same.

The Douay Catechism of 1649

Q. 700. What are the necessary conditions of a good confession?
A. That it be short, diligent, humble, sorrowful, sincere, and entire.
Q. 701. How, short?
A. By avoiding superfluous words and circumlocutions.
Q. 702. How, diligent?
A. By using a competent time and care in the examining of our conscience.
Q. 703. How, humble?
A. By making our confession with humble hearts.
Q. 704. How, sorrowful?
A. By stirring up sorrow for our sins.
Q. 705. How, sincere?
A. By confessing our sins plainly, without seeking to lessen or excuse them.
Q. 706. How, entire?
A. By confessing not only in what things we have sinned mortally, but also how often, as
near as we are able to remember.

thanks

Baltimore Catechism (1941 Revised Edition)

1. Is it necessary to confess every sin?
   It is necessary to confess every mortal sin which has not yet been confessed and forgiven; it is not necessary to confess our venial sins, but it is better to do so.

He that hideth his sins shall not prosper; but he that shall confess and forsake them shall obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13

Please everyone who is disagreeing with the Catechisms, stop spreading misinformation.

We MUST confess all MORTAL sins.

thanks… the Baltimore Catechism, - nice and clear as always!

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P3H.HTM

Can. 988 §1. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience.

§2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins.