Need Help and Answers

[YAA23]

Greetings to all, My name is Joe and im 22 years old. I have the same story as many; I fell away from the faith experienced everything under the sun without God and finally came back and im trying to be a better Catholic. While I was away from the church, one of my sinful passions was sex before marriage and sexual activity as a whole including masterbation. Well now that I do not participate in any such activities of that nature now, due to an understanding of our teachings and beliefs and a newly found respect for women which I never had, now with abstinence. I have a concern, and I need your help and prayers. Although I have been through confession and what not, I regularly have wet dreams, and through some of my research on blogs online, people just say, “ohh well that is why you have to masterbate if your not sexually active because it is natural and you have to release sperm on a regular basis”. I have a problem with buying in to what society deems acceptable as stated above. So my question is this, is it a sin if ejaculate in my sleep, because for all I know I just maybe masterbating in my sleep and not knowing, I honestly do not know, I dont even have sexually explicit dreams, that I can remember. Case and point, should this be something I confess to my priest, because when I wake up I just feel like **** and it ruins my day and adds to the enormous amount of stress that I endure on a regular basis being still a 22 year old college student, trying to act and do right according to God and my faith, so please pray for me and help me out.
God Bless You for your concerns, answers and prayers.
PS: sorry if my writing is scattered all over the place, just another piece of my life! and I dont know if I posted in the correct area, first time poster here, so nice to meet ya’ll!:

 

[ClearWater]

I really don’t think one can be held accountable for what one does, or thinks, in a sleep state, doesn’t even remember.

 

[ScrupulousMonk]

I know where you are coming from. I, too, am struggling to get out of my previous lustful lifestyle.

Do not worry. Wet dreams are not sinful. For something to be a sin, look at the requirements below.

**1) Actual Sin:**The action committed must actually be a mortal sin as outlined by the Catholic Church.

**2) Full Knowledge:**The sin must have been committed knowingly and the supposed sinner must know that he/she is doing it.

**3) Complete Consent:**The supposed sinner must have committed the sin out of his/her own free will.

Taking all this into consideration, you have not sinned. You did ejaculate outside intercourse, but you did it unknowingly and unwillingly. Keep carrying that cross, friend!