Penance Not Done

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If I don’t do the penance I receive after confession, then obviously the sins aren’t forgiven. Therefore, I have to reconfess the sins. The question is: The next time I go to confession, do I need to perform both the new penance I receive and also the penance I didn’t do before?
 
I think it depends on why you didnt do the penance. For example if you just forgot then you’d still be forgiven.
 
Two_of_Clubs said:
If I don’t do the penance I receive after confession, then obviously the sins aren’t forgiven. Therefore, I have to reconfess the sins
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To the best of my understanding, this is would be correct only if you intended before receiving absolution that you wouldn’t do any penance. This is because you entered the Sacrament in bad faith and thus invalidated it. However, if you entered the Sacrament in good faith and received absolution, this sins are forgiven regardless of penance done or not done. While willingness to do penance is a proper sign of contrition, the penitential act per se is not form or matter for sacramental validity. If you honestly forgot to do them, do them. If you are confessing and remembered you forgot, mention it. If after absolution, you obstnately decided you wouldn’t do the penance, those sins are still forgiven, but now you have committed a sin of disobedience to a legitimate instruction given by a legitimate authority.
 
There is a difference between rejecting a penance …

and just forgetting it or accepting it but then …later not doing it.
 
If one rejects a penance, does one have to reconfess the sins and the additional sin of disobedience? Furthermore, does such a one have to do the penance from before in addition to the new penance? (I didn’t reject my penance, so this situation doesn’t apply to me, but I do want to know.)
 
If one is given penance that is going to be a problem for one or for some reason does not see to fit – one can discuss the Penance at the time of the confession - such can be changed right there.

If one receives the penance and later realizes it is too much for them - they may return to the Priest to have it changed. Or they can go to another Priest in Confession and he can change it (he will need though to know what the Penance was for I believe…so it can be a fitting penance).
 
If one say confesses mortal sin Y and at confession the Priest gives one say a Rosary to for penance and one simply rejects that penance at that time - such would be addressed in confession (say what happened…ask your questions) - the Priest can guide one.
 
I believe once the Priest pronounced absolution your sins were forgiven, penance said or not.
 
Two_of_Clubs said:
If I don’t do the penance I receive after confession, then obviously the sins aren’t forgiven. Therefore, I have to reconfess the sins. The question is: The next time I go to confession, do I need to perform both the new penance I receive and also the penance I didn’t do before?
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Your sins were forgiven at the moment you were absolved. Not fulfilling the penance does not cause you to reacquire the sins.

You do not have to re-confess the sins.

Since you are bound to the penance, you have to seek a commutation, if you are unable to fulfill the penance. Any confessor would be able to effect the commutation.

The confessor has the option to either give you two separate penances or to simply combine the respective penances, previous and current, into one action.
 
Two_of_Clubs said:
If one rejects a penance, does one have to reconfess the sins and the additional sin of disobedience? Furthermore, does such a one have to do the penance from before in addition to the new penance? (I didn’t reject my penance, so this situation doesn’t apply to me, but I do want to know.)
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No, one does not need to re-confess the sins.
No there is no additional sin of disobedience. You do need to resolve the penance since you are bound to do it.
When the confessor proposes a penance to you, you are free to say why you cannot fulfill the penance and you can ask for something different.
 
I’ve been given some penances that are rather vague or difficult to do. One, for example, was to do something kind for someones or something along those lines. This one was kind of tricky, as I am always being kind to people. I could be wrong, but if you have a desire to fulfill the penance you should be good to go. 👍
 
Two_of_Clubs said:
If
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PS A bit more for ya:

from Catholic Answers Staff Priest Apologist:

Q: Is completing penance required for the sin to be fully forgiven?

A: An unfulfilled penance does not invalidate confession. Penance is an attempt by the penitent to make amends for the effects of his sin. To purposely reject doing one’s assigned penance would call into doubt the sincerity of the confession, and that would call into question the validity of the confession. But if the unfilled penance is due to forgetfulness or is accidental then there is no reason to question the validity of the confession. If upon reflection the penitent feels the penance he received is too cumbersome or impossible for him to fulfill, he may ask the same confessor or another confessor to change the penance.

Fr. Charles Grondin
Apologist

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=11809160&highlight=penance#post11809160
 
Two_of_Clubs said:
If I don’t do the penance I receive after confession, then obviously the sins aren’t forgiven. Therefore, I have to reconfess the sins. The question is: The next time I go to confession, do I need to perform both the new penance I receive and also the penance I didn’t do before?
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No you do not have to do the penance. This has happened to me on numerous occasions and I did NOT re-confess the sins I simply stated to the priest that I had not completed the penance assigned at my last confession and why and that I was sorry for the sins confessed last time and I am sorry for (and whatever new sins I may have to confess). The priest then has given me a new absolution and a new penance.
 
This is precisely why I always assign simple penances, that are easy both to A) do and B) know you have done them. (I.e. pray a Hail Mary for so and so…)

As a penitent, it drives me nuts when a priest gives a penance that is vague. I’ve never had a priest give me a penance that was difficult to do, but I’ve had many that were difficult to know if I’ve done them or not.

Thus, I’ve resolved as a confessor to assign easy penances. My favorite confessor would always assign one Hail Mary. Generally speaking, I copy him.
 
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