penance question

[melinda_s]

what happens if you don’t do or don’t totally complete your penance?

 

[ComputerGeek25]

Don’t quote me here, as I may be totally off base, but this is my basic understanding…

Absolution of sins do not depend on whether you do your pennance or not. So, if you do not complete any outstanding penance, you will still be forgiven.

However, penance is a way to spend less time in purgatory. If you do your pennace, you will hopefully spend less time in purgatory. Penance is probably much easier to tolertate
Think of it as paying for something for pennies on the dollar.

 

[LilyM]

Firstly - what was the reason you didn’t complete part or all of your penance? If it became impossible or something, then you don’t need to worry.

Otherwise - no, forgiveness technically doesn’t depend on performing the penance, but it reflects a lack of true sorrow for your sin, and a lack of true resolution to change your ways, that you can’t be bothered to do the penance. In addition, the priest is acting in persona Christi throughout the confession, including imposing the penance, and we are bound in obedience to our confessor.

So it could very well be at least a venial sin to knowingly not complete your penance, and this fact is reflected in several examinations of conscience that I’ve read.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Firstly - what was the reason you didn’t complete part or all of your penance? If it became impossible or something, then you don’t need to worry.

Otherwise - no, forgiveness technically doesn’t depend on performing the penance, but it reflects a lack of true sorrow for your sin, and a lack of true resolution to change your ways, that you can’t be bothered to do the penance. In addition, the priest is acting in persona Christi throughout the confession, including imposing the penance, and we are bound in obedience to our confessor.

So it could very well be at least a venial sin to knowingly not complete your penance, and this fact is reflected in several examinations of conscience that I’ve read.

Your sins are forgiven, but failure to complete your penance should be confessed at your next confession.

 

[Trishie]

If something interrupted your penance, what would prevent you from returning to the penance and completing it as soon as possible?

 

[melinda_s]

thanks for all your replies i was worried it was a mortal sin i was having troubling completing it as it was a week long one not having had the time to do it i think i shall mention it at my next confession

 

[Trishie]

If you are sincerely trying to complete the penance and not wilfully neglecting it then it’s not what you feared. Remember that for something to be a sin you must knowingly and willing consent to something which you know/believe to be a sin.
If you honestly haven’t had time…though you are required to put the penance before unimportant pursuits, if necessity intervenes then your fault is very much reduced.
Perhaps you need to give your priest a realistic understanding of your situation.

 

[melinda_s]

If you are sincerely trying to complete the penance and not wilfully neglecting it then it’s not what you feared. Remember that for something to be a sin you must knowingly and willing consent to something which you know/believe to be a sin.
If you honestly haven’t had time…though you are required to put the penance before unimportant pursuits, if necessity intervenes then your fault is very much reduced.
Perhaps you need to give your priest a realistic understanding of your situation.

thanks trishie i’m so relieved to hear that though my priest is very aware of my situation having discussed it with him before