Perfect Contrition

[Brown10985]

Is it really possible to have 100% perfect contrition? If not, how is it possible that Protestants can be saved if perfect contrition is required of them since they don’t have the sacrament of reconciliation? Or am I just wrong and that there can be a mixture of both perfect and imperfect contrition and have your sins be forgiven by God prior to receiving the sacrament of reconciliation?

 

[mrS4ntA]

yes it is; if you are truly sorry for your sins because they offend God and you do not want to disappoint Him because He loves you and you, in turn, loves Him with all your heart – that is perfect contrition: a contrition not driven by fear of Hell or desire of Heaven, but out of **love ** to God, out of fear of God.

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

Which is why we confess to priests…because more people than not…offer up imperfect contrition…which God thru the Priest assures us we are not deficient in any way of being sorry for our sins.

 

[Brown10985]

I don’t think I phrased my question well. I’m basically asking if I commit a mortal sin and ask for forgiveness because I am truely sorry but also because I fear eternal damnation is my mortal sin forgiven prior to receiving the sacrament of reconciliation?

 

[Ghosty]

The best answer, I think, is that we simply don’t know for sure. Perfect contrition might be simple and easy, or it might be nearly impossible.

Are you willing to leave your eternity with God in question over a maybe? God gaves us Confession so we never have to doubt, and so we can relieve our guilty conciouses with another human being, which seems to be a natural human inclination as well.

 

[pnewton]

Brown10985:

I don’t think I phrased my question well. I’m basically asking if I commit a mortal sin and ask for forgiveness because I am truely sorry but also because I fear eternal damnation is my mortal sin forgiven prior to receiving the sacrament of reconciliation?

If contrition is based on love of God above all else, it fulfills the requirement.

Of course you would fear hell. What sane person wouldn’t? Perfect contrition is the perfect type of contrition, not the perfect amount.

So do you have to go to a priest? Yes. There is a second requirement for forgivess of mortal sin using perfect contrition. You must firmly resolve to have sacramentel confession ASAP.

See the CCC section 1452.