Perfect vs. Imperfect Contrition

[PLAT]

According to “Confession: Its Fruitful Practice (With an Examination of Conscience)”:

ISBN 978-0-89555-675-2

Perfect contrition is sorrow which proceeds from a pure or perfect love of God, who is infinitely good and perfect in Himself and deserving of all our love. It is sorrow for sin because it displeases God… Perfect contrition immediately cleanses the soul from all guilt of sin and reconiles it to God, even apart from the Sacrament of Penance. Perfect contrition always includes at least an implicit desire and intention to receive the Sacrament of Penance, and the obligation to confess all mortal sins still remains, even after one has made an act or acts of perfect contrition (Sacrament Required before receiving holy communion) … Perfection contrition is necessary as a means of salvation for dying sinners (in the state of mortal sin) who have not received and cannot recieve the Sacrament of Batism (i.e. Baptism of Desire) and for dying sinners who, though baptized, cannot recieve the Sacrament of Penance.

Imperfect contrition, also called attrition, is defined as that supernatural sorrow and hatred for sin which arises from reflection on the heinousness of sin, from the dread of the loss of heaven, or from the fear of Hell and its torments. Hence, the motive of imperfect contrition is the fear of God and His judgements.

So what I am asking is, can’t a person have sorrow as it despleases God and will send him/her to hell at the same time? What actually is perfect/imperect contrition? Can they overlap?

 

[Sirach2]

Perfect contrition always includes at least an implicit desire and intention to receive the Sacrament of Penance, and the obligation to confess all mortal sins still remains, even after one has made an act or acts of perfect contrition.

In addition to what you stated here, I believe that when the love of God attains to “perfect” sorrow, there would be a resolution to never offend Him again by sin. This is one of the requisites for a plenary indulgence, as well - i.e., having no attachments to sin. If the Church requires this to obtain a plenary, then I think this speaks highly of the motives for perfect contrition also.

 

[Thomas_Aquinas_1]

So what I am asking is, can’t a person have sorrow as it despleases God and will send him/her to hell at the same time? What actually is perfect/imperect contrition? Can they overlap?

I don’t think a person can have perfect and imperfect contrition simultaneously. You can probably have imperfect contrition first, and maybe also after an act of perfect contrition, but I don’t think the two can exists at once.

There reason I say that is because imperfect contrition flows, to a degree, from love of self. We are sorry for our sins because of the harm it will cause us. We fear the pains of hell (which is good), and therefore we are sorry for our sins. This sorrow is imperfect because it is based on self love. Imperfect contrition suffices to have our sins forgiven in confession, but not without the Sacrament.

Perfect contrition does not proceed from love of self, but from the pure love of God. We realize Who it is we have offended, and how good He is. We are sorry for our sins purely because we have offended such a good God, and not because we fear hell.

Does that make sense?

 

[thistle]

According to “Confession: Its Fruitful Practice (With an Examination of Conscience)”:

ISBN 978-0-89555-675-2

So what I am asking is, can’t a person have sorrow as it despleases God and will send him/her to hell at the same time? What actually is perfect/imperect contrition? Can they overlap?

In short:

Perfect Contrition is where the main motivation for the contrition is sincere sorrow for having offending God.
Imperfect Contrition is where the main motivation for the contrition is fear of going to Hell.

 

[PLAT]

I am still confused. Can one not love God and fear Hell at the same time?

 

[thistle]

I am still confused. Can one not love God and fear Hell at the same time?

Of course, but whether an act of contrition is an act of Perfect or Imperfect Contrition depends on the MAIN motivation for the contrition.
When a person is about to make an act of contrition they don’t say this is 50% for love of God and 50% for fear of Hell!!

 

[Joe_Kelley]

This always makes me worry about Perfect Contrition while dying. It would be hard to focus on love of God while ones toes are beginning to toast.

 

[NeedImprovement]

I am still confused. Can one not love God and fear Hell at the same time?

Of course, but whether an act of contrition is an act of Perfect or Imperfect Contrition depends on the MAIN motivation for the contrition.
When a person is about to make an act of contrition they don’t say this is 50% for love of God and 50% for fear of Hell!!

Thistle has said it in a way that should be quite easy to understand - simple & clear (post #4 = ).

That these two motivations would be both existing at the same time, can actually, it would appear, be gleaned from a commonly known prayer called, simply, an Act of Contrition. This prayer covers all the bases when we need to repent (green bolds mine) :

O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;
but most of all because
they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Thy grace,
to confess my sins,
to do penance,
and to amend my life.
Amen

• I took the prayer from this link.

 

[Link0126]

This always makes me worry about Perfect Contrition while dying. It would be hard to focus on love of God while ones toes are beginning to toast.

That’s why you need the Last Rites. Stay Cool

 

[rpoint2012]

Because you confessed it again and again until you were contrite, I believe that you are absolved. It is good that you searched your heart and went back until you were truly sorry. You don’t need to repeat confessing those sins again. Once you are truly absolved you are absolved even if you commit that sin again. You just need to confess it as a new sin and if it is a habitual problem tell the Preist and he will counsel you on how to try to avoid it. God Bless…​

Canadian snacks shipped worldwide
seobaglyak