Priest didn't show up at confession. Am I forgiven, though?

[Gift_from_God]

I went to confession today during confession the hour and the priest never showed up at the confessional. I prayed for a few minutes about my sins and then left. I was wondering; was I forgiven anyway or do I still need to go back?

 

[Jaguar]

I went to confession today during confession the hour and the priest never showed up at the confessional. I prayed for a few minutes about my sins and then left. I was wondering; was I forgiven anyway or do I still need to go back?

If you were to die suddenly, you would be forgiven, due to your intent to have your sins forgiven.

However, you still need to confess to a priest asap, if you are in mortal sin.

 

[Cristiano]

I went to confession today during confession the hour and the priest never showed up at the confessional. I prayed for a few minutes about my sins and then left. I was wondering; was I forgiven anyway or do I still need to go back?

Intention to receive a sacrament is not a sacrament by itself. You did not confess to a priest and so you have not been absolved of your sins. I am sorry but you have to go back.

 

[Gift_from_God]

If you were to die suddenly, you would be forgiven, due to your intent to have your sins forgiven.

However, you still need to confess to a priest asap, if you are in mortal sin.

I guess that makes sense

 

[Cristiano]

If you were to die suddenly, you would be forgiven, due to your intent to have your sins forgiven…

Your statement is not correct and misleading. You can still hope in God’s infinite mercy but you have no certainty of forgiveness unless you go through the sacrament of confession.

 

[Bookcat]

Venial sins need not be confessed …they can be forgiven in various ways…including contrite prayer…but it is very good to confess some …and go to confession on a regular basis.

Mortal sins while they can be forgiven via the grace of perfect contrition out of love (see CCC) such includes the intent to confess them as soon as possible. And of course …one may not have such contrition…

Mortal sins need to be confessed.

(and one needs to abstain from Communion until they are confessed)

(Mortal sins must be confessed in number and kind (and circumstance that changes the sin…like it was your brother you murdered!))

You can call a priest too …and make an appointment sooner than the normal time.

 

[Monica4316]

I went to confession today during confession the hour and the priest never showed up at the confessional. I prayed for a few minutes about my sins and then left. I was wondering; was I forgiven anyway or do I still need to go back?

that’s unfortunate that the priest didn’t show up… however I’m afraid that you’d need to go back. Our sins are forgiven by confessing them to the priest, being repentant, and receiving absolution.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Your statement is not correct and misleading. You can still hope in God’s infinite mercy but you have no certainty of forgiveness unless you go through the sacrament of confession.

Is it so? Remember the Baptism of Desire.

 

[Cristiano]

Venial sins need not be confessed …they can be forgiven in various ways…including contrite prayer…but it is very good to confess some …and go to confession on a regular basis.

Mortal sins while they can be forgiven via the grace of perfect contrition out of love (see CCC) such includes the intent to confess them as soon as possible. And of course …one may not have such contrition…

Mortal sins need to be confessed.

(and one needs to abstain from Communion until they are confessed)

(Mortal sins must be confessed in number and kind (and circumstance that changes the sin…like it was your brother you murdered!))

You can call a priest too …and make an appointment sooner than the normal time.

I think that while you posted you might have lost a few words from the original and I am not saying that you are wrong. I simply think that it might confuse some people:

**1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.**

That implies that prefect contrition together with the intention of confession will grant forgiveness of mortal sins; however, intention of confession by itself does not imply perfect contrition and forgiveness of mortal sins.

 

[Cristiano]

Is it so? Remember the Baptism of Desire.

Two different things. Apples to oranges comparison.

 

[Bookcat]

I think that while you posted you might have lost a few words from the original and I am not saying that you are wrong. I simply think that it might confuse some people:

**1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.**

That implies that prefect contrition together with the intention of confession will grant forgiveness of mortal sins; however, intention of confession by itself does not imply perfect contrition and forgiveness of mortal sins.

I do not see where I said differently?? I stated one had to have the intent to go to confession…no implication that “intention to confess” by itself forgives…

Though I guess I could have said: such contrition must include the intention to confess…not just implied (“such includes the intent to confess them as soon as possible”)

But do not want to confuse

(PS God of course can step in further in ways we do not know too in their last moments of life…but one of course is not to presume on such.)

 

[Monica4316]

Baptism of Desire, forgiveness through perfect contrition, etc, - I think all that relates more to whether a person will be forgiven if they die suddenly without the Sacraments… here on earth, even if we have perfect contrition we should still go to Confession before Communion if we are in mortal sin. (if we claim to have perfect contrition but no desire to go to Confession, that might be misinformed because contrition includes wanting to confess sin. Also, we don’t ever truly know if we have perfect contrition or not. It is actually quite rare. That is why Confession exists ).

 

[Bookcat]

If one should happen to fall into a mortal sin… …let us turn right away to the Good Shepherd with love…and confidence in his love…seek right away the grace of Perfect Contrition …this is what the Church invites us to:

Catechism:

1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.

And get to confession as soon as reasonably possible.

Venial sins…can be forgiven in various ways (not just perfect contrition and confession)… it is important to ask forgiveness daily…like in the Lords Prayer etc…

And it is very good to confess many of them regularly seeking the special grace to overcome them … to follow Christ more and more.

 

[Jaguar]

Your statement is not correct and misleading. You can still hope in God’s infinite mercy but you have no certainty of forgiveness unless you go through the sacrament of confession.

Really! Not unless, the penitent has a firm purpose of amendment and is being truly contrite.

In both instances (Confession & Perfect Contrition), one must be committed to the act of defeating the sin, and be truly remorseful of it.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Two different things. Apples to oranges comparison.

Both are fruits.
Let me make another comparison, to see whether you accept it or not: the Spiritual Communion. You absolutely cannot be at mass, you are in a hospital bed in the Jungle and you want to receive Jesus.

 

[Cristiano]

Both are fruits.
Let me make another comparison, to see whether you accept it or not: the Spiritual Communion. You absolutely cannot be at mass, you are in a hospital bed in the Jungle and you want to receive Jesus.

Spiritual Communion is not a sacrament and so it is different from receiving the Eucharist. That means that there is no guarantee that you will receives that graces that you can receive from the Eucharist. However, we also have to remember two fundamental factors. The first is that God’s graces are not limited to the sacraments and so we can always hope in His mercy and we could receive His graces outside the sacraments. The second is that spiritual communion is different between the case of a person in a state of grace but unable to receive the Eucharist and the case of a person that killed his relationship with God through mortal sin. Finally in the case of mortal sin there is always hope to obtain the grace from God that will allow us to repent and to go to the sacrament of confession. Mortal sin does not stop automatically all the graces from God, if it did we would not be able to repent; however, we cannot count on that because the more we choose to commit mortal sin the more our hearts will harden.

What I am saying here is that I think that I understand your point of view and it makes sense to me. You are saying that our relationship with God is not simply a legal contract but transcends it and you are correct. The problem with the Latin Church is that we look too much and the legalistic aspect and when we try to depart from it people tend to look more for exemptions than transcendence. I think that the eastern theology of sin presents things in such a way that it easier to depart from the pure legalistic aspect and to transcend to a more complete relationship with God.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Spiritual Communion is not a sacrament and so it is different from receiving the Eucharist. (…).

Sacraments function “ex opera operato” But I hardly accept that someone who came to confession, through the priest’s fault may go home empty handed exactly as he came to the Church with his sins unforgiven.

I do not see that Christ in the Gospel. The fella who was in the back of the temple saying, Pardon me For I am a Sinner, compared to the Pharisee, Jesus says that he has his sins forgiven.

Now, I emphasize the The confession is a Must but we ar not talking about thatl.

God Bless.

 

[brigid12]

Even if I were unsure about the need for confession, I would want to go to confession if there was a mortal sin on my soul - for extra safety, even with trust in His Mercy. Trust and presumption are two different things and I certainly wouldn’t want to presume on His Mercy!