Q: Sin and Confession

[lookaround]

Q1. If a person commited mortal sin () regularly goes to confession but forgot that they ever comited mortal sin () are they forgiven of that sin?

Q2. In a debate I listened to with Father Mitch Pacwa (I like him). I heard him say that if a person believes a Catholic teaching (I presume this would also include any teaching/commandment) to be evil and the person does not follow that teaching or commandment because they believe it to be evil. That person would not be guilty of breaking it. Is this correct?

 

[xpistou]

Q1. If a person commited mortal sin () regularly goes to confession but forgot that they ever comited mortal sin () are they forgiven of that sin?

Q2. In a debate I listened to with Father Mitch Pacwa (I like him). I heard him say that if a person believes a Catholic teaching (I presume this would also include any teaching/commandment) to be evil and the person does not follow that teaching or commandment because they believe it to be evil. That person would not be guilty of breaking it. Is this correct?

Q1 The most important thing is to be truly sorry for your sins and to be resolved to sin no more. With this comes the necessity to examine your conscience before hand. If one were to examine his conscience, be truly sorry for the sins he is aware of, and resolve to sin no more then all of his sins will be forgiven, both those that he is aware of and those he is not aware of. The idea is that if he were aware of them his sorrow and resolve would extend to these also.

Q2 Yes, one has to follow his conscience, and yet one also has the responsibility to form his conscience so that he knows right from wrong. If it was within his power to form his conscience, i.e., to know right from wrong, but he did not do so then there would be some responsibility.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Q1. If a person commited mortal sin () regularly goes to confession but forgot that they ever comited mortal sin () are they forgiven of that sin?

Yes. However, if we later remember this sin, we should confess it as soon as practicably possible. We have an obligation to confess ALL of our serious sins. If we forget, but later remember, we are still obliged to fulfill this requirement, even if the sin has been absolved. To ignore this obligation would, itself, be an offense.

Q2. In a debate I listened to with Father Mitch Pacwa (I like him). I heard him say that if a person believes a Catholic teaching (I presume this would also include any teaching/commandment) to be evil and the person does not follow that teaching or commandment because they believe it to be evil. That person would not be guilty of breaking it. Is this correct?

This is true. However, it does not relieve our obligation for “due diligence” - we should study, pray, and seek competent council about matters in which we find ourselves in disagreement with the Church.

We should always initially presume the Church is correct, and we are wrong (after all, Jesus assured the Church that “he who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects the One who sent me”). Abuse of this concept has led many Catholics to accept their own preferences (such as the use of birth control and, even, abortion) over Church teaching.

 

[lookaround]

This is true. However, it does not relieve our obligation for “due diligence” - we should study, pray, and seek competent council about matters in which we find ourselves in disagreement with the Church.

We should always initially presume the Church is correct, and we are wrong (after all, Jesus assured the Church that “he who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects the One who sent me”). Abuse of this concept has led many Catholics to accept their own preferences (such as the use of birth control and, even, abortion) over Church teaching.

While I am glad to hear that the Catholic Church is merciful on this.
I don’t understand how this would be different then committing the unforgivable sin (attributing the acts of God to that of Satan)

 

[06convert]

If you forget a venial sin, it’s forgiven anyways, no need to confess it later.

If you forget a mortal sin, it’s forgiven anyways, but you still need to confess it at your next confession, simply tell the priest you forgot.

 

[DavidFilmer]

I don’t understand how this would be different then committing the unforgivable sin (attributing the acts of God to that of Satan)

If a person TRULY believes that some teaching of the Church is evil (having exercised due diligence in inquiry) then he is not only free to disregard it, but actually bound to disregard it (and commits no sin).

Let’s take an example: Eucharist. It would be easy for someone to confuse Eucharist (which the Church commands us to receive) with cannibalism (which would normally be considered an evil act - maybe mitigated by extreme necessity, but there is no such necessity at Mass). And, in fact, many pagans accused the Church of cannibalism in the early days (and some anti-Catholics still do).

If, for whatever reason, a person was completely unable to grasp any aspect of the Church’s teaching, despite sincere prayer, study, and council, and remained firmly convinced that reception of Communion was really nothing but cannibalism (in its carnal and evil form), then this person is obliged to refrain from Communion, despite the fact that reception is one of the precepts of the Church. This person is free (and obliged) to disregard this precept, and incurs no sin in doing so.