Questions about Confession

[St_Francis]

I am explaining this all to my children and wanted to ask these questions:

1. Is the penance that the priest gives for absolution a relief from the actual guilt or the temporal punishment (for which it usually seems rather light?)
2. When we go to Confession, and our sins are absolved, does that mean that in the particular and general judgements they will not be mentioned or count against us? Or are they brought up? Or are they not brought up after we have made reparations, either in this life or the next?

TIA

 

[Pug]

1. Is the penance that the priest gives for absolution a relief from the actual guilt or the temporal punishment (for which it usually seems rather light?)

It is not for the guilt as in the burden of eternal punishment. The guilt and eternal punishment are gone before you say the penance. The penance could be described as remedial and it applies to temporal punishments, like what you would have in purgatory.

I’m not sure what will be on the table for all to see in the general judgement. It will glorify God and his providence, whatever it is. The CCC makes it sound like all of everything you ever did will be examined, so I assume that would include sins you confessed and did penance for:

1039 In the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each man’s relationship with God will be laid bare. The Last Judgment will reveal even to its furthest consequences the good each person has done or failed to do during his earthly life:

I’m not sure what you were asking with the words “count against us,” so I didn’t answer that part.

 

[BlestOne]

St Francis,
My dear Catholic, I applaud you for wanting to teach your children about reconcilliation. When my boys were attending PSR in preparation for reconcilliation I went with them because I was afraid that what I was taught many years ago was too extreme. I was literally scared I was going to hell if I forgot to confess something. So as I sat in their class, I was amazed to discover that it isn’t about guilt and fear of the fires of hell…it is about repairing our relationship with our Lord. When we sin, we seperate ourselves from God, Penance or reconcilliation is about repairing our relationship with God. It made so much more sense than how I was taught!!! As for the penace question…in my church, our pastor never assigns children a slew of prayers to say like we were given, he tells them to do something proactive to atone for the sin, such as, if they say they were mean to their sister, he tells them to do something nice for her. This reminds them that God is forgiving by letting them make such ammends. Now, as for an adult…same thing he usually gives me sound advice for how to avoid the same sin again in the future and asks that I do something for the persons I have offended. I like the way he does it…our last pastor always tacked on a few Hail Mary’s to our penance. Just remember, it is about repairing our relationship, it is about avoiding doing the same thing again, it is about making God our best friend again…that’s how I see it anyway. Once our sins are forgiven our Lord tells us that he remembers them no more. Since I doubt that God is forgetful, it means that when you are forgiven your sins are absolved…they no longer exist…Isn’t God great!!!

 

[mosher]

Pug:

It is not for the guilt as in the burden of eternal punishment. The guilt and eternal punishment are gone before you say the penance. The penance could be described as remedial and it applies to temporal punishments, like what you would have in purgatory.

I’m not sure what will be on the table for all to see in the general judgement. It will glorify God and his providence, whatever it is. The CCC makes it sound like all of everything you ever did will be examined, so I assume that would include sins you confessed and did penance for:

I’m not sure what you were asking with the words “count against us,” so I didn’t answer that part.

At the general judgment all of our sins will be made public to all. This is how we will see the great justice and mercy of God. We will not be judged the same way is in the particular judgment which is relegation to heaven or hell (heaven via purgatory most likely) but all will be made known.

 

[JimG]

I don’t think that there is a definite Church teaching on what will be revealed of each person’s sins at the general judgment. I have heard that confessed and forgiven sins will not be known to others, even then.

In the Sacrament of Penance, the absolution given by the priest absolves one of sins and of the eternal punishment due to mortal sin.

The penance given is to help us, by prayer or other type of penance, to overcome our tendencies to sin. We can and should do other penances on our own. Because even our tendencies to sin, which remain after sins are forgiven, must be purified in this life or the next.

 

[Madia]

I don’t think that there is a definite Church teaching on what will be revealed of each person’s sins at the general judgment. I have heard that confessed and forgiven sins will not be known to others, even then.

Think of it logically. To make a just decision, wouldn’t all the facts need to be present? Maybe someone can give a link to Church teachings but I think that all will be revealed at the Last Judgement. I think the only thing we won’t be know at the end of time is God as He comprehends Himself because we would have to be God to do so.

 

[JimG]

Madia:

Think of it logically. To make a just decision, wouldn’t all the facts need to be present? Maybe someone can give a link to Church teachings but I think that all will be revealed at the Last Judgement. I think the only thing we won’t be know at the end of time is God as He comprehends Himself because we would have to be God to do so.

I think that we will know all the sins of the damned, so as to see the justice of God’s judgment. But will you really want to know the prior sins of your fellow saints in heaven?

 

[Madia]

I think that we will know all the sins of the damned, so as to see the justice of God’s judgment. But will you really want to know the prior sins of your fellow saints in heaven?

God is eternally just and merciful. Wouldn’t the sins of the Saints communicate God’s Mercy?

 

[JimG]

Madia:

God is eternally just and merciful. Wouldn’t the sins of the Saints communicate God’s Mercy?

Maybe so. I think I would rather not know all the private sins of my relatives and loved ones. But that of course will be entirely up to God, not me.

 

[mosher]

JimG:

Maybe so. I think I would rather not know all the private sins of my relatives and loved ones. But that of course will be entirely up to God, not me.

It is generally accepted and has been since the begining that all sins will be made manifest in the general judgment not for the purpose of condemnation of anyone but to display the glory of Godss mercy for the just and to display God’s justice for the damned. (cf. Summa Theologica)

 

[hilde_the_dog]

Jim G

Whyat the end of time would you worry about your family and friends knowing your sins. Personally I would rather have every saint know of my sins and that I made it to Heaven by God’s grace and mercy (Wow God’s letting him in, he must have changed his life). I know believe after confession that my sins are forgiven not forgotten, since I don’t know if or how God could completely erase from HIS memory my sins. At the same time I trust HE loves me.

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

I’va always wondered about this – how do we reconcile the two statements I’ve quoted below? They seem to be contradictory (I’ve been taught both, and assume that they are both true, somehow).

BlestOne:

Once our sins are forgiven our Lord tells us that he remembers them no more.

mosher:

It is generally accepted and has been since the begining that all sins will be made manifest in the general judgment not for the purpose of condemnation of anyone but to display the glory of Godss mercy for the just and to display God’s justice for the damned. (cf. Summa Theologica)

Crazy Internet Junkies Society
Carrier of the Angelic Sparkles Sprinkle Bag