Questions about my confession

[Alterum]

I had my first confession today!

I have two questions however. I’m worried that I may have been dishonest in the confessional. I did not lie or conceal any sin (and I did my best to say all my sins). However, when I was saying the age at which I did one of the sins I was embarrassed for I may have lowered it by 1 or 2 years to make myself look better. (Or at least that’s the worst case scenario! The best case is that I tried my best to tell the truth.)

Immediately once I realized this, I went to the priest and told him this. He said it didn’t matter.

Now I went home and I’m afraid that I may have accidentally detracted a person. I was telling my sins and it seemed like the priest had assumed that I did them with one person. So I said “no, I didn’t do them with that person, I only did with that person.” (This was with the intention of correcting the possible misunderstanding the priest had.) So I’m afraid I detracted by saying that…

Did I? Am I safe to go for first Communion this evening?

Thanks

(P.S. It’s Hermione again!)

 

[tuopaolo]

Alterum:

I had my first confession today!

I have two questions however. I’m worried that I may have been dishonest in the confessional. I did not lie or conceal any sin (and I did my best to say all my sins). However, when I was saying the age at which I did one of the sins I was embarrassed for I may have lowered it by 1 or 2 years to make myself look better. (Or at least that’s the worst case scenario! The best case is that I tried my best to tell the truth.)

While you should always try to be truthful, what you did wouldn’t affect the validity of your confession So don’t worry about that.

Immediately once I realized this, I went to the priest and told him this. He said it didn’t matter.

He’s right! So try to leave it at that. If you have a tendency to worry excessively about these things, the very best thing you can do is just trust the confessor (the priest).

Now I went home and I’m afraid that I may have accidentally detracted a person.

Well, if it was an accident then it wasn’t a sin, so don’t worry

I was telling my sins and it seemed like the priest had assumed that I did them with one person. So I said “no, I didn’t do them with that person, I only did with that person.” (This was with the intention of correcting the possible misunderstanding the priest had.) So I’m afraid I detracted by saying that…

Don’t worry! You did it for a good reason and if you made a mistake, then that’s just a mistake, not a sin. And I believe the priest is bound to keep what you said secret – not just your own sins but anything else you tell him during the course of the confession.

Did I? Am I safe to go for first Communion this evening?

Absolutely.

 

[Alterum]

Thanks for responding!

I feel better. I can’t wait to stop being scrupulous.

P.S. I corrected the thing about the possible lie after my confession, not during. I hope this doesn’t change things…

 

[tuopaolo]

It looks like I replied to your post after you had already edited it so that’s not an issue

There were some saints who struggled with scrupulosity. One of them was St Maximilian Kolbe. He got over it, I believe, but I don’t know how it happened.