The Catholic teaching is that perfect contrition is the best, but imperfect contrition is sufficient for a valid confession. I think some people refer to imperfect contrition, so say sorrow is not needed, or that contrition does not require an emotion, rather a firm will.
The “sorrow” does not require an emotion. Even in the case of “perfect contrition”
2073 Obedience to the Commandments also implies obligations in matter which is, in itself, light. Thus abusive language is forbidden by the fifth commandment, but would be a grave offense only as a result of circumstances or the offender’s intention.
Thanks and that makes it very clear to me and hopefully clear to the opening poster too which the whole thread gone around it many different circles and past it use by date as with the original question of her son receiving communion be a long time ago now in his eyes. I am relieved I don’t have to take into account those three pointers each time I think I sinned. No wonder though so many Catholics end up in a state of scrupelous rather than having the comfort and the knowledge that all one has to do is appeal to God that sorry for sins and He forgives… yes there is the rest about what we do next in our lives about it, but it nice and simple that we can ‘turn to God’ and don’t have to work all that out.
Yes. As a 9-year-old I committed a mortal sin. It weighed on my heart for almost two decades until I converted and was able to go to confession.
I won’t pretend to understand as I can’t understand how you guys so heavily rely on the formal process of priest and the confessional more than being sorry with God. Yes I do understand the priest plays a big part, hence I use the anglican confessional but to me the above post makes it all so sad how people need the formal process more than they need God. That is how it seems to me not being so heavily reliant on the confessional. Like I say I won’t pretend that I understand. Just wish you guys see the freedom of not needing the step by step process in the building of the church via a priest. Confessing one sins and being sorry for them to God is all we need in seeking forgivenss. The Priest just puts the forgiveness into human context - a messenger? It is so sad that people go around with the above view and I have seen nicky post on other threads about struggles of reality and Church and yet still say the above. I go to Confession. I get alot from the process but I know I dont need the confession to be forgiven. To me getting to Heaven is not about the good works of being a perectionist Catholic on Earth. I am not always sure I will even get to the Christlike Heaven and does niggle me at times. But am not about to start being a dutiful anglican or convert to Catholicism to make my entry to Christlike Heaven more acertain. But the above post makes me feel so sad for many a Catholic who think the process of formal confession is the way to be free of sin that we have committed. It makes me feel so sad that sin is a big part of their lives rather than the Joy of being a Christian. Something has gone very wrong and the number of posts on here all concerning sin and the confessional and very few posts on here concerning the joys of being a Christian and a Catholic Christian. What has gone wrong. It makes me feel sorry for Catholics does the quoted post because there is so much freedom in Gods’ Love and you are seemingly all so steeped in rules and forget to share the joy of Gods’ Love. That is sad to me and I know we aren’t much different as we are too busy bickering and worry about everyday life challenges that we don’t share Gods’ Love either but what is it about the culture today that we worry about sin and about wrong doings and forget to share why it is good to be close to Gods’ Love always or as much as possible. The peace the delight the security the warmth the joy of being in His Presence is awesome and all we do is worry about sin and life… why would anyone wanna convert to any of this of either branch of chrisitandom to be honest because I am not saying we are any better because we are not. We just have different faults. So what can we do to make others want to join us in experiencing Gods’ Love rather than make them fear Gods’ Love in the worry of whether they have it right or not?