Reconciliation

[Regenhund]

Here’s one for the apologetics board, but since they’re closed today, I could use some guidance:

If someone goes to confession but forgets about one, can that sin still be forgiven? Is it possible to ask for forgiveness of “other sins not mentioned” or something like that? If you remember a sin later that wasn’t confessed is it necessary to mention it at your next confession (I assume you probably should)and would remembering it preclude you from taking communion until it has been confessed?

Thanks.

 

[beng]

Regenhund:

Here’s one for the apologetics board, but since they’re closed today, I could use some guidance:

If someone goes to confession but forgets about one, can that sin still be forgiven? Is it possible to ask for forgiveness of “other sins not mentioned” or something like that? If you remember a sin later that wasn’t confessed is it necessary to mention it at your next confession (I assume you probably should)and would remembering it preclude you from taking communion until it has been confessed?

Thanks.

If you truly forget, then yeah, it is covered.

So say the magic word for every confession, “And also the sins that I forget to mention father”

 

[Marie]

Regenhund:

Here’s one for the apologetics board, but since they’re closed today, I could use some guidance:

If someone goes to confession but forgets about one, can that sin still be forgiven? Is it possible to ask for forgiveness of “other sins not mentioned” or something like that? If you remember a sin later that wasn’t confessed is it necessary to mention it at your next confession (I assume you probably should)and would remembering it preclude you from taking communion until it has been confessed?

Thanks.

I would suppose if you are bothered by it when you remember it you should confess it. I would but that said here is a more authoritative source to answer your question. It’s covered in a long list of questions and answers on this page at Catholic Encyclopedia.

newadvent.org/summa/501005.htm

 

[funkyhorn]

If you forget to confess a sin, your confession is still valid, but you do still need to confess it the next time you go. In the case of asking for forgiveness for “other sins not mentioned,” it is proper to say something to the effect of, “for these and for all my sins, I am very sorry.” at the end of your confession. However, you can’t do that with Mortal sins. Those all need to be specifically mentioned along with the number of times you committed it (to the best of your recollection).

 

[legeorge]

I hope there is nothing wrong with adding a little ending to your confession. I always add “anything I should have done and failed to do, anything I didn’t realize I did and anything I have forgotten to mention”. The priest never said that I could not add these things. God knows we’re not perfect. If we were, we wouldn’t need confession at all. I believe that God knows what’s in your heart, and if your confession is sincere, and you haven’t left anything out on purpose, you are covered. But I don’t know this officially. Have to look it up in the CCC I guess. Hope this helps. I also look forward to hearing the apologists’ answer to this query.

 

[Regenhund]

Marie:

It’s covered in a long list of questions and answers on this page at Catholic Encyclopedia.

newadvent.org/summa/501005.htm

Yikes! St. T. Aquinas is not easy to interpret! I’m definately going to need an apologists help translating that!

Thanks for the lead, though. Maybe if I reread it a few times it will sink in.

:banghead:

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

I also add at the end of my confessions… "and if I have recieved communion unworthily without knowing it, I ask forgiveness as well.

 

[Thomas2]

I’ll add that if the sins you “forgot” to mention were mortal, then you must remain without Communion until your next Confession. If however, the sins you are Confessing are venial, then try better at your next Confession. I tend to forget a few too, but then again they are just venial and I try better next time. It might be time to take a retreat and spend a little time with a priest going over things that you may have forgotten. There is also the “general Confession” which is made before the Last rites, such as I made before my surgery recently. In my case, I went over the sins I’d committed since my Baptism, as I was Baptised as an adult. It is known that venial sins can be forgiven in other ways, such as the Confitor in Mass or by other pious works, but working on them with a Confessor really helps get rid of the faults that keep those little things from popping back up in our lives.

Peace and all good,

Thomas2

 

[puppylove]

Two weeks ago this Wednesday, I went to confession just before mass. The next day I realized I had forgotten to confess a sin from a long time ago (about a year). The following Saturday morning I went to confession and informed the priest that it had only been 3 days since my last confession. The priest seemed sort of surprised and when I told him the sin and how I had forgotten about it since last summer, he absolved me. So the answer is yes, when you remember, go to confession as soon as possible!

 

[francisca]

If you commit one “grave” sin, can you forget about it? If you really can’t remember then it’s OK! No one can confess the sins he cannot remember…

The Church ask us to go for confession only for GRIEVOUS SINS. It means you don’t have to come to confession room every Mass…unless you commit one or more grievous sins (sins those are more “serious” than venial sins)…

For venial sins, we confess it IN THE MASS, before taking Holy Communion together with all the people in that Mass : We say this in the Mass : “I confess to You Almighty God and to my brothers and sisters, THAT I HAVE SINS through my thoughts, through what I have done, and what I failed to do…”. This phrase is “confessing venial sins” . This is enough for preparation before Holy Communion for those have not do anything “grave”.

This means we don’t have to go to confession room to confess all of our many venial sins. We can confess our venial sins IN THE MASS before Holy Communion.

However, since we are human and we fail many times, we sometimes does not even realizie we did something “unintentionally”… so we are “suggested by the church” to go for confession “twice a year”, those are : before/ during Lent, and before Christmas. Unless you do something “grave and grief” then you go to confession room only during those times (before Lent & Christmas). For the latter, could be different for each parish/ diocesan though (It’s only suggestion from the priests). Of course if one is called to go for confession more often, he is allowed to.

God bless.

 

[baltobetsy]

francisca:

However, since we are human and we fail many times, we sometimes does not even realizie we did something “unintentionally”… so we are “suggested by the church” to go for confession “twice a year”, those are : before/ during Lent, and before Christmas. Unless you do something “grave and grief” then you go to confession room only during those times (before Lent & Christmas). For the latter, could be different for each parish/ diocesan though (It’s only suggestion from the priests). Of course if one is called to go for confession more often, he is allowed to.

Actually, Francisca, the Lent and Christmas confessions are the bare minimum. The Church law is to confess our mortal sins once a year, so I guess that would really be the bare minimum.

For those who wish to grow in their closeness to Christ, frequent confession is one of the greatest helps. Once a month would be a minimum interval, and every two weeks or even weekly are reasonable for those who wish to progress quickly. Frequent confession sensitizes the conscience - it’s like getting glasses - you start seeing things as never before, and seeing places where you can improve in your love of God. You will learn that certain things are sinful that you were not previously aware of. You will grow in love of God as you accept this wondrous gift He offers.

The other important thing that must be clarified in your post is that one can never sin unintentionally. For something to be a sin, it must be wrong, you must know it’s wrong, and you must give your full and free consent to doing it anyway. As I said in the earlier paragraph, frequent confession helps us raise our standards - what we would have done without thinking at one point in our lives becomes something we would not consider doing at all after we have learned more and loved more.

Sadly, there are priests who do not appreciate the great gift of the Sacrament of Penance, either for themselves or for their parishioners, seeing it rather as a burden. This can lead to great confusion. People who want only to grow in holiness are called scrupulous, and the effects of sin are neglected and minimized. Those who wish to take advantage of frequent confession should seek out priests who value the Sacrament. Fortunately, this is becoming easier to do, as more young priests bent on holiness are ordained.

Here is a link to one of my favorite books, Frequent Confession by Benedict Baur. Reading it will shed light on the riches available to all in this wonderful Sacrament.

Betsy