Reconciling

[Catholic4Christ]

Sorry if this is a dumb question-

“Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

For a long time I had no clue about a lot of things in the Church. I certainly sinned a lot during that time, but sometimes I didn’t know that I was sinning and sometimes I didn’t know how bad the sins were.

My question is, should I confess sins of this sort? I haven’t been to confession in several years, I was probably in fourth or fifth grade without a proper understanding of the Catholic sacraments, and I know I’m going to have a long one now that I realize when I’m sinning, so what should I confess?

 

[kristie_m]

Sorry if this is a dumb question-

“Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

For a long time I had no clue about a lot of things in the Church. I certainly sinned a lot during that time, but sometimes I didn’t know that I was sinning and sometimes I didn’t know how bad the sins were.

My question is, should I confess sins of this sort? I haven’t been to confession in several years, I was probably in fourth or fifth grade without a proper understanding of the Catholic sacraments, and I know I’m going to have a long one now that I realize when I’m sinning, so what should I confess?

This isn’t a dumb question at all. I had left the church for a time, and when I returned, my faith was, let’s say, lukewarm at best. The Holy Spirit finally lit a fire under me and I went to confession for the first time in 15 years. The first time, I honestly only confessed what had been weighing on me at that particular moment. After a time, though, as my conscience began to heal, I started to see things in my past that I knew needed to be confessed, so at my next confession, I admitted to the priest that I should have said all this stuff before, but since I didn’t, here it is now. He kind of laughed, but gave me a sense of better late than never!

Your conscience (if it’s not completely damaged) will be a pretty good indicator of culpability. If you’re not sure, you can always let your confessor decide if it’s something that “requires” confessing. Nothing bad can come of it either way. If it doesn’t require confessing, the priest will let you know, and if it does, then guess what? You’ll be absolved and that mark on your soul will be GONE. How cool is that???

 

[PhilotheaZ]

If in doubt, confess it. A physician can’t heal a wound that you don’t show him. Besides, it’s good for growing in the virtue of humility, and to help us avoid commiting the same sin again in the future.

 

[LilyM]

This isn’t a dumb question at all. I had left the church for a time, and when I returned, my faith was, let’s say, lukewarm at best. The Holy Spirit finally lit a fire under me and I went to confession for the first time in 15 years. The first time, I honestly only confessed what had been weighing on me at that particular moment. After a time, though, as my conscience began to heal, I started to see things in my past that I knew needed to be confessed, so at my next confession, I admitted to the priest that I should have said all this stuff before, but since I didn’t, here it is now. He kind of laughed, but gave me a sense of better late than never!

Your conscience (if it’s not completely damaged) will be a pretty good indicator of culpability. If you’re not sure, you can always let your confessor decide if it’s something that “requires” confessing. Nothing bad can come of it either way. If it doesn’t require confessing, the priest will let you know, and if it does, then guess what? You’ll be absolved and that mark on your soul will be GONE. How cool is that???

Same here - substitute 12 years for 15. I too confessed only what I was aware of at the time as being mortal sin, but not a lot of other stuff that I have since become aware of. Perhaps it’s God’s way of not overwhelming us to have us not become aware of the extent of our sins all at once?

In any event, know that the first confession was valid and you were absolved at that time of ALL confessed and unconfessed sins. For the good of your soul, and for the grace to avoid the same sins and others in future, do mention anything that comes up at your next confession.

 

[Catholic4Christ]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it!

Peace,
-Joseph

 

[kristie_m]

Perhaps it’s God’s way of not overwhelming us to have us not become aware of the extent of our sins all at once?

An interesting thought. How many of us would run screaming from the confessional if we were hit with the full extent of our sins all at once? I think I’m one of those that needed to do things in baby steps.