Regarding reconfessing old sins

[Anonymous6]

Hello, I recently found out that when confessing mortal sins it is necessary to include the number of times it was committed. However, in the past when I confessed mortal sins I did not include the number. Is it necessary for me to mention it again this time with the quantity? (Just in case it is relevant, I can’t remember how exactly how many times I committed it, I only remember that I committed it a lot of times)

 

[Wm777]

If you can’t remember, then just tell the Priest what you told us.

One problem with counting is - it can prime the understanding the wrong way, and have the opposite of the desired effect…

Telling a child to stop a bad behavior by the time you count to ten doesn’t work as well as if you count down to zero… The reason is, zero creates an absolute deadline, whereas counting to ten sounds more like you can just keep going upwards beyond ten, and it can get them worked up instead of to stop… Thus, doing Catholic math in this sense doesn’t always add up, unless maybe you counter it by counting your victories, too…

Just give the best confession you can, and - if it is sincere - it likely enough… It’s also probably not the last time you’ll go, either…

As for old sins, one Priest told me, if you make a good confession, then all sins prior to your last confession (even one’s you may have forgotten to confess) are also absolved…

Good luck, God Bless and Have a Great Easter!

Wm

 

[Anonymous6]

Thank you very much. God bless!

 

[awesomecatholic]

Just give a rough estimate or say you committed the sin many times. I have done that before. Do your best when confessing, you sound sincere so it is probably enough. Happy almost Easter!

 

[Edmundus1581]

Hello, I recently found out that when confessing mortal sins it is necessary to include the number of times it was committed.

Correct. That’s Catholic dogma, affirmed at the Council of Trent in response to the Protestants.

It’s also common for lay Catholics to not be aware of it as a specific requirement and questions such as yours appear here regularly.

… in the past when I confessed mortal sins I did not include the number.

Your priest however does know requirements for confession (1), and he is the adjudicator of your confessions. If he is satisfied that you have made a good confession then that’s the end of it.

If you later remember a mortal sin which was innocently forgotten then you should mention it in the next confession, but it has already been absolved.

Is it necessary for me to mention it again this time with the quantity?

No.

But if it bothers you then just bring it up at the start of your next confession. It should take less than a minute, eg. “Father, in previous confessions I didn’t know that I had to confess the number of mortal sins, but I made the best confession I could at the time”.

Priests are always happy to answer questions within the confessional and are just pleased that you are there.

For future reference, confessing the “number” doesn’t have to be a digit such as “nine”, “Four thousand and seventy seven”. “Lots”, “Two or three times a week”, “a few”, etc. can all be valid. If not, then the priest will ask.

Just do your best, and remember that it is up to the priest to know the law and you don’t have to second guess him.

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(1) For a priest to hear confessions the local Bishop must first give him “faculties”, which ensure that he is properly qualified.

 

[edward_george1]

It’s Catholic dogma, affirmed at the Council of Trent, in response to the Protestants.

Would you care to cite where this is referred to as a dogma? It doesn’t sound to me like a dogma. Dogma has a very particular meaning, referring to that which is divinely revealed. I don’t recall ever hearing that “number and kind” was divinely revealed. Not saying that’s not how one is supposed to confess mortal sins, just wondering where the idea that that’s dogma comes from.

-Fr ACEGC

 

[Vico]

Edmundus1581:

It’s Catholic dogma, affirmed at the Council of Trent, in response to the Protestants.

Would you care to cite where this is referred to as a dogma? It doesn’t sound to me like a dogma. Dogma has a very particular meaning, referring to that which is divinely revealed. I don’t recall ever hearing that “number and kind” was divinely revealed. Not saying that’s not how one is supposed to confess mortal sins, just wondering where the idea that that’s dogma comes from.

-Fr ACEGC

ETWN, Council of Trent: https://www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/TRENT14.HTM

From which it is clear that all mortal sins of which they have knowledge after a diligent self-examination, must be enumerated by the penitents in confession,[26] even though they are most secret and have been committed only against the two last precepts of the Decalogue;[27]

26 Cf. <infra>, can. 7.
27 Deut. 5:21.

Canon 7. If anyone says that in the sacrament of penance it is not required by divine law for the remission of sins to confess each and all mortal sins which are recalled after a due and diligent examination,[79] also secret ones and those that are a violation of the two last commandments of the Decalogue,[80] as also the circumstances that change the nature of a sin, but that this confession is useful only to instruct and console the penitent and in olden times was observed only to impose a canonical satisfaction; or says that they who strive to confess all sins wish to leave nothing to the divine mercy to pardon; or finally, that it is not lawful to confess venial sins, let him be anathema.

79 <Supra>, chap. 5.
80 Deut. 5:21

 

[Edmundus1581]

@Vico beat me to it. Thanks!

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http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm

1456 Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly."54

And ref. 54:

54 Council of Trent (1551): DS 1680 (ND 1626); cf. Ex 20:17; Mt 5:28.

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“KInd and number” is implied by “All mortal sins … must be recounted…” (Vico’s translation has enumerated), and the anathema says “confess each and all mortal sins”.

 

[po18guy]

Short answer: No.

They were forgiven. You are not going to hell because you confessed say, lust, 19 times instead of 20! for that reason, we can conclude our confession with “For these sins and any sins I have forgotten…”

The Lord steps into the gap.