Regarding specificity in confession

[Aeden]

So I have a question: what happens if a penitent doesn’t confess the number of a mortal sin, simply because he forgot to mention it (e.g. said he stole money, but didn’t specify that it happened many times)? Does that penitent have to go to confession again before receiving or is that sufficient because it was all the penitent thought to say? Also, if you mention “everything I don’t remember” does that remove any mortal sins that slip your mind in a confession or do you need to skip communion and confess them specifically once you remember them?

 

[fastenatingguy]

So I have a question: what happens if a penitent doesn’t confess the number of a mortal sin, simply because he forgot to mention it (e.g. said he stole money, but didn’t specify that it happened many times)? Does that penitent have to go to confession again before receiving or is that sufficient because it was all the penitent thought to say? Also, if you mention “everything I don’t remember” does that remove any mortal sins that slip your mind in a confession or do you need to skip communion and confess them specifically once you remember them?

Talk to a priest/return to the confessional ASAP. (you can’t go wrong)

 

[Joe_5859]

So I have a question: what happens if a penitent doesn’t confess the number of a mortal sin, simply because he forgot to mention it (e.g. said he stole money, but didn’t specify that it happened many times)? Does that penitent have to go to confession again before receiving or is that sufficient because it was all the penitent thought to say? Also, if you mention “everything I don’t remember” does that remove any mortal sins that slip your mind in a confession or do you need to skip communion and confess them specifically once you remember them?

If you honestly forget something in Confession (whether it be the number of times you committed a sin you did confess or an entirely different sin you completely forgot), you are still forgiven of all your sins. We are limited human beings doing the best we can. God does not expect us to have photographic memories and perfect recall.

Simply mention it the next time you go to Confession. There is no need for you to refrain from Communion because you have been already been forgiven.

Of course, if you intentionally leave something out, that’s a different story.

 

[dshix]

If you honestly forget something in Confession (whether it be the number of times you committed a sin you did confess or an entirely different sin you completely forgot), you are still forgiven of all your sins. We are limited human beings doing the best we can. God does not expect us to have photographic memories and perfect recall.

Simply mention it the next time you go to Confession. There is no need for you to refrain from Communion because you have been already been forgiven.

Of course, if you intentionally leave something out, that’s a different story.

I think the question is a bit different from what you are thinking.

If a penitent accidentally leaves out a crucial detail which makes a difference between the sin being venial or mortal, I think it should be confessed again.

Let’s say you confess having stolen a dollar. Venial sin. However, if that’s all you confess and you don’t confess the number (i.e. Stole a dollar every day for ten years) then the sin’s gravity can be obfuscated.

 

[Joe_5859]

I think the question is a bit different from what you are thinking.

If a penitent accidentally leaves out a crucial detail which makes a difference between the sin being venial or mortal, I think it should be confessed again.

Let’s say you confess having stolen a dollar. Venial sin. However, if that’s all you confess and you don’t confess the number (i.e. Stole a dollar every day for ten years) then the sin’s gravity can be obfuscated.

I agree that it should be confessed again more completely. I did not mean to imply otherwise. But if the omission was an honest mistake on the part of the penitent, the Confession is still valid and the sin is forgiven. That’s the point I intended to convey.

 

[dshix]

I agree that it should be confessed again more completely. I did not mean to imply otherwise. But if the omission was an honest mistake on the part of the penitent, the Confession is still valid and the sin is forgiven. That’s the point I intended to convey.

Ah, yes, I agree.

The mortal sin is forgiven, because of an honest omission.