Repeat prior confessions?

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anniemommy

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Hello, everyone
In October, I made my first confession after 8 years. I decided to come back to the church after being wishy-washy for a number of years. I couldn’t be happier with my decision! I love the One True Church! My question is this: During this confession I was so nervous since it had been so long since my last confession and I had SO many things to confess since I was living by what the world thought was okay, that I now feel that I used improper wording with how I phrased things. For instance, for a couple of mortal sins I said that I “experimented” with (sin) instead of I committed (sin) for (#) of years. At the time I wasn’t purposefully trying to deceive the priest, it was just the first word that came to my panic-striken mind when trying to figure out how to say everything. I have also gone to subsequent confessions and was never asked by the priest the number of times I committed the sin. I didn’t learn until recently that we are supposed to number our mortal sins. Should I confess again everything that I had already confessed? I wasn’t trying to downplay what I had done, but was unfamiliar with the process. I did tell the priest that I had been away from the church for a long time and was coming back…Thank you for your help!
 
We are obliged to confess all mortal sins in number and kind (and circumstance that changes it…like it was your Father you murdered)

If one makes a “bad confession” that is one intentionally tries to hide etc ones *mortal sins *or the number of them…then one needs usually to confess again all the mortal sins from that confession and since (if any) and the what was hidden…and the fact that one did such.

A person who forgets a mortal sin …or tries to make a good confession but say makes an honest mistake (like forgets to give the number…or it would seem in this case did not know one was to give it) does not have to re- confess everything…they just needs to confess what was forgotten in the next confession (say they forgot it or did not know they had to). They are obliged to just give what was forgotten (of course this may need a bit of what was confessed before at times) .

This too can be of help from Jimmy Akin of CA

jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2007/03/specific_confes.html

(a note to some readers…those who are scrupulous…if they have concerns in this area should speak with their regular confessor…for they can often try to do this when there is no need)
 
Welcome home…it can take some time to get the hang of certain things…but it is wonderful! In Jesus Christ and thus in his Sacraments are true life!
 
Confession is not a mechanical process, it a healing process!

At your next confession, say to the priest that you recently learned that you are to confess your mortal sins in number and kind, and ask for guidance in meeting this requirement.

During confession, the priest is listening for weasel words - he will ask if he thinks you are not giving enough information about the sin. He can also hear your sincerity and contrition, and as long as you are indeed honest and contrite, absolution will forgive even sins you have forgotten :).

Your previous confessions have wiped your sin away, so be at peace! Simply ask for guidance next time your in the confessional.
 
runningdude said:
During confession, the priest is listening for weasel words - he will ask if he thinks you are not giving enough information about the sin. He can also hear your sincerity and contrition, and as long as you are indeed honest and contrite, absolution will forgive even sins you have forgotten :).

Your previous confessions have wiped your sin away, so be at peace! Simply ask for guidance next time your in the confessional.
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While it is true that many priests will listen for places to ask questions…

it is important to note that confession though is not an “interrogation” …it is our responsibility to confess our mortal sins in number and kind…and if we forget them say…to confess them in the next confession (such is our obligation)… 🙂

(of course readers with scrupulosity will need more help and can be in a different boat sometimes…)
 
quote=anniemommy;7960391]Hello, everyone
In October, I made my first confession after 8 years. I . . . . .

that I now feel that I used improper wording with how I phrased things.
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there is no such thing as long as you do not withhold any mortal sin deliberately
Should I confess again everything that I had already confessed? I !
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nope

you were absolved of all sin of you past life. forget it.

Welcome home
 
Thank you for your advice. I just want to make sure that I was clear in my original post that I never gave the number of years I was committing the sin when I told the priest that I experimented with a specific sin. I never gave the amount in years or number of times for anything I confessed. I hope he doesn’t just assume that I meant one time for everything. Does this change anyone’s response? Thanks again for all of your help! I just want to be honest and live a good life! I hope I’m not starting to get scrupulous, but I want to make sure my conscience is clear. I went Mass yesterday and this morning and was just praying that I wasn’t receiving the Eucharist unworthily.
 
anniemommy said:
Thank you for your advice. I just want to make sure that I was clear in my original post that I never gave the number of years I was committing the sin when I told the priest that I experimented with a specific sin. I never gave the amount in years or number of times for anything I confessed. I hope he doesn’t just assume that I meant one time for everything. Does this change anyone’s response? Thanks again for all of your help! I just want to be honest and live a good life! I hope I’m not starting to get scrupulous, but I want to make sure my conscience is clear. I went Mass yesterday and this morning and was just praying that I wasn’t receiving the Eucharist unworthily.
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Hi Annie, and welcome - I’m new here too.

When I went to Mass yesterday (and missed out on Reconciliation), I didn’t receive the Eucharist because I’d committed a mortal sin that morning. Regular practice, of course - but I’ve decided (for myself) that, if in any doubt, I will not receive the Host. I think it’s a good, safe discipline.

I think being “wishy washy” and away from the Church was the bigger sin for you and myself, so (and, anyone, correct me if I’m wrong) whatever you did was bound to be gravely sinful as well, and the priest would’ve understood the gravity of your confessions. It seems that the number of times you’ve committed a sin is more of an issue once you’re inside the Church. But, being only recently back myself, it’d be good to have this clarified to me as well.

General comment: Confessing prior sins that have you’ve already been forgiven for is pointless. Repeating confessions of sins that you’ve committed again is the issue. I hope that makes sense, and it’s not specifically addressed to you - I’m trying to remember this myself (and welcome correction/clarification).

God bless.
 
anniemommy said:
Thank you for your advice. I just want to make sure that I was clear in my original post that I never gave the number of years I was committing the sin when I told the priest that I experimented with a specific sin. I never gave the amount in years or number of times for anything I confessed. I hope he doesn’t just assume that I meant one time for everything. Does this change anyone’s response? Thanks again for all of your help! I just want to be honest and live a good life! I hope I’m not starting to get scrupulous, but I want to make sure my conscience is clear. I went Mass yesterday and this morning and was just praying that I wasn’t receiving the Eucharist unworthily.
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Examine what all the mortal sins (in number and kind etc) were and make an appointment with the priest for confession…even when one makes an honest confession…if the number or kind of mortal sins were honestly omitted (from one not knowing one should for example…) one still needs to confess them…

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7960538&postcount=2
 
anniemommy said:
Thank you for your advice. I just want to make sure that I was clear in my original post that I never gave the number of years I was committing the sin .
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if the priest had needed for info he would have asked. put this out of your mind, unless as I said you deliberately withheld any mortal sin or deliberately mislead the priest. ie. I stole something small from work when you should have said, I stole a $100,000 bond from work, hey it’s only 3"x8"
 
puzzleannie said:
if the priest had needed for info he would have asked. put this out of your mind, unless as I said you deliberately withheld any mortal sin or deliberately mislead the priest.
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The person STILL needs to confess the mortal sins in number and kind etc. Confession is not “interrogation” it is “confession” where by we “confess” …we have the responsibility the obligation to ourselves say with our lips …to confess our mortal sins that we have committed in number and kind. Yes the priest can ask us questions…but just cause he does not do so does not mean that one is still not obligated to confess in number and kind and if one honestly did not know one should or forgets to do so…one needs to repair it… Most Priests do not have the extraordinary gift of being able to know and tell us our sins to confess…

If I committed murder 3x and I go in and confess “I committed murder” the Priest is likely to think it was one time …now if I later realize I am to give number of mortal sins…I still need to in my next confession say “I did not realize I was to give numbers…I accuse myself of 3 murders”…I can not just not do this…for it has not yet be submitted in number and kind directly to the keys (see Canon Law).

(those with scruples though…may be in a different boat …such as worrying about re-confessing when there is no need etc…they should seek the guidance of their confessor)
 
Bookcat said:
The person STILL needs to confess the mortal sins in number and kind etc. )
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there is no requirement that we confess a precise number of times we have done a particular sin. What is required that we do our best, through a prayerful examination of conscience, to recall and confess all mortal sins in kind and number (or frequency if that makes more sense). OP has done that. Let her be at peace and don’t lay burdens on her that the Church does not.

If you later recall something you wish you had remembered and confess, of course you may bring it up at your next confession, for peace of mind if no other reason, but it is very harmful to get in the habit of replaying each confession over and over in increasing anxiety, and keep going back until you get it right. If this is becoming a problem, feeling anxiety about having been absolved, bring it up to the priest the next time you go to confession and let him guide you.
 
puzzleannie said:
there is no requirement that we confess a precise number of times we have done a particular sin. What is required that we do our best, through a prayerful examination of conscience, to recall and confess all mortal sins in kind and number (or frequency if that makes more sense). OP has done that. Let her be at peace and don’t lay burdens on her that the Church does not.

If you later recall something you wish you had remembered and confess, of course you may bring it up at your next confession, for peace of mind if no other reason, but it is very harmful to get in the habit of replaying each confession over and over in increasing anxiety, and keep going back until you get it right. If this is becoming a problem, feeling anxiety about having been absolved, bring it up to the priest the next time you go to confession and let him guide you.
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We are required to confess all mortal sins in number and kind. Such is our obligation (CIC 988.1). If they are not able to give the actual material number they can approximate…for one can only do what one can. The other person has not done that…they have said such the the posts above–they did not know to give any number for mortal sins! (you may have missed it). I am not laying any thing on the other person other than noting the requirement. Answering their question.

They noted that they did not give any numbers for mortal sins…so now that that they know they need to --they need to do so (as noted above I would think that since it was done via honest mistake of not knowing to (like forgetting) --they would not need to repeat all mortal sins…like a “bad confession”). This is the discipline and teaching of the Church (and is required by Divine Law according to the Church…each and every mortal sin must be confessed…though there can be exceptions…such as not being able to remember them.)

They have come asking what to do and I have noted what needs to be done. Just answering the question.

If one forgets a moral sin…one too is obliged to confess it still. All mortal sins are to be submitted directly in number and kind to the keys.

(as noted above those who are scrupulous … refer to your confessor for those in your boat can be in a different boat than those who are not (they can fear all sorts of things and want to confess and reconfess needlessly)…ones confessor can guide one…)
 
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