Several Questions about Confession

[Bookcat]

And do not take up habits that lead to scrupulosity - such as reconfessing sins already confessed, because the wording was “wrong.” Jesus knew what you meant to say, and forgave you, the first time.

Right!

Things can be said well in all sorts of ways!!

One just needs the number and kind (“adultery” --not just “I did a sexual sin”) and circumstances that actually change the sin…like the person was ones brother that you murdered.

 

[jmcrae]

Right!

Things can be said well in all sorts of ways!!

One just needs the number and kind (“adultery” --not just “I did a sexual sin”) and circumstances that actually change the sin…like the person was ones brother that you murdered.

Right - but if, after receiving the Absolution, you realize that in your nervousness you named the wrong brother, or said that you flurved the jabberwock, instead of that you bamed it, fear not - Jesus understood you, and forgave you of the sin.

 

[Bookcat]

Right - but if, after receiving the Absolution, you realize that in your nervousness you named the wrong brother, or said that you flurved the jabberwock, instead of that you bamed it, fear not - Jesus understood you, and forgave you of the sin.

No names need be given.

One may confess the murder of ones brother without any names

as to the other …sorry I did not understand

But yes one can out of nervousness mix up things in some of the other things you may have said …and still be able to say the essential for that confession

“I murdered my brother”

 

[jmcrae]

as to the other …sorry I did not understand

And yet, Jesus understood it - so it need not be re-confessed.

 

[Bookcat]

And yet, Jesus understood it - so it need not be re-confessed.

it was not the sin…just some sentence…the sin was the murder of my brother…some unneeded detail is not important…

 

[RuthByzCat3]

Thanks for all the great responses. I hope you don’t mind if I add another question:
This is a scenario. Murder for this question is the same as “x” in a math problem.

Me: “I murdered people, both before and after I knew it was a sin, which was about three months ago.”
Father grants absolution.

Several months intervene. I commit more murders. I eventually go to Confession. At this Confession, I confess in something like the following way: "In between time x and time y, I murdered habitually (I confess this several more times, with slightly varying numbers/terms, depending on what I think is accurate, to make sure the number is correct). Then, around a year from the time I was cured of my habit of murder:

Me: “Oh no! I didn’t number the murders correctly at the first Confession, and now that I think about it, I knew murder was a sin a year beforehand!”

Now that I think about it, I may have confessed the murders from my whole life to the priest, but I am unsure.

I hope this wasn’t too confusing (I realize that my writing is often all over the place), and I beg you to analyze it and tell me what needs to be done. I can provide extra information if that helps. Thanks!

 

[Bookcat]

Thanks for all the great responses. I hope you don’t mind if I add another question:
This is a scenario. Murder for this question is the same as “x” in a math problem.

Me: “I murdered people, both before and after I knew it was a sin, which was about three months ago.”
Father grants absolution.

Several months intervene. I commit more murders. I eventually go to Confession. At this Confession, I confess in something like the following way: "In between time x and time y, I murdered habitually (I confess this several more times, with slightly varying numbers/terms, depending on what I think is accurate, to make sure the number is correct). Then, around a year from the time I was cured of my habit of murder:

Me: “Oh no! I didn’t number the murders correctly at the first Confession, and now that I think about it, I knew murder was a sin a year beforehand!”

Now that I think about it, I may have confessed the murders from my whole life to the priest, but I am unsure.

I hope this wasn’t too confusing (I realize that my writing is often all over the place), and I beg you to analyze it and tell me what needs to be done. I can provide extra information if that helps. Thanks!

One must on the one hand avoid scrupling over things and on the other make an honest confession of ones mortal sins in number and in kind (and circumstance that change the sin …like it was your brother you murdered)…

So the person in question could be advised to make an appointment with a good Priest for confession and lay it before the Priest …explaining things to him…who can help him to confess what ever needs be confessed…perhaps what to examine etc…and what he may be scrupling over…

It may be that the person needs to confess something …or it may be that the person with his deeper conversion has also dug a bit too deep and hit upon an underground stream of scruples.

 

[mangy_dog]

Thanks for all the great responses. I hope you don’t mind if I add another question:
This is a scenario. Murder for this question is the same as “x” in a math problem.

Me: “I murdered people, both before and after I knew it was a sin, which was about three months ago.”
Father grants absolution.

Several months intervene. I commit more murders. I eventually go to Confession. At this Confession, I confess in something like the following way: "In between time x and time y, I murdered habitually (I confess this several more times, with slightly varying numbers/terms, depending on what I think is accurate, to make sure the number is correct). Then, around a year from the time I was cured of my habit of murder:

Me: “Oh no! I didn’t number the murders correctly at the first Confession, and now that I think about it, I knew murder was a sin a year beforehand!”

Now that I think about it, I may have confessed the murders from my whole life to the priest, but I am unsure.

I hope this wasn’t too confusing (I realize that my writing is often all over the place), and I beg you to analyze it and tell me what needs to be done. I can provide extra information if that helps. Thanks!

Murder is a bad example if it’s only an example. You, I and just about every human being has a somewhat, vague notion that murder is [bad] or if thinking in religious terms - a sin. At any rate everyone has at least a murky notion of murder as being wrong.

Your use of comments like, " habitual murder" and “being cured of my habit”- makes it seem like we are talking about cheating on your spouse on several occasions.

If - and only if - murder is the real sin, and you are treating it as if it were “habitual profanity” then I believe you need a psychologist (maybe even a straight jacket) in addition to a priest ( and possibly an exorcism).

 

[Bookcat]

Murder is a bad example if it’s only an example. You, I and just about every human being has a somewhat, vague notion that murder is [bad] or if thinking in religious terms - a sin. At any rate everyone has at least a murky notion of murder as being wrong.

Your use of comments like, " habitual murder" and “being cured of my habit”- makes it seem like we are talking about cheating on your spouse on several occasions.

If - and only if - murder is the real sin, and you are treating it as if it were “habitual profanity” then I believe you need a psychologist (maybe even a straight jacket) in addition to a priest ( and possibly an exorcism).

He was only using it as an example…such is commonly done…take an extreme example for the sake of questions etc. But yes your point is valid that one does need to take into account that some sins can sometimes have other factors involved …and yes murder is more easily known to be very bad via natural law by even those without any religious background…

In any case as I noted above…making an appointment with a Priest to lay everything out …and get his direction etc is the way to go…

 

[mangy_dog]

He was only using it as an example…such is commonly done…take an extreme example for the sake of questions etc. But yes your point is valid that one does need to take into account that some sins can sometimes have other factors involved …and yes murder is more easily known to be very bad via natural law by even those without any religious background…

In any case as I noted above…making an appointment with a Priest to lay everything out …and get his direction etc is the way to go…

Ok good. We agree its a bad (extreme) example with its own set of circumstances. Just thought it would be more realistic if x were “cheating on spouse” or stealing candy from a baby.

 

[Bookcat]

Ok good. We agree its a bad (extreme) example with its own set of circumstances. Just thought it would be more realistic if x were “cheating on spouse” or stealing candy from a baby.

I use murder all the time as an example…

Tis classic.

 

[mangy_dog]

I use murder all the time as an example…

Tis classic.

Ah! I see.

 

[Bookcat]

One reason…is that it is not something people often (aside unfortunately for abortion…)…

so it is makes things “less personal”.

But I do use other things too …