Should I "fix" anything about this confession?

[EarthWanderer]

Hello, I was at a confession a few days ago. There was one sin where I was not sure if it was venial, or grave. I did confess this sin as such. But then I wanted to add that if this was grave, I commited a separate (grave) sin of receiving the Eucharist while in the state of this grave sin.

What I wanted to say to the priest was something along the lines that I don’t know if I didn’t receive the latest Eucharist in the state of a grave sin (because of the sin I confessed a few moments ago) and that I’m not trying to excuse myself nor wanting to make it more serious than it potentially was. (My intent was to submit this “receiving Euchairst in the state of a grave sin” sin just like it happened, or didn’t happen.)

However when I started to say “I don’t know…”, the priest interrupted me and said that I should know if I committed a sin or not. I tried to explain that I know it was a sin, but that I’m not sure about its graveness (which would then either mean receiving the Eucharist in a grave sin, or not) and that I don’t want to belittle it.

But his interruption kind of derailed me and I’m not sure now if - based on what I actually said in reaction to his comments, rather that if I was allowed to say what I planned to say without interruptions - I actually sufficiently confessed/explained this particular sin or its circumstances.

As a result, in a way I actually feel worse after this “imperfect confession” than before it. As if I wanted to solve certain problems, but kept some and caused a different one. I understand that feelings are not always the decisive factor, but on the other hand I know how the joy or serenity feels like when I relieve my conscience in a good confession. In this case, my heart and brain are kind of confused. What (if anything) can I do about this? Let time heal it? Go to a new confession? Mention this at the next confession?

(In general, the priest seemed to be in a rush or something, saying “next” repeatedly when I confessed individual sins, not allowing to provide much background - for me, such an approach is not exactly comforting.)

Additional comments for context:
As for the (un)certainty about a grave sin, I understand some things (their graveness) are obvious and clear. But in some cases, it is more difficult for me to say whether the line was crossed or not. (Also keeping in mind the possibility of various levels of behaviour in the same matter.) To make it more complicated, on the one hand I know that if there are doubts about the graveness, it means no grave sin (and then I would be unsincere during a confession if saying it was definitely a grave sin). But on the other hand, what if these doubts come from the devil?

Many years ago, I was quite scrupulous and was able to go to confession every two days or so. I managed to get this under control, but on the other hand I’m now sometimes not sure if I cannot get a bit on the lax side.

Thank you for any helpful advices or comments.

 

[Lou2U]

Here is an excellent post from @edward_george1, a Priest:

Please stop describing your sins in detail! Moral Theology

I’m a priest. I hear confessions. And I can tell you, you don’t even need to go into detail in confession!! It’s better if you don’t. If you just say “I committed X sin Y times,” that suffices. And if I’m not clear on what you mean, I’ll ask! But detail has a danger, that we start explaining things to try to justify them. It’s better for our humility to just admit what we did and accept God’s forgiveness and get out! Be brief, be bold, be gone! -Fr ACEGC

Perhaps if you want to make a longer confession, you could schedule one with the Priest? And I suggest you talk to him about your worries on making a good confession. It’s more than likely it could be your scruples flaring up.

 

[EZweber]

If you were not fully aware that you were in a state of mortal sin, receiving the Eucharist was probably not a mortal sin. Mortal sin requires “full knowledge and deliberate consent.” I would confess it anyway though, preferably before reception of the Eucharist.

 

[TheLittleLady]

I don’t know if I didn’t receive the latest Eucharist in the state of a grave sin

I tried to explain that I know it was a sin, but that I’m not sure about its graveness

In order for a grave sin to be mortal you have to know it is sinful and have done it on purpose regardless of the sin you knew it to be.

We don’t have to determine “graveness”, just confess and let God sort it out.

Go to confession again and confess the sins you know you committed.

(In general, the priest seemed to be in a rush or something, saying “next” repeatedly when I confessed individual sins, not allowing to provide much background - for me, such an approach is not exactly comforting.)

The general rule about confession:

Be brief
Be bold
Be gone

Do not go into details and explanations. State your sins and how many times you committed them (approximate is okay “around once a weel” or “just about every day” are okay). No details, no explanations. IF the priest wants details he will ask.

 

[Michael_Anthony]

It sounds like you did your best and were probably forgiven if you are unsure, you should probably ask your priest, in the future, I would say that you should just say “I did x, y times” (y can usually just be a generalization “a few times”, “a bunch of times”, etc.), and if necessary “I did x, y times, I’m not sure if in the situation it was mortally sinful…” and move on to the next sin, if you received the Eucharist in this situation (not knowing if something you did was mortally sinful), even if you later realized your actions to be mortally sinful, I don’t think that itself would count as a sin because you would not have known at the time you received communion that you were not in a state of grace (and if you later realize that it was only venial, then the confeitor and reception of the Eucharist would both have removed that sin), that said, you could if you felt the need tag on a “and if that was sinful, then I recieved the Eucharist x times while not in a state of grace”.
If the priest ever needs more details then he will ask.