Sinned before penance

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michael-kaw

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I’ll try to explain my situation:

I went to confession on Saturday and it occurred to me on the bus on Tuesday (today) that I may not have done my penance so I did it on the bus. However I had mortally sinned before I said my penance today but after my last confession. Assuming I really had forgotten to do my penance on Saturday, was my confession still valid? I know that I haven’t been forgiven of my most recent sins after the last confession I did but what about the ones I said in confession but said the penance after I had sinned again?

Thank you for reading
 
If you were sorry for your sins and intended to do the penance given by the Priest while you were in the Confessional, then the absolution was valid. There isn’t a specified time to say your penance, but generally it’s better to say it as soon as possible, preferably right after confession.

From what I know, absolution is valid even if the penance wasn’t completed yet, provided that you were sorry for your sins and intended to do the penance. Absolution wouldn’t have been valid if you didn’t intend to do the penance (because this indicates that you weren’t truly sorry for your sins. Makes sense; God can’t forgive us if we aren’t truly sorry for our sins)

If, after Confession, you change your mind and then decide to not do your penance, your absolution is still valid PROVIDED YOU HAD THE INTENTION OF DOING THE PENANCE WHILE IN THE CONFESSIONAL eg when the Priest was giving absolution. However, in this case, you would commit a new, separate sin by choosing not to do your penance, despite your absolution being valid. (I might be wrong on this bit so don’t take it as fact; clarify with a Priest) The gravity of this new sin of failure to do penance would be dependent on the sins confessed: if you confessed mortal sins, then failure to do this assigned penance INTENTIONALLY is a mortal sin. If you confessed venial sins, then failure to do this assigned penance INTENTIONALLY is a venial sin.

However, forgetting to do it is NOT a sin, and thus your absolution is VALID, provided you had the intention of doing the penance and were sorry for all your mortal sins

Do read up on the CCC regarding Confession, and clarify with a Priest if you have any questions after reading it: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm
 
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Is there someone you can talk to about confession? You seem to have a few questions about confession. There is plenty of online content, there are book, there are call in radio shows. You’ll need to go back to confession anyway according to your post ask your priest. I want to help you and give you the best advice I can.
 
I think you need a good spiritual director. At a minimum, please talk to your pastor regarding your confusion regarding confession.
 
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