Sinned - Confession?

[idontknow]

I sinned today (masturbated), and I know I Need to go to confession. But they do not have it here where I live. We (me and my wife) aren’t planning on going to a bigger city this weekend (about an hour’s drive).

So if I know it was wrong and am sorry, is it ok to not go to confession until I can get to a city that has it? And otherwise do things as normal?

Thanx.

 

[teachccd]

Pray a good Act of Contrition and go to confession as soon as you are able. God does not expect the impossible. Continue your prayer life and don’t despair as this is satan’s playground. When you get in town make a good confession. I cannot say whether the circumstances prevent you from going to the Eucharist but if you want to be on the safe side you might refrain until you go to confession. Only you can know that since there are factors that mitigate this sin. God bless you…teachccd

 

[baltobetsy]

Are you able to go to Mass on the weekend? If there is a priest nearby who celebrates Mass, you can confess to him. You should absolutely not receive Communion until you make your Confession.

 

[teachccd]

You should absolutely not receive Communion until you make your Confession.

While I agree that it would be wise to refrain from the Eucharist, where do you find that one absolutely cannot receive? Is this in the CCC? In the CCC it states in paragraph 2352b:

To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

He may have been told that he falls into this category. You cannot know this. Only he can. Please correct me if I am wrong and document your correction. Thank you and God bless… teachccd

 

[Elizabeth502]

teach, I think betsy is referring to the OP’s admission that he knew he did wrong (“if I knew I did wrong”) and his own recognition that he sinned (“I sinned today”), as opposed to his (not) asking a question about whether it was a sin.

The Church herself respects that self-judgment from the sinner, as you know. When in the confessional, the priest does not ask, “Are you sure you sinned?” (etc.) unless the penitent “confesses” something that is clearly not a sin, and/or unless the penitent himself expresses doubts to the priest. The Church does not introduce doubt in the sinner, about sin, nor should we, if the self-accusing sinner does not do so. The Church trusts that each person has an interior voice about culpability, unless otherwise indicated.

 

[Bookcat]

You can call any Catholic Priest and drop by for confession…no need to wait until a scheduled time.

And of course make an act of perfect contrition (contrition out of love of God) and intend to get to confession as soon as you reasonably can.

One would of course not go to Holy Communion until after confession though when one commits a mortal sin.

But if there is a parish near by …feel very free to give the Priest a ring …or even stop by…

 

[teachccd]

teach, I think betsy is referring to the OP’s admission that he knew he did wrong (“if I knew I did wrong”) and his own recognition that he sinned (“I sinned today”), as opposed to his (not) asking a question about whether it was a sin.

The Church herself respects that self-judgment from the sinner, as you know. When in the confessional, the priest does not ask, “Are you sure you sinned?” (etc.) unless the penitent “confesses” something that is clearly not a sin, and/or unless the penitent himself expresses doubts to the priest. The Church does not introduce doubt in the sinner, about sin, nor should we, if the self-accusing sinner does not do so. The Church trusts that each person has an interior voice about culpability, unless otherwise indicated.

You only refrain from receiving the Eucharist if you are aware of mortal sin. The OP is aware that he sinned but that sin may or may not be a mortal sin which would prohibit him from receiving. If his sin is mitigated by the conditions stated in the CCC then no mortal sin was comitted and he can receive the Eucharist. We seem to be so hung up on masturbation but this is true for any sin against the ten commandments. We really need to have a better understanding as to what the Church teaches about mortal sin and not place everyone in that category. Thank you for hearing me on this one and God bless you… teachccd

 

[teachccd]

One would of course not go to Holy Communion until after confession though when one commits a mortal sin.

.

And this must be discerned by the sinner. It is not an automatic assumption… teachccd

 

[Bookcat]

And this must be discerned

Default…is that it is a grave matter that was in fact committed…so one abstains from Communion …presumption stands there.

 

[Bookcat]

And this must be discerned by the sinner. It is not an automatic assumption… teachccd

Of course for mortal sin one needs grave matter (as this is) and full knowledge and complete consent…

When dealing with grave actions that one knowing did…like this…

Default is going to be…is that it is a grave matter that was in fact committed…so one abstains from Communion …presumption stands there.

 

[baltobetsy]

While I agree that it would be wise to refrain from the Eucharist, where do you find that one absolutely cannot receive? Is this in the CCC? In the CCC it states in paragraph 2352b:

To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

He may have been told that he falls into this category. You cannot know this. Only he can. Please correct me if I am wrong and document your correction. Thank you and God bless… teachccd

If he’s been told he falls into this category, he’s not going to be asking us the question, as it will have been asked and answered for him previously. By the use of the term, “pastoral action,” the paragraph refers to the priest making the equitable judgment about the sinner’s moral responsibility. If he has not been told he falls into this category, it is not appropriate for him to make such a conclusion on his own.

 

[teachccd]

Fair enough… the courtroom is adjourned…teachccd

 

[Maureen1125]

I think it is safe to assume that if he is not planning to travel over an hour away to “the city” where he can have his confession heard, then there is probably not a church nearby for him to attend mass this weekend either. If there were, then he could simply have his confession heard there as opposed to driving an hour away to another city.

 

[idontknow]

I think it is safe to assume that if he is not planning to travel over an hour away to “the city” where he can have his confession heard, then there is probably not a church nearby for him to attend mass this weekend either. If there were, then he could simply have his confession heard there as opposed to driving an hour away to another city.

• Thanx for the advice.

There is a church here (smaller town), but it doesn’t have confessions before mass like others. They only do confessions for Christmas and Easter I think (doesn’t even have a confessional). I don’t want to personally meet with the priest as he knows me. - We might end up going to KC now, so I will need to work that out.

 

[Maureen1125]

I have the exact same issue. It has taken me quite awhile to get over my Priest knowing all my “secrets” and I am still not all the way there. I am fortunate in living in a large city where I have easily a dozen…maybe more…churches within a 10min ride.

 

[LilyM]

• Thanx for the advice.

There is a church here (smaller town), but it doesn’t have confessions before mass like others. They only do confessions for Christmas and Easter I think (doesn’t even have a confessional). I don’t want to personally meet with the priest as he knows me. - We might end up going to KC now, so I will need to work that out.

Yes the priest may know you. But please don’t let that fact deter you from going to confession as soon as you can.

Masturbation can be a serious sin, and embarrassing to confess, but at the same time is by far one of the most commonly committed, and confessed, of all sins.

Rest assured your priest will not be shocked by it, he won’t think the worse of you for struggling with what he knows is an incredibly common failing, or anything like that.

And truth is none of us know when we will be called before the judgement throne. Far better confess on Sunday, and receive communion as well with a clear conscience, than take the risk.