Someone with no sins to confess?

[Elvis_Guy]

Sounds like a guy I used to work with. He had started his own home church - except his wife & kids weren’t disciples - & he really shocked me when he said he hadn’t committed a single sin since his conversion!

I was too polite to say anything, but I would have given anything to ask his wife if he was really without sin.

Lol…well…my coma thing just popped out…in truth …I feel sorry for he is in a church that somehow deceived him…there are odd…teaching floating around…

 

[ryanferg]

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. Knowing my friend…she told me that with pure intentions. I have no doubt that if the Holy Spirit helps me to talk with her about the things we have discussed in this forum she would listen to every word I say and take it to heart. I could tell she was even looking to me for guidance when she said that…but with all of the apologetic material I have read and listened to I drew a blank.

I think I will print off an examination of conscience and have a visit with my good friends. Not to prove her wrong…but because I love them.

 

[odile53]

How would I respond to such a statement? By raising one eyebrow, like Mr. Spock of Star Trek fame! And not a word spoken!

 

[Nom_the_Wise]

I really never have time to confess all of my sins. I think the point is to do the examination of conscience to the best of your ability, and just tell the priest “Look, if I tell you everything you’re never going to get Mass started on time. So I’m just going to give you the top 10 and hope that absolution will wash out the corners for me.”

 

[Vico]

If you perform an examination of conscience and come up empty after two years, you are either a saint or are purposely keeping yourself ignorant of what sin is.

It’s an interesting question - if I cover my ears and go “na na na” when people are talking about sin, is that a sin in itself? If I hear that missing Mass is a mortal sin but I don’t believe it, is that a sin in itself?

It would be really bad it she neglected to learn what the Church teaches, that brings culpability. But, maybe only venial sins were present.

“To choose deliberately - that is, both knowing it and willing it - something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin. This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death.” - CCC 1874

“One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law,or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.” - CCC 1862

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

It is my understanding that one only has to go to confession if one has committed a mortal sin. The confession during mass takes care of all the venial sins. Am I mistaken?

I stopped going to confession because our priest seemed impatient with my usual list of venial sins. I do go when we have the special penance services during Advent & Lent - then I can go to a priest who doesn’t know me too well.

I miss the priests who helped me spiritually in confession even tho my sins were small potatoes.

I do not think that any sin is a small potatoe…

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

What do you say to someone who truly thinks they are sinless?

Perhaps you could say something like, “Gee, perhaps then we should be genuflecting to both the tabernacle and you…”

or

“Oh good! When you die you’ll take away my sins!”

 

[kmo_9000]

It is my understanding that one only has to go to confession if one has committed a mortal sin. The confession during mass takes care of all the venial sins. Am I mistaken?

I stopped going to confession because our priest seemed impatient with my usual list of venial sins. I do go when we have the special penance services during Advent & Lent - then I can go to a priest who doesn’t know me too well.

I miss the priests who helped me spiritually in confession even tho my sins were small potatoes.

Confession is the only way to get rid of a mortal sin, a mortal sin is not the only reason to go to confession.

The pope goes to confession every week, I guess those of us who only go once a year are better than the pope. /sarcasm

Confession is an important sacrament that gives graces to grow closer to god. It is a shame that a lot of priests can’t see this.

 

[Bonnie]

I do not think that any sin is a small potatoe…

Nor do I - any sin can lead to separation from God. But some priests don’t want their time wasted with venial sins, which can be dealt with by confessing to God & making an act of contrition.

I might be better off confessing behind the screen. Then I can’t see when the priest is looking put upon or rolling his eyes.

I haven’t tried out our new priest yet - maybe he will be more patient with me.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Just confess all your offenses against God. Racking you brains with what is mortal sin or not in my opinion is not a good exercise. You’ll mostly downplay it anyway. I’m not saying we are trying to be dishonest, its just human nature to be optimistic about ourselves.

 

[Batfink]

Fr Z did a great post a while back which, while not entirely on-topic, might be helpful for someone in your friend’s situation. I’ve found it very helpful when I find myself falling into the trap he mentions of believing some of the more liberal ideas, I consider “do I want to bet my soul on this nice sounding platitude being true?”

Also, as others have mentioned, frequency of confession really helps me to find things to confess. I can easily confess as much weekly now as I used to in a year, or two, or three. If you could persuade her to go to Confession even once, if possible with a priest you know to be particularly helpful, and she had a good experience, I think she would go back and try again. This time of year is really good as many parishes have Reconciliation services with a few priests available so she could take her time without having to go through the scary process of making an appointment. If she explained her situation to a good priest, he would guide her through an examination of conscience so that she could reflect on what she’d done.

You and I are going to die someday. We don’t know when.

When we die we will be judged.

Scripture teaches, and Christ’s own words and actions make clear, that there are some sins bad enough to kill the life of grace in the soul and sever you from friendship with God.

Die in that state and you will be eternally separated from God.

If you think about that – eternal separation from God – which doesn’t immediately sound that bad, you will run or crawl to the confessional, get yourself to the priest to confess every mortal sin in kind and number you can think of…. because… you one day will die.

Jesus Christ Himself gave His own power to forgive sins to bishops and priests as the ordinary means for forgiveness of post-baptismal mortal sins. Christ’s power is exercised in the Sacrament of Penance.

You may have heard some goofy ideas over the years, or when you were growing up, about it being nearly impossible to commit a mortal sin, or that all that stuff the Church taught is too strict or too focused on sex or too mired in the mores of ages past.

Do you want to bet your eternal soul on those goofy ideas which, in your heart of hearts you know full well are dead wrong? When they are going all squishy and wobbly and easy on what you are doing… doesn’t that actually ring alarm bells somewhere in your conscience?

That alarm bell you hear is your conscience and God’s grace trying to pull your sorry backside out of the serious spiritual danger your soul might be in. And if your soul winds up in Hell, friend, your body will one day follow. And the results of that will never… ever… end.

Never ending separation from God in hopeless, loveless agony … or… the sight of God face to face, the fulfillment of every good and the perfection of every joy and virtue in communion with the angels and saints and the infinite Triune God.

Heaven or the PIT.

Stick to the Church, friends.

Review the Catechism of the Catholic Church or any old approved Catechism or pious book of prayers with examinations of conscience. Forget what the “Everyone’s just fine as they are and Jesus is a fluffy huggy friend” crowd, the “There can’t be anyone in hell” gang. Wanna bet your soul on that?

Never mind about the pious language in some of those older book, look at the substance. The things the old books and approved Catechisms say are sins really are sins and they can put you in Hell forever if you don’t confess them, receive absolution, do penance and amend your life.

Go to confession. Hold nothing back.

Go to confession. Confess it all, in kind and number.

Go to confession. Don’t be afraid.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Nor do I - any sin can lead to separation from God. But some priests don’t want their time wasted with venial sins, which can be dealt with by confessing to God & making an act of contrition.

I might be better off confessing behind the screen. Then I can’t see when the priest is looking put upon or rolling his eyes.

I haven’t tried out our new priest yet - maybe he will be more patient with me.

If they do not have patience, what do you have to do with that? It is their business.
I would go on till they would say to me to stop.
Now, if they rolling their eyes to the ceiling, maybe they are contempating the beautiful paintings in the ceiling and meditating. Or meditating on how good you are!!!
Who cares?
If they do not have patience for confessions (and many dont for it is terribly tiring), what about going fishing ?
It is their job !!!

 

[centurionguard]

Even the greatest of Saints who died with sanctifying grace had venial sins on their souls. No one but Jesus (In the Mystery of the Holy Trinity) and his Holy Blessed Immaculate Mother Mary attained absolute perfection.

Even if through the absolute grace of God a human soul masters the great Virtue of Humility along with all the Theological and Cardinal Virtues doesn’t guarantee a state of absolute perfection. Only God is Absolute and the Author of all Perfection.

Nothing Created from God’s Hand is Perfect like that unto God Himself.
Humility is the Key to All God’s Virtues.

 

[Batfink]

I have a question on a related topic as it seems from a lot of the posts above that we Catholics are quite realistic about our sinful nature, but maybe to the exclusion of the grace which enables us to grow towards God:

Do we think it’s possible for someone to live a sinless life? Obviously that person would have original sin, but it must be at least possible for someone to live without personal sin. I mean, when we say the Act of Contrition, we promise not to sin again. I know I always feel bad when I come out of confession thinking “wow, he was great. I’ll go to confession with him again.”, because I feel I shouldn’t be planning on having to confess again!

I’m not suggesting the woman in the OP’s post is in this situation; clearly I expect that someone living a sinless life would have frequent recourse to prayer and the sacraments which it doesn’t sound as though she does.

And I’m not even suggesting that it has ever occured in fact that a person (Our Lady and Our Lord excepted) who was capable of personal sin has managed to avoid it, merely that it must be possible that one could. If avoiding sin is impossible, what’s the point of even trying?!

Any thoughts? Am I way off course here? I am a bit sleep deprived so I might have missed a great logical leap somewhere…

 

[Joannm]

I have a question on a related topic as it seems from a lot of the posts above that we Catholics are quite realistic about our sinful nature, but maybe to the exclusion of the grace which enables us to grow towards God:

Do we think it’s possible for someone to live a sinless life? Obviously that person would have original sin, but it must be at least possible for someone to live without personal sin. I mean, when we say the Act of Contrition, we promise not to sin again. I know I always feel bad when I come out of confession thinking “wow, he was great. I’ll go to confession with him again.”, because I feel I shouldn’t be planning on having to confess again!

I’m not suggesting the woman in the OP’s post is in this situation; clearly I expect that someone living a sinless life would have frequent recourse to prayer and the sacraments which it doesn’t sound as though she does.

And I’m not even suggesting that it has ever occured in fact that a person (Our Lady and Our Lord excepted) who was capable of personal sin has managed to avoid it, merely that it must be possible that one could. If avoiding sin is impossible, what’s the point of even trying?!

Any thoughts? Am I way off course here? I am a bit sleep deprived so I might have missed a great logical leap somewhere…

I believe people can go long times without committing mortal sins, even years. Venial sins are the other hand are easy to commit.

 

[RosalieM]

Nor do I - any sin can lead to separation from God. But some priests don’t want their time wasted with venial sins, which can be dealt with by confessing to God & making an act of contrition.

I might be better off confessing behind the screen. Then I can’t see when the priest is looking put upon or rolling his eyes.

I haven’t tried out our new priest yet - maybe he will be more patient with me.

I would feel awful if I saw a priest rolling his eyes! I’ve never confessed outside a confessional. I don’t get that “some priests don’t want their time wasted with venial sins…”
I mean the confessional lines are not very long and sometimes there’s no one at all. There is advice they can give for faults and venial sins. Our Lord gave them the power of absolution to act for Him. If we can go to a priest then why not? Too many people are thinking they have to commit a mortal sin in order to go to confession. Maybe that’s why there aren’t lines for confession. No one thinks hating someone or gossiping or being uncharitable, etc., has to be confessed. I’m fortunate I have a few priests to choose from for confession. If I sense that one of them is bored with my small potato sins; then I’ll go to someone else who isn’t. btw, I’m going tomorrow, like I do each Tuesday. Devil take the hindmost.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Even the greatest of Saints who died with sanctifying grace had venial sins on their souls. No one but Jesus (In the Mystery of the Holy Trinity) and his Holy Blessed Immaculate Mother Mary attained absolute perfection.

Do you know for sure? I mean, yes we know that Mary was all pure 'til her last breath on earth. But we do not know who else is able to die free from sin through perfect contrition. Only God knows for sure, to say conclusively that its one way or another is presumptive.

 

[RosalieM]

Here is a “p.s.” for the idea of not confessing venial sins ( from Catholic Notes “Rules for Discerning Spirits”):

The Effects of Venial Sin:

1.   It makes us less fervent in the service of God.

2.   It deprives us of many Graces, which God would have given us.

3.   It weakens our power to resist sin.

4.   It predisposes us to Mortal Sin.

5.   It merits God’s punishments in this life or in purgatory.

So, for heaven’s sake, why not confess venial sins? And if a priest should think it’s silly, find another priest because he’s wrong.

 

[ryanferg]

Do we think it’s possible for someone to live a sinless life? Obviously that person would have original sin, but it must be at least possible for someone to live without personal sin.

I would say that anything is possible if God’s help…but for the average Joe it’s not likely…especially throughout their entire life.

If I were to guess of anyone in modern times who could be a contender for the least number of sins it would be Saint Pio. He was appalled by sin and I don’t think Satan would have attacked him as fiercely as he did if he was prone to sin. I would also tend to believe that if someone was given the stigmata that I don’t think God would be too happy if he was using that same body to commit mortal sins. Probably a good reminder to Saint Pio to avoid sin also

 

[MrZosimus]

One of the Church’s precepts is to confess at least once a year."

Is requirement only in effect for those who have sinned during the year, do would you have to go once a year regardless of whether you have sinned?