Vague Confessions

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7violinS

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Is it wrong to say a possible mortal sin as ‘impure action’ in confession? It has been several confessions already and have told the priest I may not remember all my possibly mortal sins but I do remember a few occations where I could have possibly sinned mortally. It was such a long time ago and have confessed these things as ‘impure things’ but I now feel terribly guilty and frightened that I may have been to vague, though at the time I thought it was ok.
 
7violinS said:
Is it wrong to say a possible mortal sin as ‘impure action’ in confession? It has been several confessions already and have told the priest I may not remember all my possibly mortal sins but I do remember a few occations where I could have possibly sinned mortally. It was such a long time ago and have confessed these things as ‘impure things’ but I now feel terribly guilty and frightened that I may have been to vague, though at the time I thought it was ok.
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I have the exact same question as well. I’d love to hear to an answer.
 
You should confess what the specific sins were if you can remember them. The priest should be able to help you as well, if you need it.

If you can’t remember everything, don’t worry. Just confess what you can remember, and if something comes to mind later mention it in your next confession.

Oh, and if you thought it was okay at the time, then don’t worry. Your sins have been forgiven. Just explain the situation in your next confession.
 
You should be least a little more specific about exactly what sort of ‘impure actions’ you’re talking about. I don’t think it invalidates your previous confessions that you weren’t, since the priest could have asked you for more details, but don’t make a habit of being vague. Doesn’t help the priest or yourself in the long run.

Don’t be embarrassed about confessing such sins, believe me most priests have heard everything before, and sexual sins would have to be the most common mortal sins.
 
I am planning on mentioning this in my next confession, but I was wondering if remembering these things would put me in a state of mortal sin or am I forgiven even though I’m unsure about my confession? I’m pretty sure what I did is mortal criteria but am unsure as to wether I knew that at the time. Like I said, I confessed these things as ‘Impure things’ and told the preist I may have commited mortal sins but am unsure. Does this mean I’m in a state of mortal sin?
 
If you didn’t know it was a mortal sin at the time you committed it, then there is no mortal sin.
 
7violinS said:
Is it wrong to say a possible mortal sin as ‘impure action’ in confession? It has been several confessions already and have told the priest I may not remember all my possibly mortal sins but I do remember a few occations where I could have possibly sinned mortally. It was such a long time ago and have confessed these things as ‘impure things’ but I now feel terribly guilty and frightened that I may have been to vague, though at the time I thought it was ok.
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Three things must be present at the same time in order to commit a mortal sin:
  1. It must be a grave matter.
  2. You must know that it is a grave matter.
  3. You must fully and freely consent to the commission of the sin.
If anyone of the above is missing, it is not a mortal sin. If, after examining your conscience in preparation for confession, you are still in doubt ask your priest, he won’t bite.

Iowa Mike
 
If it makes you feel any better, I was recently talking to a priest about mortal sins. He told me that very rarey are all three condtions for mortal sin present at one time. He told me that most of us very rarely committ mortal sins. That was music to this scrupulous person’s ears!
 
7violinS said:
I am planning on mentioning this in my next confession, but I was wondering if remembering these things would put me in a state of mortal sin or am I forgiven even though I’m unsure about my confession? I’m pretty sure what I did is mortal criteria but am unsure as to wether I knew that at the time. Like I said, I confessed these things as ‘Impure things’ and told the preist I may have commited mortal sins but am unsure. Does this mean I’m in a state of mortal sin?
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Remembering these things does not put you into a state of mortal sin. If you did not deliberately choose not to confess a mortal sin, then all your sins are forgiven. Even sins that you forgot are forgiven. However, you should mention them the next time you go to confession (Just say, “in a previous confession I forgot to confess … which I committed … times” or something similar). You do not have to go to confession as soon as possible. We mention mortal sins not yet confessed even when they are already forgiven in order to make them directly the object of the power of the keys of the kingdom.
 
mommyof4 said:
If it makes you feel any better, I was recently talking to a priest about mortal sins. He told me that very rarey are all three condtions for mortal sin present at one time. He told me that most of us very rarely committ mortal sins. That was music to this scrupulous person’s ears!
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I agree…seems like I think I did something really bad, and beat myself up over it until I get to confession, and I always find out it wasn’t a mortal sin.

You have to really on purpose do something awful. On purpose…like with your heart full of hate and saying ‘Screw you, man upstairs…I know this is wrong, I know why it is wrong, but I hate you and your stupid laws and rules.’

That would be a mortal sin, my friend.

Or missing mass for no good reason…whether you intended to or not. I like to fish tournaments, and sometimes get back late on Sunday nights…the activity is no excuse for me to miss Mass, otherwise I have put my hobby ahead of God. So I just tough up and find a 9PM Sunday Mass and go.
 
ForwardProgress said:
I agree…seems like I think I did something really bad, and beat myself up over it until I get to confession, and I always find out it wasn’t a mortal sin.

You have to really on purpose do something awful. On purpose…like with your heart full of hate and saying ‘Screw you, man upstairs…I know this is wrong, I know why it is wrong, but I hate you and your stupid laws and rules.’

That would be a mortal sin, my friend.

Or missing mass for no good reason…whether you intended to or not. I like to fish tournaments, and sometimes get back late on Sunday nights…the activity is no excuse for me to miss Mass, otherwise I have put my hobby ahead of God. So I just tough up and find a 9PM Sunday Mass and go.
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I don’t think it’s so hard to commit a mortal sin for example:

A married Christian man meets a woman in a bar, takes her to a motel and commits adultry. For this to be a mortal sin the three conditions must be there at the same time:
  1. It must be a grave matter - Adultry is a mortal sin.
  2. He must know it is a mortal sin…Since he’s a Christian let’s assume that he knows it is.
  3. He must freely & willfully consent…or do it in spite of knowing #1 and #2.
Number three is the ‘screw you Lord’ even if you don’t say or think it overtly.

In today’s culture I don’t think it’s too hard.

Iowa Mike
 
7violinS said:
Is it wrong to say a possible mortal sin as ‘impure action’ in confession?
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If the priest doesn’t ask for further info, then I guess it’s ok. But that’s really an impossibly vague description. What impure actions? Fornication? Adultery? Masturbation? Pornography? All perfectly good one-word descriptions and not vague at all.

But if you are unsure about something being a mortal sin, then it is not a mortal sin. Go ahead and confess it, but don’t obsess about it.
 
When I once came out of my confession, and if I didn’t find the peace in me and that something was bothering me, I knew I had done something wrong during the confession. I came back next day and said it all out - whooo! the weight was lifted and I found peace.
 
I recently made a confession that was for 38 years. When it came to sexual sins, I made a blanket statement, “I have committed many, many acts of physical and mental sexual impurities with self and others”.

This was sufficient with my priest and only if he felt it necessary to ask for specifics would I have offered any.

But this was for almost 4 decades. The priest might not let me get away with such vagueness now.
 
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