Vagueness with number of sins in confession

[crash1]

Hi all,

Most of the times I’ve gone to confession, especially when I first started and confessed all my major mortal sins that I recalled, I was incredibly vague with number.

If I confess “I did X many times”, and did not purposely use “many” to hide the extent of the sin, must I re-confess it with more exactness. For example, I can think of sins where I just used “many” but that I now realise if I put any bit of effort into thinking about it, I could have easily given a more exact number like “probably between 1000-2000 times”.

I know these sins have been forgiven, although I’m not sure if I have any obligation now to confess all these again with much more precise numbers.

Thanks

 

[MeganCecilia]

Just as a priest about this it’s more reliable than the forum!!! I’m only able to say vague because I can’t remember.

 

[Beryllos]

Welcome to Catholic Answers Forums!

This is just my opinion, of course, but I think “many times” is a perfectly good number.

 

[kapp19]

It would seem not, as it is Father’s responsibility to inquire on that, as long as you are being honest and sincere and “fair.”

You COULD be more precise, or make a “life confession,” but if this habit of thinking persists, realize that it is not a good thought pattern and will lead away from holiness, despite its alluring character as “holier.”

 

[porthos11]

In cases like these, frequency would be a better way.

“I did x an average of twice a week for the past yen years.”

That is less vague than “many times” and still gives a clear picture of where you are with this sin.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

If you legitimately don’t know a number, then you don’t know. As long as your intention is not to mislead the priest, you’re fine.

 

[JanR]

If the priest wanted you to name a specific number, he would have asked for it. Since he didn’t, he was apparently satisfied with the “many” answer. And, if the priest was satisfied and absolved you, so was God.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

Leaving aside murder and such major crimes, it would seem to me to be extremely abnormal for someone to count the times they did x, y, or z.

 

[InThePew]

Lots” is perfectly fine; if the priest wants or needs to know more he’ll ask - he has, after all, done this before!

We need to move away from this idea of the Sacrament of Reconciliation being some sort of transaction whereby a certain number of sins are exchanged for the corresponding number of Hail Marys or whatever. The Sacrament is supposed to be a healing encounter with Christ the Divine Physician. The priest needs some idea of the number of times in order to determine the spiritual needs of the penitent based on the frequency with which they’re troubled by serious sins but doesn’t need some sort of precise and perfect count.

In the same way, there’s also this persistent myth that if there’s some slight mistake (perceived or actual) in a person’s confession that invalidates it and requires everything to be re-confessed. Again, this treats the sacrament as some sort of transaction rather than what it actually is - a healing, human and intimate encounter with God’s mercy. Certainly, that requires us to be honest with ourselves (since, after all, nothing is hidden from God) but it also requires us to recognise the human face of Christ in the encounter rather than seeing it as some sort of impersonal and dehumanised transaction.