Validity of a confession

[Faithful_voyage28]

I went to confession weeks back and I made a list of the sins. While telling the priest my sins and details for a small moment I had an impression in my mind of sin(not 100% sure I committed it but wanted to confess just incase) that I forgot to list but forgot it since it was only a quick moment and was more focused on confessing what I had listed down or giving more clarity on details. Around 10 to 15 min after doing my penance I suddenly remembered the sin that for a short moment had an impression of and started to worry about my confession. I am sure I did not intentionally omit it since I even confessed something that I suddenly clearly remembered but forgot to list and said it during that confession and before absolution the priest told me that I should always confess with full honesty and a sincere heart which I fully agree with. I later confessed that sin in a different confession with new sins and later received communion during mass. 3 weeks later I went to confession with that same priest and told him about the incident and he didn’t really say much of it and I believe I even told him that I confessed in a different confession since he did not ask me for that sin. He mostly told me that the Lord gets it and understands and gave me a simple penance as I believe he could tell that I have a scrupulosity problem.

Please help. God Bless

 

[FiveLinden]

Scrupulosity is often a religious manifestation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). People with OCD should seek appropriate counselling for a psychological problem. You can’t get it on an online forum. It can be very effectively treated in many cases. From CAF I have learned that many priests, on realising the nature of a penitents problem, will suggest seeking professional help, while continuing to provide religious responses to religious questions. There have been many such threads on CAF in the past and they are generally closed fairly quickly.

 

[po18guy]

1. For this reason, we say “for these sins and any sins which I may have forgotten” - covers everything.
2. FiveLinden is 100% correct.
3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the gold standard in scrupulosity/OCD/anxiety disorder.

God greatly desires that you live in peace. Jesus left us peace; His peace He gives us. It you are not at peace, please do look into therapy - which can even be done over the phone!

 

[poche]

If you forget something don’t worry about it. Make a note of it in your mind and mention it the next time you go to confession.

 

[Bill6]

To have a valid Confession, you must Confess all of the mortal sins you remember that you committed in kind and number. If you are unsure if a sin was mortal, the rule is to generally treat it as if it was mortal, just to be safe. The exception is if you’re scrupulous. In which case, it is generally advised that you not treat a sin as if it were mortal unless you are sure it was. Ask you Confessor next time you go if you are scrupulous. My confessor once told me I am. If your confessor tells you that you are, follow his advice and consider telling the confessor each time that you go to Confesssion that you are scrupulous. This will help him in determining where you sinned and giving you pastoral advice. I am not an expert, but it seems your confession was valid and licit. Remember, God is not a mean legalistic God who is trying to accuse you of breaking rules as often as He can. Hev loves you and gave his only Son for you. Don’t worry too much. I would pray to Saint Alphonsus Liguori, he is a Saint for scrupulous people. I was once asking a Deacon about some sins I had committed, I was unsure if they were venial or mortal. He said something that stuck with me. He said to not always be worried about if we have done the wrong thing.
Don’t be hard on yourself, that is not why we repent.

God bless

 

[Fauken]

I thought confession was easer than this.

That doesn’t keep people from worrying about it. We get a lot of people on this forum who are suffering from a sort of OCD condition called scruples. The help they need for this is something we can’t give them on this forum.