Was my confession valid - Left out a sin

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rainy4

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I went to confession today but didn’t realize until I went in that it was face-to-face, and not behind a screen like I’m used to. When I was listing my sins, I couldn’t get myself to admit to the priest that I had committed masturbation, so I left it out. Now I’m really worried that I invalidated my entire confession by doing that, because I don’t know whether it was a mortal or venial sin.
 
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Go back to the confessional and confess this (getting face to face may actually help avoid your sins so you don’t have to continue to confess the same mortal sins).

However, legally speaking, the purposeful withholding of mortal sins does invalidate a confession.

The mitigating factor may be in not knowing whether or not it was mortal or venial. It is true that we do not have to confess venial sins, though we should anyway.

That is my view of the matter. I am not responsible for your immortal soul by posting my interpretation, and by reading this you agree and admit to understanding that I am not a professional but a layperson, who holds no specialty in canon law.

PS masturbation is grave matter, but that is only one of 3 requirements for mortal sin. It is possible it was a mortal sin for you.
 
You are one of hundreds of persons who confess this. If it makes you feel better, you can say “self-abuse” and he’ll know what you mean
Christ forgives you and priests do not recall people’ sin outside of the confessional. Go back, and confess. and BELIEVE in your absolution.
 
Indeed, and dare I say probably one of millions who confess it.

As Clare said, go back and confess and believe in your absolution.
 
Your confession was probably invalid.

Go back to confession, mention that you committed masturbation (you can call it self-abuse if you like, he’ll know what you mean) and withheld it in confession. If you mentioned any other mortal sins at your previous confession, you’ll need to mention them again, since mortal sin isn’t remitted by an invalid confession.
 
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pianistclare said:
You are one of hundreds of persons who confess this.
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I’d ad a few zeros after “hundreds” LOL!

“Impure acts” can also be used if embarrassed, but as you note priests have heard it all… and called all sorts of things.
 
OraLabora said:
“Impure acts” can also be used if embarrassed, but as you note priests have heard it all… and called all sorts of things.
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This is not correct. Masturbation is a distinct type of sin from other impure acts (e.g. fornication, incest), and must be specifically identified. He can use a euphemism that is understood to be masturbation, but simply giving the genus of the sin is insufficient.
 
Kei said:
That is my view of the matter. I am not responsible for your immortal soul by posting my interpretation, and by reading this you agree and admit to understanding that I am not a professional but a layperson, who holds no specialty in canon law.
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This does not help a person with fairly evident nervous/scrupulous tendencies.
If you yourself admit you do not have the credentials needed to offer a firm view please refrain from advising people at all.

Simply advise them to take up the matter with a priest or spiritual director.
Or just go to confession again and repeat the sins.

Its not rocket science.
Persons with scruples are not helping themselves by posting on CAF.
Just see a priest - and if you do have a tendency to scruples you need to have a fixed Confessor who knows your situation. You will not be helped by anonymous confessions and different confessors.

Some of the best advice ever had in the confessional:
(a) From a Dominican priest: “…stop thinking about resisting temptation all the time and instead try to focus outside myself, on God and on others:”

(b) “There is… a false concept of self-awareness that directs all of its attention to its own ‘I’ with its sins and virtues in a constant scrutinizing of its own conscience, in a continual seeking of its own perfection. The result is a religious egoism that prevents me from simply opening myself to God and keeping my gaze fixed on him, not on myself." (Father Ratzinger)
 
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Unless you know the OP from past threads, nothing he’s said has indicated scrupulosity.
 
Arkansan said:
Unless you know the OP from past threads, nothing he’s said has indicated scrupulosity.
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  1. I did say nervous/scrupulous tendencies…
  2. Once you’ve had some years experience in this area its relatively easy to read between the lines and hear what is not being said. Sitting with eyes closed and only hearing voices has its benefits.
 
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I stand by what I said. Nothing the OP has said indicates scrupulosity.
 
Arkansan said:
I stand by what I said…
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???
Noone is stopping you from standing by your views.
You challenged me - so I am simply explaining why I believe I can see farther than you on this matter.
Apologies if that intimidated you.
 
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There’s a difference between firm view and understanding of the Canon Law and being a Canon lawyer.
 
She. Honestly it makes it especially difficult to admit on a face-to-face confession when so many people generalize it as a guy problem… This isn’t really directed at you but since you said he I wanted to mention it
 
Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut. I really don’t know whether it was a mortal sin in my case, but I will go back to confession and tell him that I withheld the sin.
 
rainy4 said:
… and tell him that I withheld the sin.
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Correction - you involuntarily “withheld” it due to surprise/shock.
You have a right to anonymity, you were deprived of that choice.
 
CCC
Only God forgives sin

1441 Only God forgives sins.39 Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” and exercises this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven."40 Further, by virtue of his divine authority he gives this power to men to exercise in his name.
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Confession doesn’t exclude God’s forgiveness. Too many Catholics believe that the only way for God to forgive them for their sin’s is when they go to Confession.

Confession reconciles us to the Church, but it does not exclude God’s forgiveness and mercy.

So, turn to God first for forgiveness and go to the priest to be reconciled to the Church.

But don’t exclude God’s mercy because you didn’t confess that you masturbated and felt too embarrassed to confess it. God understands !

The priest absolves you of all your sins, even those you failed to confess.

It can be a sin of pride to not accept God’s forgiveness for your sins.

Jim
 
Oh. My bad.

Surely there’s a confessional with a screen you could go to?
 
There is, I’m just referring to my particular case where I went face-to-face by accident
 
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