Was my confession valid?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anthony5000
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Anthony5000

Guest
I just went to confession and, naturally, confessed my sins. However, I wasn’t finished listing everything but the priest assumed I was done, because he began with the “For your penance…” and asked me to say the Act of Contrition. I didn’t want to be rude and interrupt, and perhaps I should have said something at the end, but I didn’t because I felt by that point the confession was over and I didn’t want to make the people on line wait any longer.

I wasn’t trying to conceal any sins, but I feel weird that I didn’t get them all out. (This has happened to me before, at other parishes; I should probably use fewer pauses or speak quicker.)

When I’m absolved of my sins, am I also absolved of the ones I didn’t get to confess? Should I just confess the neglected ones next time, explaining the circumstances? Or was my entire confession invalid, and I should go again and reconfess the sins I was able to confess the first time around?

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut on this!
 
nlm said:
This thread I just read says that venial sins do not have to be confessed.Is that correct? All those years of confessing nothing but venial sins…for nothing.Yes,I know one receives grace via the sacraments. Please shed some light on this thanks.God Bless. NLM
Click to expand...
Venial sins need not be confessed in the sacrament of Reconciliation and receiving Eucharist is effective for the forgiveness of venial sins.

BUT I certainly wouldn’t say confessing only venial sins is for nothing and I wouldn’t balk grace :eek:

Here are the eight benefits which follow the practice of frequent confession:
Should I confess venial sins?

and another related thread:
What about frequent confession when there is no grave sin?

Personally, I find frequent confession highly beneficial. I am much more aware of sin (and so I avoid it more), it helps me actively practice my faith, and I receive TONS of peace and strength. Besides I am getting more comfortable with the sacrament itself (I am a convert - 6 years last weekend :D).
 
Mel_Stones said:
Venial sins need not be confessed in the sacrament of Reconciliation and receiving Eucharist is effective for the forgiveness of venial sins.

BUT I certainly wouldn’t say confessing only venial sins is for nothing and I wouldn’t balk grace :eek:

Here are the eight benefits which follow the practice of frequent confession:
Should I confess venial sins?

and another related thread:
What about frequent confession when there is no grave sin?

Personally, I find frequent confession highly beneficial. I am much more aware of sin (and so I avoid it more), it helps me actively practice my faith, and I receive TONS of peace and strength. Besides I am getting more comfortable with the sacrament itself (I am a convert - 6 years last weekend :D).
Click to expand...
Let me start by saying I was not “balking” grace.I said that because I knew someone would respond by reminding me of the grace one receives from sacraments.Can you explain how receiving the Eucharist forgives venial sins? I have never heard that before.I was taught that all sins must be confessed.I was also told that one can indeed receive the Eucharist having committed venial sins,but not mortal sins.But the Eucharist forgiving venial sins is new to me. God Bless.NLM
 
nlm said:
This thread I just read says that venial sins do not have to be confessed.Is that correct? All those years of confessing nothing but venial sins…for nothing.Yes,I know one receives grace via the sacraments. Please shed some light on this thanks.God Bless. NLM
Click to expand...
In my experience, I have found a A LOT of priests DON’T LIKE HEARING CONFESSIONS. It’s something many of them disdain. Many priests do not even take the advantage of the confessional themselves. There is no reason as to why venial sins cannot be heard in Confession. It is true that venial sins can be forgiven, as when we recite the “I Confess” during Mass and ask God to forgive us, but that shouldn’t stop one from being able to confess venial sins during a Confession.

One’s best bet is to make sure that all of the mortal sins are confessed at the beginning. An appropriate question that priests could ask is “Is there anything else that you feel needs to be confessed at this time?”
 
Thanks for the link; it was very helpful (and quite a relief, because I wasn’t trying to withhold anything).

Good point about the “Is there anything else you’d like to confess?” question. I’ve been to priests that ask that, and that helps. This time around, it didn’t happen.
 
nlm said:
Let me start by saying I was not “balking” grace.I said that because I knew someone would respond by reminding me of the grace one receives from sacraments.Can you explain how receiving the Eucharist forgives venial sins? I have never heard that before.I was taught that all sins must be confessed.I was also told that one can indeed receive the Eucharist having committed venial sins,but not mortal sins.But the Eucharist forgiving venial sins is new to me. God Bless.NLM
Click to expand...
Should I confess forgotten venial sins?
For the future, please remember that reception of the Eucharist is also effective for the forgiveness of venial sins. If you commit a future venial sin, you can obtain forgiveness for it through Communion.
Click to expand...
Eucharist-venial sins
Receiving Christ in the Eucharist forgives venial sins. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) explains, “As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins” (CCC 1394, emphasis in original).
Click to expand...
THE SACRAMENT OFPENANCE AND RECONCILIATION
1436
Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us from mortal sins."35
Click to expand...
peary said:
It is true that venial sins can be forgiven, as when we recite the “I Confess” during Mass and ask God to forgive us, but that shouldn’t stop one from being able to confess venial sins during a Confession.
Click to expand...
During the Confiteor (I Confess . . .) we are asking all the angles and saints and our brothers and sisters in Christ to PRAY for us - we are not actually forgiven by saying it. It is through the reception of the Eucharist that our venial sins are forgiven.
 
nlm said:
This thread I just read says that venial sins do not have to be confessed.Is that correct? All those years of confessing nothing but venial sins…for nothing.Yes,I know one receives grace via the sacraments. Please shed some light on this thanks.God Bless. NLM
Click to expand...
Brother, let me put your mind at ease about confessing venial sins once and for all. Our beloved Pope John Paul 2, went to confession daily, without fail. Enough said. 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top