Was this confession valid?

[DanteAlighieri]

I recently went to confession with a priest who spoke with a heavy Spanish accent. A couple of issues arose in my mind after I had left:

1. Based on his thick accent and somewhat broken English, I fear I may have oversimplified what I confessed.
2. He practically whispered the (forgive my ignorance of the correct name) prayers at the end of the confession, and did not ask me to make an act of contrition (which, I’m told, can be done after I’ve left the confessional).
3. Because of the accent, the whispering, the distraction of “Oh, he didn’t ask for an act of contrition”, and the general whirlwind that was this confession, I didn’t realize until I was long gone that I don’t remember whether he gave me absolution. This is by far my biggest concern.

So, given all of the above, was this confession valid? Am I in a state of grace? May I receive the Eucharist? Or must I confess these sins again?

Peace,
Dante

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

From what you say, I’m sure he gave you absolution and it was valid. You may receive Holy Communion. You do not have to confess those same sins again.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.