Went to confession and then I remembered sins I forgot to confess!

[joclucsylv]

Am I forgiven of sins I forgot to confess in confession, or do I need to return to confession after remembering them?

 

[TimothyH]

I remember sins from my past quite often. Then again, I made a confession of 37 years and had a lot of ground to cover.

I believe all of your sins are forgiven as long as you have tried your best and sincerly tried to make a good confession, not intentionally holding any back or not dedicating enough time and effort to try to remember them…

But when I remember mine, I confess them next time. I just tell the priest that I remembered some sins from my past that I hadn’t confessed before including “yada yada yada” and get it done with.

It’s not a big deal and all the more reason to go back. I look at it as God’s way of keeping me going back frequently.

-Tim-.

 

[Bookcat]

Am I forgiven of sins I forgot to confess in confession, or do I need to return to confession after remembering them?

We are obliged to confess all our mortal sins in number and in kind (and circumstance that changes the sin…like it was your brother you murdered). If we are sorry and are intending to confess them all…but forget one…it too is absolved with the rest. (not though if you intentionally hide it!..that brings a new sin…and they all need to be confessed again along with it).

If we forget a mortal sin…we still are obliged to confess it in the next confession (once we remember it)…(though I would not let it go too long…one can forget again…).(I assume here a person is going regularly)

If they were venial…one was not obliged to confess them in the first place (but it is good to do so!..at least some)…and if you were sorry for them etc…they were absolved too. And need not be confessed later. (it is good to add at the end "and all the sins of my life especially of “such and such”) for all the sins one is of course sorry for…

(those with scrupulosity follow your confessor)

 

[achmafooma]

As long as you didn’t intentionally withhold something, the Confession is valid and the sins (even the forgotten ones) are forgiven.

Next time you go to Confession, you should mention that you forgot some sins in your previous Confession, then go ahead and Confess them (assuming they’re mortal)…but you don’t need to refrain from receiving the Eucharist in the mean time.

Of course, if you intentionally withheld something that’s another story.

God bless you!

 

[Kelley_Green]

Am I forgiven of sins I forgot to confess in confession, or do I need to return to confession after remembering them?

I’m sure to let the Father know before I leave that I plan on returning with another tractor trailer load of sins tomorrow, this way my bases are covered in case something happens in between. Usually gets a chuckle out of them.

But seriously, I think Tim is right. What’s most productive is that you become more mindful of yourself and learn from your mistakes. You can’t learn from them if you’re too occupied denying them.
I remember as a girl making my first confession I had it in my mind I was in trouble in the principles office. Can you imagine approaching confession feeling like you needed a lawyer?:dts: None of that is the real purpose of confession but it took me a bit to realize it. Human beings are miserable when their feet and words and heart don’t match up. Confession to me now is a welcome spring cleaning letting the dust out of the house, getting right with God again. It’s work well worth doing.

 

[svid2]

As long as you truly meant to confess them, those sins are forgiven. Yes.

 

[Nelka]

Am I forgiven of sins I forgot to confess in confession, or do I need to return to confession after remembering them?

I’ve done that a few times.