What happens if you don't confess any sins in confession?

[DarkLight]

Somewhat curious here - I have had times where I entered the confessional and was advised, after confessing a sin, that what I had confessed was not in fact sinful. In all those cases I did have other sins to confess. However, if the priest determined that none of what I had confessed was actually sinful, would he be able to provide absolution anyway? Or would it simply be a case of advising me to come back another time?

 

[Entwhistler]

A priest cannot give absolution with the matter. Sin is the matter in this case, so without one, he can’t absolve you. An easy way to get around this is to say a sin you’ve done in the past. Technically you could confess that time when you were 8 when you slapped your sibling. Or when you stole that penny from Uncle Bob.

 

[DarkLight]

I always presumed one couldn’t confess sins that had already been forgiven - which would apply to those covered by a general confession, I guess?

 

[Entwhistler]

I’ve been told my multiple priests in confession that if you can’t think of any sins but want the graces of a confession, you can confess old sins. They have been forgiven but you still committed them. They are still fulfill the “matter” aspect of the sacrament.

 

[Hereiam]

While the Sacrament of Reconciliation is only required for Mortal Sins, because of the difference between venial and mortal sin, unless your trip to the confessional comes immediately after receiving the Eucharist, you are probably carrying some kind of sin, and the priest can offer absolution for those sins.

Reconciliation should be sought not just when you “have to”, but when you “want to”, with the obvious exception of scrupulosity.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

I cannot imagine ever believing that my life was ever completely free of any sin of commission or omission.

 

[Entwhistler]

Same, but there have been times when I’ve just completely blanked during confession or for the life of me couldn’t think of any sins. That usually happens during a month in which not much happens and everything runs together. I know I did something because I feel dirty but I just couldn’t pin it down.

 

[Fauken]

I don’t think that’s what the OP means. I think they realize they’ve sinned, but can’t remember exactly how.

 

[DarkLight]

Eh, one can believe it’s probably not free from sins, without necessarily having one to point to - especially if one more frequently avails one’s self of confession. @Entwhistler is right, it tends to happen especially in months where everything runs together and one really doesn’t depart from the daily grind (nor have the time or energy to do so!).

I’ve certainly had times where I went to confession with one or two sins that I was intending to confess, only to be advised that what I had intended to confess was not sinful.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Somewhat curious here - I have had times where I entered the confessional and was advised, after confessing a sin, that what I had confessed was not in fact sinful. In all those cases I did have other sins to confess. However, if the priest determined that none of what I had confessed was actually sinful, would he be able to provide absolution anyway? Or would it simply be a case of advising me to come back another time?

Now this is a delightful question for an elderly confessor!

You have several options.

The one I would recommend would be something contemporary, since your last confession. “I was lacking in charity” or “I failed to live the demands and exigencies of beatitudes as fully as I could have” [there is no upper limit to being a peacemaker or hunngering and thirsting for righteousness, for example] or “I have fallen short in the duties and obligations of my state of life.”

The theology of the sacrament does allow you to bring up a sin from the past…this is the principle by which General Confession occurs, according to the principles of the Ignatian spiritual exercises, for example. Of course, this sort of examination should not be an on-going occurrence.

The caveat, however, is for a penitent who suffers from scrupulosity. In such a case, the confessor’s approach must be more severe in order for the penitent to overcome this malady.

 

[DarkLight]

Thanks. That does make sense, that there are a few things that one could always be doing better on.

My impression in my case is I have been suffering less from scrupulosity, and more from a lack of clear instruction regarding a few particular matters - not uncommon, I understand, for converts from very strict communities, or for those dealing with uncommon situations, both of which apply to me. So usually I just get a simple explanation of why something isn’t actually a sin in certain cases. (RCIA is really not designed for IFB and similar folk.)

I wasn’t aware general confessions happened in other cases. I made my first confession, of course, as a general confession, and we were discouraged from bringing up items prior to that first confession in future confessions - probably because that would never end, and they wanted to assure us there was no need to be digging into the past.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I wasn’t aware general confessions happened in other cases.

They can happen in connection with major life events…Religious Profession or Ordination, for example, both of which are events which will be preceded by a retreat. People doing a major retreat may make a general confession as part of their spiritual exercises. In other words, it is not a regular or frequent occurrence.

 

[Limoncello4021]

Something from the Bible to meditate on: “the just man falls seven times a day.” That is, we all sin a lot, “in our thoughts, in our words, in what we fail to do.” Mother Teresa went to confession every day!

 

[Edmundus1581]

I am reminded of Cardinal Sin (sic!) of the Philipinnes, who said that hearing the confessions of nuns was like “being bombarded with popcorn”.

 

[paperwight]

Mother Teresa went to confession every day!

To be honest, I find this statement troubling. I can’t imagine many people committing a mortal sin daily, and certainly not in Mother Theresa’s case. And if not for a mortal sin, wanting to confess every day sounds unhealthy (and not trusting in the mercy of God offered to us at the start of every Mass).

Are you sure of your source?

 

[stinkcat_14]

I’ve been told my multiple priests in confession that if you can’t think of any sins but want the graces of a confession, you can confess old sins. They have been forgiven but you still committed them. They are still fulfill the “matter” aspect of the sacrament.

If someone is having difficulty coming up with enough sins for confession, just ask someone you live with, they usually can tell you some of your sins.

 

[DarkLight]

That would get the answer of “not providing pettings often enough” and “hiding the treats.”

 

[stinkcat_14]

That would get the answer of “not providing pettings often enough” and “hiding the treats.”

I have one of those as well, I might phrase it as neglecting the needs of the hungry. I can throw in sloth as well, because some mornings I want to sleep until 5:30 before she gets fed.

 

[DarkLight]

What sin does kicking her out of her comfy spot count as?

 

[DarkLight]

In all seriousness, most of my “not a sin” instances involved navigating the fourth commandment, and assurances that treating unreasonable manipulative people as such is not a sin.