What if you sinned against the priest?

[Monica4316]

I tend to get horrible intrusive thoughts sometimes, like temptations, and they’re always uncharitable. Well one time I got a thought like that about the priest and I want to confess it, but do I have to tell him it was about him?

 

[Cathryn]

I tend to get horrible intrusive thoughts sometimes, like temptations, and they’re always uncharitable. Well one time I got a thought like that about the priest and I want to confess it, but do I have to tell him it was about him?

There is no reason to say it was about him. I can’t think of any reason why he would ask who it was about either.

 

[StrawberryJam]

You could confess to another priest, I suppose?

 

[Monica4316]

There is no reason to say it was about him. I can’t think of any reason why he would ask who it was about either.

makes sense I was just wondering if you’re supposed to say…?

You could confess to another priest, I suppose?

true, but all the other parishes in my area do confessions on Saturday, and I want to go before then, for the Mary Mother of God feast day on Friday

 

[Cathryn]

makes sense I was just wondering if you’re supposed to say…?

I would say: “I have had some horrible intrusive thoughts like temptations, and they’re always uncharitable.” The priest may or may not question you about it. But, I can assure you he will not ask who you were thinking about. He may just want to get a handle on what you are talking about.

You could say you have had uncharitable thoughts, and/ or impure thoughts, etc.
Also remember, thoughts in themselves are not sins. The sin comes in when we entertain the thoughts or don’t dismiss them immediately.

 

[uxordepp]

As one who occasionally gets such thoughts, I find it helpful to say the St. Michael prayer as soon as I realize what I"m doing.

It usually stops the thought dead in its tracks. As long as you fight it off, I’m not sure the thought can be called a sin.

If you have doubts though, do consult a priest in the manner already suggested!

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I tend to get horrible intrusive thoughts sometimes, like temptations, and they’re always uncharitable. Well one time I got a thought like that about the priest and I want to confess it, but do I have to tell him it was about him?

Temptations are not sins. Intrusive thoughts are not sins if we do not invite in them and do not take delight in them. In fact, if we reject them when they come, we are growing in virtue.

And I doubt that an uncharitable thought, even if we do in some way consent to it, would rise to the level of a mortal sin that would keep us from receiving Communion.

It is good to have a sensitive conscience (one that recognizes sin for what it is), but it is not good to have an overly sensitive (scrupulous) conscience. I am not saying this is your situation, but a scrupulous person might see serious sin in every unwelcome thought that flies into her head.

If you want to confess it, do it in general terms (without naming the person who is the object of the thoughts), or confess to a different priest at your convenience.

 

[Monica4316]

thanks everyone

well what happened is that it started out as a thought, about the person, and I tried fighting it… I didn’t invite it in. But eventually I started believing it. It’s like I believed a lie about the person, but then I realized it’s not true. I feel really horrible about it

so if it concerns the priest, I don’t have to say it was about him?

sometimes I feel my mind gets really attacked with all sorts of thoughts, and usually about people who are either close to me (like family) or people that I have nothing against. For example, this priest is great and his advice has always helped me.

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

I tend to get horrible intrusive thoughts sometimes, like temptations, and they’re always uncharitable. Well one time I got a thought like that about the priest and I want to confess it, but do I have to tell him it was about him?

Did you sin against the priest, or against God? Your offense may have been agains the priest, like maybe you stole his car, but the sin is against God.

If you were to bring this up with the priest, and tell him it involves him, it might be a very liberating moment. But that may go against the proper use of confession, since it would involve reconciliation between you and him as well as between you and God.

 

[kristie_m]

I have a regular confessor, and we are comfortable enough with each other that when a time came when the offense was against him, I both confessed it, and apologized to him at the same time. Maybe it wasn’t the best way to handle it, but he didn’t correct me. What was nice is that I received both his forgivness and absolution at once!

 

[CatholicGuy22]

Dont be ashamed to tell your priest your thoughts. Your priest has probely has heard many horrific and disgusting sins before don’t think that you will get him mad or freak him out. He is a trained profesional. I like to use a doctor as an example they see some of the most horrific things that we couldn’t handle but thats why they are trained. So don’t be scared your thoughts are just thoughts and thoughts are extreamly hard to control sometimes.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Thoughts and temptations, especially if you do your best to reject them, are NOT sins.

Therefore, I don’t see what you have to confess.