What is meant with contrition when it comes to Confession?

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Kima

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Hello,

Since I hopefully will try to attend Confession sometime during the upcoming days, I have started thinking about contrition as a requirement for the sacrament. I know the difference between the two different backgrounds for contrition. But what lies in the term of contrition for confession? Is it enough to be wanting to do better and to want to, for at least, try not to repeat the same sin again? Or do I have to feel the regret? Because sometimes I’m more like option number one.

Well, confessing at my parish, the priest I usually confess to, doesn’t always ask for an Act of Contrition, so I normally don’t think as much about contrition as I do now.

On beforehand, thanks 🙂
 
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Kima said:
Is it enough to be wanting to do better and to want to, for at least, try not to repeat the same sin again? Or do I have to feel the regret? Because sometimes I’m more like option number one.
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The bar is even lower than “I regret having sinned against God, so I’m going to try and not do that again” – it’s sufficient if it’s even just “I don’t want to experience hell, so I’m sorry and I’m going to try and not do that again”!
 
I would say both options apply. You don’t want to just say sorry to say sorry, you want to apologize with sincere regret for the sins and offsensive actions you committed. The Act of Contrition is a good prayer to pray, and if you don’t do it in Confession, I suggest praying it afterwards.
 
The bar is a minimum of imperfect contrition: I am repenting because I am afraid of going to hell.

As a person matures in the faith, their love of God will grow until they get to a point where they repent simply because they have offended God.

There are many steps in between. The important thing is to go to Confession.
 
Thanks for the comments! I hope to try to get to confession either Sunday or Monday 🙂
 
Pope Francis wrote in his book The Name of God is Mercy that the minimum to get absolution is the want to be sorry. If I remember correctly, Pope Francis wrote about a confession when a guy said he committed adultery but wasn’t sorry and might do it again but he wished he was sorry. Pope Francis said that wanting to be sorry was enough to be absolved.

I went to confession yesterday 😀
 
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