Words of absolution at last confession

[need_to_know]

At my last confession when the priest began saying the words of abslution he said them really fast and I got distracted by this; I was distracted by thinking that just saying the words as fast as he could to get through them as quickly as possible didn’t give me a chance to think about the words themselves. Anyway, because I was distracted thinking about this I did not hear for certain if he said the generally recognised ‘operative words of absolution’, “**I **absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Although I am certain that he did say the beginning, “God the Father of mercies has reconciled the world to Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son…” (after this point I began to get distracted). Obviously I did not conciously hear him say the ‘operative words of absolution’ at the end. So did not know for certain that I had been sacramentally absolved. However, because I was certain he had said the beginning part of the words of absolution I convinced myself that he must have said it all properly, right? I have received the eucharist twice since, do you think I am right in doing this?

 

[Trishie]

Please be at peace. In any case, as your priest began correctly it’s very unlikely that he would have deviated. If, in the Person of Christ, he had retained your sins they wouldn’t have been absolved, but he did not.

You confessed in good faith, and the priest said the words of absolution, in other words he used the power that Christ gave priests when He said, “If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people’s sins, they are retained.” [John 20:23]

 

[littlecatholic]

I would just go to confession again next week, it can’t hurt. And I think your okay, I have faith that a priest would do the whole thing right if he was going to do at least 3/4 of it right. I once had a confession where I was absolved in spanish, and only understood Amen haha. I hope he did it right haha, but I trust in God’s mercy. He could have completely butchered it and I wouldn’t know.

Maybe this is a chance to reflect more deeply on your life to make a better confession the next time. Padre Pio once denied a priest absolution because there was a certain sin that he wanted the priest to confess. It took the priest a month to find out that it was one time he said mass without any reverence. This doesn’t mean you didn’t get absolved, but this could be an opportunity to make a great and deep contrition. Use the gift that God gives you

littlecatholic

 

[kristie_m]

I think you’re probably fine. I can’t imagine the priest would start with the entire formula and NOT follow through with the actual words of absolution.

I had to laugh when I saw your post, though. My confessor also tends to race through it. I asked him once to slow down so I could understand him. He told me that if I wasn’t careful, next time he’d say it in Latin!