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brian
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 720 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Sun Oct 21st, 2007 11:00 am |
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So I went to confession maybe amonth ago and I received absolution and a penance. The penace had two parts to it. One that was more of a mental pondering of sorts. And the other part was to write down a list of what and who came to mind as I performed the more mental part. Well, when I went to the chapel to perform this, I did not remember both parts and did not write anything down, but felt I had performed the penance. Then maybe a day later it came into my mind that I still did not perform the list part of the penance, and I decided that I would do that when I got home. Then I did not remember it again.
Yesterday I went back to confession and received absolution and performed my new penance. Today I was trying to remember what my last penance was and I remembered I still had failed to perform the old one and I did my best to remember what it was and perform it this morning.
If you forget or fail to do your penance, does it invalidate the absolution or is it just another sin that you then need to confess and ask for a new penance?
Since I did not willfully or intentionally forget and tried to make some effort as I normally do to perform my penances, was this a sin in my case and do i need to confess it now?
What I think, is the matter is that performing the penance is not necessary for the absolution to take effect which is immediate, but it is a new sin. However, since it was not in this case my intention to fail and I did not do so with full knowledge it probably was not a serious sin, therfore there is no need to confess it, and it (and all my old sins in case those were atually not forgiven because of my failure) was forgiven by virtue of the new absolution which forgives all sins, so therfore if it was not forgiven it is now.
And what of the fact that I performed the rest of it as best I could after receiving a new penance? Was there any meaning to that? Can it count to perform a penance that you received from a previous confession after going to a new one? Should I have not even worried about it? And do I need to mention this at my next confession and confess it as a forgotten sin?
For now I have to trust I made a mistake and feel bad that I failed to take the sacrament as seriously as possible, but trust God's mercy and believe I am forgiven and receive communion as regularly as I would have until I figure it out more.
Brian
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Oct 21st, 2007 11:30 am |
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Performance of a penance is not a "condition" of absolution. It is an opportunity for spiritual growth.
Failure to perform a penance does not invalidate absolution. The only thing that invalidates absolution is the deliberate withholding of information from the priest. For example, if you confess that you got into a fight but neglect to mention that you pulled a gun and killed the other person, you have not provided the proper information to allow the priest to determine the gravity of the sin. To completely withhold the confession of a sin, such as not confessing extramarital sex, indicates that you are not confessing in good faith.
You are to perform your penance as soon as practically possible. If you forget, you should perform it as soon as you remember. If it is impractical or unduly burdensome, you should tell the priest immediately and let him give you an alternate penance. If you accept the penance but later find that you can't complete it, you should tell the priest the next time you confess.
For example, if your penance is to attend Good Friday services but your schedule changes and you have to work, you should tell the priest the next time you go to confession. It is not a sin unless it is a deliberate act. If you deliberately fail to perform a penance, that's a sin that you must confess the next time you approach the sacrament.
So given the circumstances you present, you may certainly receive the Eucharist, but you should discuss it with your confessor the next time you confess.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1714 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Oct 21st, 2007 01:46 pm |
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You made an effort, Brian, but it fell short through no fault of your own. Under no circumstance should you consider the forgotten part of the penance a mortal sin. It is not. Therefore, you should continue to receive communion to strengthen you.
But the penance was left incomplete or its full completion was long delayed through indecision, and for this reason I recommend that you bring it up on your next regular visit to the confessional. That way, the priest can commute the penance or consider the delay a venial sin, according to his judgment. Even if he says nothing about it in his counsel, the fact that you mention it includes it in his overall judgment and absolution. The new penance would then take the place of the old one.
David
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