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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
confession	Brenda	Friday, October 1, 2004
Question: i read that ur supposed to confess ur sins by 'kind and number.' if a person willfully neglects to say the number of times they committed a sin, does that invalidate the confession? thanx again and, again, God bless u and Mary keep u
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear Brenda: If a person has deliberately and purposely refused to reveal any information that is required to be revealed for a valid confession, then that person's confession is invalid and they must re-confess the sins of that invalid confession, plus confess the willful withholding of required information, plus confess any other sins committed between then and now. What I have said here applies ONLY to those who know they are to confess in kind and number and who nevertheless deliberately rebel against that. To my understanding those who forget, or who never knew the teaching on kind and number, still make a good confession all other matters being equal. Priests should be reminding anyone who forgets and teach those who do not know, and otherwise ask for anyone who does not volunteer the information, but often confessor-priests do not do this. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

confession

Brenda

Friday, October 1, 2004

Question:

i read that ur supposed to confess ur sins by 'kind and number.' if a person willfully neglects to say the number of times they committed a sin, does that invalidate the confession?

thanx again and, again, God bless u and Mary keep u

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Brenda:

If a person has deliberately and purposely refused to reveal any information that is required to be revealed for a valid confession, then that person's confession is invalid and they must re-confess the sins of that invalid confession, plus confess the willful withholding of required information, plus confess any other sins committed between then and now.

What I have said here applies ONLY to those who know they are to confess in kind and number and who nevertheless deliberately rebel against that. To my understanding those who forget, or who never knew the teaching on kind and number, still make a good confession all other matters being equal.

Priests should be reminding anyone who forgets and teach those who do not know, and otherwise ask for anyone who does not volunteer the information, but often confessor-priests do not do this.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum