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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
absolution in confession	Mary	Sunday, January 13, 2008
Question: Thank you brother for all your support with previous questions I have posted .Your answers have been very helpful. I have tended to suffer from scruples a lot in the past, and recently a doubt is creeping into my mind and I thought I could ask your advise. After years of being away from the Sacraments I made a long, good, honest and tearfull confession to a priest three years ago for which I made an appointment. He listened very carefully and afterwards he said "You`ve already been forgiven" and asked me to say an act of contrition. He didn`t make the sign of the cross or say "I absolve you". I go to confessions every month and it has only recently I have wondered about it when I heard someone say that a priest MUST say the words "I absolve you" in order for the Sacrament to be valid. I truly feel forgiven and after all it is really Jesus himself who forgives .
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Mary: I praise God that our ministry has been helpful to you. I would have to say first off that this priest should be horse-whipped if he did not say the words of absolution, but he is correct at least in the sense that an Act of Perfect Contrition does forgive you of mortal sin outside of the Sacrament, BUT... ...those acts of contrition must be followed by the Sacrament of Confession whereby the priest is to formally absolve you of sin. You did present yourself to the Sacrament in good faith. If the priest did not do what he is suppose to do then that is his defect, not yours. You did what the Church wants you to do. The priest is the culprit. You rightfully trusted that the priest knew what he was doing and acted accordingly. Thus, you are "covered". Besides, your contrition has indeed brought you forgiveness in any respect. And subsequent confessions where the priest did say, "I absolve you..." covers sins you have forgotten, as well as the sins you confessed at the moment, and I believe any technical issue from this errant priest. If you wish, you can mention this situation to your confessor, but I think you are "covered" already. 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

absolution in confession

Mary

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Question:

Thank you brother for all your support with previous questions I have posted .Your answers have been very helpful.

I have tended to suffer from scruples a lot in the past, and recently a doubt is creeping into my mind and I thought I could ask your advise.

After years of being away from the Sacraments I made a long, good, honest and tearfull confession to a priest three years ago for which I made an appointment. He listened very carefully and afterwards he said "You`ve already been forgiven" and asked me to say an act of contrition. He didn`t make the sign of the cross or say "I absolve you".

I go to confessions every month and it has only recently I have wondered about it when I heard someone say that a priest MUST say the words "I absolve you" in order for the Sacrament to be valid.

I truly feel forgiven and after all it is really Jesus himself who forgives .

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Mary:

I praise God that our ministry has been helpful to you.

I would have to say first off that this priest should be horse-whipped if he did not say the words of absolution, but he is correct at least in the sense that an Act of Perfect Contrition does forgive you of mortal sin outside of the Sacrament, BUT...

...those acts of contrition must be followed by the Sacrament of Confession whereby the priest is to formally absolve you of sin.

You did present yourself to the Sacrament in good faith. If the priest did not do what he is suppose to do then that is his defect, not yours. You did what the Church wants you to do. The priest is the culprit. You rightfully trusted that the priest knew what he was doing and acted accordingly. Thus, you are "covered".

Besides, your contrition has indeed brought you forgiveness in any respect. And subsequent confessions where the priest did say, "I absolve you..." covers sins you have forgotten, as well as the sins you confessed at the moment, and I believe any technical issue from this errant priest.

If you wish, you can mention this situation to your confessor, but I think you are "covered" already.

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