Question

Dear Fr. Angelo,

I wish you a happy and joyful beginning of the New Year, as happy as it can be just after the passing of the Holy Father Benedict XVI

I would like to ask you a practical question about the Sacrament of Penance.

Here is the question: if, during Confession, the penitent realizes or has reasonable doubt that the confessor has not heard some serious sins that the penitent has confessed, is the penitent obliged to repeat them or can he or she receive absolution while being aware or doubtful that the confessor is not fully aware of what he is forgiving? What about, on the other hand, those serious sins that the confessor has indeed heard about but of which the penitent reasonably senses that the priest has not understood the seriousness? I apologize for the somewhat difficult question, but one that shows a situation that I think may have sometimes been a source of doubt even for less scrupulous consciences.

I thank you and wish you many more good wishes in the run-up to Epiphany.

Matteo

Priest’s answer

Dear Matteo,

more than difficult, the question seems to be affected by a spirit tending toward scrupulosity.

1. In the ordinary line, we should not doubt that the priest-confessor understood.

For if there were grounds for doubt in him, he would certainly manifest them and ask the penitent some questions.

It happens that the priest asks to repeat what he did not hear either because sometimes the penitents speak in a very faint voice or because the priest may have become hard of hearing or even because of an occasional noise.

Therefore, having made his own accusation, the penitent has no reason to doubt “reasonably.”

2. Of the serious sins of which one doubts that the priest understood the real gravity, the same applies.

Indeed, usually the opposite happens: that is, the priest senses that the penitent has serious sins and does not accuse them because he does not consider them serious or for other reasons.

Usually the priest confessor has a much deeper and more detailed knowledge of souls than the penitent does.

3. It sometimes happens that the priest in the exhortation he proposes does not touch on some serious sins that have been confessed.

If he does not mention them, he has his reasons. He knows that the penitent lives in a situation whereby he almost necessarily falls into certain grave sins.

He does not intervene so as not to aggravate the penitent’s situation. He is content for the penitent to accuse them and manifest that he can distinguish good from evil and reject the sins committed.

I often find myself doing this.

4. Finally, it should be said that the priest normally absolves sins that have been confessed to him.

But by absolving those sins he implicitly means to absolve uncharged sins as well.

Indeed, he absolves for everything the Lord sees, for everything the penitent does not remember, and for everything that constitutes grounds for sin but of which the penitent does not have sufficient knowledge.

5. The accusation of sins must in no way become torture of conscience.

Some penitents unfortunately have this inclination for various reasons, such as that of scrupulosity which tends to see invalid or insufficient that which is valid and sufficient.

The priest, who notices this, tends to gloss over and cut short so that the sacrament remains a sacrament of salvation and gives relief to souls.

When the penitent has accused his sins without intending to conceal anything, he has done his part and has no reason to worry.

6. I take this opportunity, however, to mention that among the three acts that the penitent must perform (contrition, accusation and fulfillment of the assigned penance also called satisfaction) the most important and absolutely necessary is that of contrition.

There may be situations in which the accusation is not possible and one is dispensed from it, postponing it until an appropriate time.

One can also be dispensed from the performance of penance.

Never, however, can one be dispensed from repentance.

7. And since true repentance or contrition is of a supernatural order because it springs from the offense done to God or even from the fear of eternal perdition, it must be asked of God because it is a true gift.

Therefore ask for the grace of repentance of sins.

Always ask for it through Mary’s intercession.

This is why the master of the Order of Dominicans, the French Blessed Hyacinth Cormier, who died in 1916, suggested reciting a Hail Mary before confession to invoke Our Lady’s intervention.

8. Along with this request, thank Jesus Christ because He has already atoned for the sins you go to confess.

Approach this sacrament with feelings of penitence and gratitude.

I like to quote in this regard what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote at the end of a letter dated Feb. 8, 2022: “Soon I will be facing the ultimate judge of my life.

Although in looking back on my long life I may have much cause for fright and fear, I am nevertheless with a joyful soul because I firmly trust that the Lord is not only the righteous judge, but at the same time the friend and brother who has already suffered my inadequacies himself and therefore, as judge, is at the same time my advocate (Paraclete).”

I heartily reciprocate the good wishes for the beautiful feast of the Epiphany of the Lord that we are about to celebrate.

May the Lord fill our souls with great joy as He did with the Holy Magi as a reward for their faithfulness and perseverance.

I will have in the Holy Mass a very special remembrance for you and also for our visitors for this very intention.

I bless you and wish you all the best.

Father Angelo

Questo articolo è disponibile anche in: Italian Spanish Portuguese