I have several years during which I did not confess
I have several years during which I did not confess
Question:
I have several years during which I did not confess. How can I enumerate all my mistakes throughout these years in order to confess them? And what happens if I forget something?
Answer:
There is no doubt that there are certain sins that have a special effect on your soul, which you cannot forget because of their importance or seriousness or because they have a particular character, and these you will say as they are.
As for the rest of the ordinary and passing sins, divide them into categories and try to enumerate them under headings. Such as sins of thought and heart, sins of the tongue, sins of the senses, sins of action, sins related to your relationship with God, with people, and with yourself… Then address all these in detail. For example, sins of thought include thoughts of adultery, doubt, revenge, love of the world, judging others, envy, blasphemy… etc.
And try to remember what you did in the details of each sin. And if you committed a sin several times, mention that it was repeated many times, and there is no need to explain the details of each time separately unless there is in some of them something distinctive that troubles your conscience.
Tell your father of confession everything you remember. And if you forget something, do not be troubled: when you remember it, confess it. And for fear of forgetting, do not delay your confessions again. And the Lord be with you. We thank God that you have returned to confession…
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