Was my confession invalid?

[Brother Adam]

I was at confession this week on campus and landed with a priest that was really horrible. He didn't even have his collar on. He was just in a green golf sweatshirt. He first off started demeaning me for writing down everything I needed to confess, was trying to read everything instead of letting me confess it. He constantly inturrupted me, asking questions that were inappropriate, and just basically was not a good confessor. I got so upset with him I stopped short without mentioning a couple of the last veniel sins on my list and said that was all. Was my whole confession invalid?

[Karinsbestfriend]

I think if you hold back any sins intentionally then it does make it invalid.

[Brother Adam]

I was put in a position though where I could not really go on. Just looking at the smirk on his face made me want to kick him.

[Andrea348]

i'm so sorry.....that sounds like such an awful experience

i don't know whether it is valid or invalid, but I would go to confession again with a better priest and confess the few venial sins you did not just for your own sake so you will feel better about it

Edited February 26, 2005 by Andrea348

[jiyoung]

oy...wow. i've never had to deal with a confessor like that...

well no. for our church's penance service one time i got a notoriously mean confessor (he gave my friend 10 years of the rosary for penance!). really rude and abrupt...

there's nothing wrong with writing down what you need to confess =T

[theculturewarrior]

you're not obligated to confess venial sins.

[Brother Adam]

but the question is because I did not confess them when I knew those sins were there was the confession invalid?

[theculturewarrior]

I don't think we're obligated to confess all venial sins, even if we know them. We're obligated to confess mortal sins and we confess the venial sins to help us grow.

[theculturewarrior]

I would ask in Q&A though.

[IcePrincessKRS]

I think TCW is correct. If the priest was actually a hindrance to making a good confession I don't think you can be held responsible for that. If you're really feeling guilty for not confessing those couple v. sins then it may do your soul some good just to go to confession again anyway. I don't think its probably necessary but if you are feeling like you should then maybe thats what you ought to do.

[Dave]

TCW is right. There is no requirement to confess venial sins. Period. So it wouldn't make a confession invalid if you failed to mention them for any reason. However, if you weren't sorry for them, then that would make them invalid. But I know that wasn't the case with Adam.

[Brother Adam]

Thank you. Makes me feel a lot better. Jesus here I come!

[theculturewarrior]

Venial sins are forgiven at mass, by the way.

[Brother Adam]

right. the whole issue was sitting there going "That's it I dont' have any more sins to confess" when glaring at me on the paper was more sins I had written down. That is why I asked.

[theculturewarrior]

I don't blame you! What priest writes sins down!

[theculturewarrior]

Oops! Reread your original post! I have written my sins down before too...

[musturde]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Feb 26 2005, 01:04 PM'] but the question is because I did not confess them when I knew those sins were there was the confession invalid? [/quote]
No, unless you held back mortal sins, you're fine.

[Oik]

Adam, St. Peter's has confession at 2:30 to 3:30 on Saturday.
Show up around 2:10, that's when the line starts (confession actually starts early and runs late, imagine that!).

[Brother Adam]

Yes, I know. I don't like the confessionals there, but I usually go once every two weeks. Teresa is there now.

[Chorusgirl]

Hmm... Im not sure if that would make your confession invalid, I recommend going again but to a different priest and explain what happened. I write down my sins often too, but then a priest once told me to stop doing that. He also told me to wait a lot longer until my confession... I think he said at least 3 months. I was like, what?!?! Three months?!?! I can't do that, no way... I was so upset when he said that so he narrowed it down to once a month. I didn't follow that very long though, he was just giving me suggestions and stuff, it wasn't my penance so I don't wait that long anymore. Anyway... I really recommend asking a priest about that one, a priest whom you believe is really spiritual and honest. Have a nice day!