Questions On Confession

[Guest :: Repentant ::]

1. When making a general confession after many years, confessing sins in number is unlikely to be possible. When a sin has been committed many times, must a person supply all the specific examples they can think of or simply say "I have done [sin] many times"?

2. If a person is too embarassed about certain sins or nervous about confession, can they write their sins on paper and hand the list to the priest instead of reading them?

[cappie]

The Code of Canon Law says:

Can. 988 §1 The faithful are bound to confess, in kind and in number, all grave sins committed after baptism, of which after careful examination of conscience they are aware, which have not yet been directly pardoned by the keys of the Church, and which have not been confessed in an individual confession.

The key is the phrase "Which........they are aware". If someone has not gone to confession for some time then it may be very hard to remember the exact number so a more genera.."several times" would suffice.

As to your second question the Code says:

Can. 960 Individual and integral confession and absolution constitute the sole ordinary means by which a member of the faithful who is conscious of grave sin is reconciled with God and with the Church. Physical or moral impossibility alone excuses from such confession, in which case reconciliation may be attained by other means also.

The physical or moral impossibility would be serious illness or a major disaster etc being unable to speak would be another.... If you are embarrassed the priest would be a help not a hinderance