id Confession: quick ideas about Confession. Examples of venial and mortal sins. How to make a good Confession. Effects of Confession.
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CONFESSION
1. What effects does sinning have? Summarising what is written in the section on sin it can be argued that there are two main effects of sinning:
  • An inclination of the will towards that sin that has been committed.
  • Distancing from God. This separation from the Lord may be minor (venial sins) or more serious in that one loses supernatural life and grace (grave or mortal sins).
2. Examples of venial sins? Apart from the grave acts that have been undertaken without warning, there are many examples of venial sins. Such as lying, laziness, lack of respect or of charity, gossiping or mockery, neglecting prayers, excess eating or of comfort, or superfluous expenses.

3. Examples of mortal or grave sins? One commits a mortal sin when he or she consciously carries out grossly evil deeds. Some examples are: to insult God, to not go to Mass on Sunday, to commit impure sexual acts, to get drunk or to use drugs, etc.

4. How are we forgiven? So that Our Lord can forgive our offences we must carry out what he himself has provided. Jesus Christ established the sacrament of Confession precisely for this.

5. Can I just ask God for forgiveness alone? It is indeed good to ask God for forgiveness frequently and God can indeed forgive any sins he wants to. However, He has said that he will only forgive sins if a priest forgives them too: “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (Jn 20, 23).

6. What effects does the sacrament of Confession produce? There are several effects, most linked to those same effects of sin:

  • It corrects the deviated inclination of the will.
  • It repairs our relationship with God.
  • It reclaims the dignity of one’s soul which was decreased by sin.
  • It gives us help in future struggles against temptation.
  • In the case of mortal sins, we recover the grace and supernatural life and the doors of Heaven are opened once more.
  • When one approaches God our soul is filled with joy. Specifically, because of this, after confession we usually feel cheerful.
7. How do you make a good Confession? Firstly, you should look for a priest and ask for his help to do it properly. You should start by stating the last time you approached confession. After this you should state all your sins remembering that all mortal sins should be said distinctively; stating the amount of times they have been committed (for example, I have missed Sunday Mass five times, I have got drunk twice, etc.). It is not necessary to state the exact amount for venial sins, it’s simply enough to say: I have been lazy, I got angry...

8. Any more conditions? The main idea is that it is asking God for forgiveness and so the main condition is for you to be regretful. This will mean that you are determined not to fall again.

9. What if someone thinks that he or she will fall again? To go to confession, it is not necessary to guess the future but in fact have the firm intention (right now) not to sin again.

10. Is it possible to just confess certain sins but not regret others? It is necessary to regret and say all mortal sins as just one of them can prevent grace entering and thwart healing in your soul.

11. What should you do after Confession? It is a good idea to thank God for forgiving us once again. Without the sacrament of Confession our life would be miserable and hopeless.

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