“Ask the Deacon” features three Transitional Deacons who will be ordained June 3 to the priesthood in the Diocese of Providence — Deacons Brian Morris, Joseph Brice and Stephen Battey — who respond to questions about the faith from Rhode Island Catholic readers.
One of our readers sent in a follow up question to our recent article about the Sacrament of Penance. In my last article, I focused on the origin and necessity of the sacrament. This week we will explore which sins must be confessed once one has entered the confessional.
Q. Do we have to confess our venial sins?
The Church tells us that while it is not necessary to confess our venial sins, it is recommended that we do so. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1458) Every sin hurts our relationship with God and each other. For this reason, the Church recommends taking the time to recall those faults in the context of confession. The grace that we receive from the sacrament also gives us the help needed to avoid committing venial sins again in the future.
Another opportunity to receive forgiveness for venial sins is at the beginning of Mass. During what is called the Penitential Rite, the priest says, “Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.” After this, he begins the Confiteor (I confess to almighty God...) or recites some other formula. Finally, he concludes with, “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.” These are not empty words. Though they lack the effectiveness of the Sacrament of Penance, our venial sins are indeed forgiven if we recall them and ask God for forgiveness when prompted to do so.
Not every sin is venial however. For example, there is a big difference between stealing a piece of candy and stealing someone’s MacBook computer. So too, there is a difference between getting angry with someone who cuts us off in traffic and running their car off a cliff for doing so! The latter in these two examples are sins that are particularly grave or serious. If the person is informed about the seriousness of those actions and chooses to do them anyway, that person commits a mortal sin. These sins rupture our relationship with God and our neighbor in a radical way. As a result, these sins must be confessed to a priest as soon as possible. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1456 & Code of Canon Law # 988)
Serious as these sins are, no one should ever fall into despair. If they are truly sorry for their actions, there is not a single sin that God is not capable of forgiving through the sacramental ministry of the priest. If there is ever any doubt about the seriousness of a sin, bring it to confession anyway. It is there that we encounter the priest, who by his ordination is configured to act in the person of Christ Himself. The priest’s heart beats in unison with Christ’s most Sacred Heart. The priest waits, ready to extend God’s mercy to us in a very real and sacramental way. May we never grow weary of seeking out that mercy!
