Sorry for the lack of blogging. I've been having computer problems. So let's get things back on track with this Saturday post.
A reader writes:
As you know, if someone forgets to confess a mortal sin in confession, it is forgiven, but the penitent still must confess it the next time he goes to confession. My question is this: What if one remembers the sin after confessing his sins but before leaving the confessional? For example, what if one remembers it while the priest is saying the words of absolution? Does the penitent have the obligation to add it when the priest is done, or can/should he "save"it, so to speak, until the next time he goes to confession?
The answer depends on when the penitent remembers and how difficult it would be to make the additional confession.
Let's use the when question as our organizing principle. There are several different points at which the penitent might remember:
1) Immediately after naming all of the individual sins he intended to name. If the penitent remembers at this point then he should go on and name the additional sin.
2) Immediately after making a concluding general accusation (e.g., the "and for all my sins I am sorry" statement that most penitents make after naming the individual sins that they intended to confess). If the penitent remembers at this point then it usually will not be too difficult for the penitent to say, "Oh, and I forgot to confess this . . . " He should do so.
3) After he has finished the act of confessing but before the priest has begun the formula of absolution. The answer is least clear in this time period and will require a judgment call on the part of the penitent, depending on his presence of mind, composure, and the opportunities that present themselves.
For example, if the priest begins to offer advice to the penitent or ask questions about what has been confessed or otherwise starts engaging in a dialog of some sort then a clear-headed penitent may recognize an opportunity to slip in, "Oh, and I forgot to confess this just now . . . " without it being a problem. If so, he should do so.
On the other hand, the priest may not do that. He may be very businesslike and simply elicit an act of contrition if the penitent hasn't made one already (e.g., "Repeat after me: 'Lord have mercy on me'") or he might go straight to the formula of absolution, in which case we'd be at stage 4, below.
Assuming that we're still at stage 3, though, the penitent technically could stop the priest and make the additional confession, or slip it in before or after the act of contrition if the priest has elicited one, but there may be significant difficulties in doing this.
First, after the penitent has made his act of confession, the interpersonal dynamic shifts and he is no longer "in control" of the exchange. The priest is. Second, the fact that he's dealing with a priest (which many penitents may find intimidating) makes it harder to interrupt. Third, the matter he needs to confess may be particularly shameful or complex to explain, making it still harder to stop the proceedings and get it in.
Many penitents would not have the presence of mind, fortitude, or composure to slam on the breaks and insist the the priest stop and listen to one last sin.
I don't think that the Church expects them to. It also doesn't want them scrupling over the matter.
Therefore, I would say that once "control" of the exchange has been shifted back to the priest (i.e., when the penitent has finished his act of confession), the penitent is not obligated to slam on the breaks for a suddenly remembered sin. He is permitted to retain it until next time, and his intent to make a complete confession suffices, even though he suddenly realized afterwards that it wasn't complete.
On the other hand, if the penitent is clear-minded and composed enough to serenely say, "Wait. I forgot this . . . " then fine. He can go ahead and confess, but I don't think he's obligated to do so at that point–either by canon law, liturgical law, or moral/pastoral/sacramental theology.
4) During the formula of absolution. If the penitent remembers at this time then he should not stop the priest for the additional confession. He would be interrupting the form of the sacrament, and that shouldn't be done any more than interrupting the formula of baptism or the formula of consecration of the Eucharist. He should save it for next time.
5) After the formula of absolution but before he leaves the confessional. At this point the sacrament is over. It's finished and so the penitent should retain the unconfessed item until next time.
The above seems to me to be a sound pastoral approach to a subject on which the Church has not laid out detailed rules to guide us. The absence of such rules suggests that the Church wants us to apply common sense and not scruple beyond that.
Hope this helps!