When you go to confession, and you are naming your mortal sins, do you have to be very specific when you name them? For example if you were guilty of lets say tarot cards or something like that, would you have to specifically say tarot cards or would you just say that you failed to comply with the first commandment?

-- ed Murphy (elhefe_6@yahoo.com), April 21, 2003

Answers

You should be as specific as possible in confessing, so that the priest knows what you are confessing. Simply mentioning the commandment you violated doesn't really tell him anything, since every commandment covers dozens of venial sins, and at least several types of behavior that might constitute mortal sin. Saying "I violated the sixth commandment" might mean I looked at a Playboy magazine, or it might mean I committed adultery. Same with any other commandment. If I did commit adultery, I don't have to give the priest a point by point description of the events as they unfolded. But I do have to say I committed adultery, and respond to any addition questions of clarification he might have, such as "was this the first time, or has this been an ongoing affair?". That makes a difference.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), April 21, 2003.