Confession and is this a mortal sin?

[Guest Karen]

I went to confession and after I was done, I believe after the act of contrition, or a bit before when the priest was talking I thought about forgetting a sin, I couldn't remember what exactly I forgot but I decided not to think of it anymore or try to remember since I was pretty much done confessing my sins and couldn't recall the sin so I kept quiet. Was my confession valid? And also, is yelling at your parents really a mortal sin? My priest said it was, and wanted to clarify.

[tinytherese]

As long as you didn't knowingly withhold a mortal sin you're fine. In confession, we are absolved of both the sins that we remember and those that we can't. This is talked about in the book Understanding Scrupulosity by Thomas M. Santa.

"With our lips we humbly admit, as well as wwe can, what our deliberate failings were. IF we are aware of serious sins, and if we are certain they were serious sins, then we must acknowledge them. But absolute perfection and accuracy are not demanded. God accepts our human and imperfect memories. God does not expect the impossible. You have doubts and misgivings, but you have no certainty that you failed to confess some serious sin or sins in the past. You have no certainty that you confessed sins incorrectly. Therefore, since you lack such certainty, you have nothing to be afraid of. Forget it. Leave it all in God's hands. That is all that God expects of you." (44)

 

"Venial sins are the many, many wrongdoings that are unclear and vague in their importance and weight and evilness. They do not have to be confessed." (66)

 

No, you did not commit a mortal sin by yelling at your parents. At worst, it was a venial sin. 

"A good common-sense rule for scrupulous people is to follow: Unless you are so absolutely sure that you have committed a mortal sin, that you would without hesitation swear to it on a stack of Bibles, you should presume that you have not committed a mortal sin. If you had done so, you would know it without any doubt whatsoever." (64)