Validity of my confessions

[Mateo el Feo]

I hope you'll understand why everyone is in agreement that your confessions were valid. It seems clear that you made the confession in good faith, intending not to sin anymore. Your contrition was real, whether or not there was a moral issue with listening to pirated music.

[Mateo el Feo]

Another thing I think about in your case is whether this is a mortal sin ([url="http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/mortal_versus_venial.htm"]link[/url]):
[quote name='Mortal vs. Venial Sin' date=' EWTN Website']The person may have acted without reflection or under force of habit. Thus, not fully intending the action their guilt before God is reduced. It is always good to remember, especially those who are trying to be faithful but sometimes fall, that for mortal sin it must not only be 1) serious matter, but 2) the person must know it is serious and then 3) freely commit it.[/quote]

While you "freely committed" the acts (i.e. no one forced you), the first two points seem to indicate that your sin was not mortal:
1) The cost of listening to a pirated song has an open-market value of ~99 cents per song. Not too much.
2) Even if the commercial value were high, I don't think that you saw this as a serious sin when you continued to listen.

To offer my layman's opinion, I'd guess that we're talking about venial sin. You have already done the right thing by deleting the pirated music. And it's clear that you are contrite and want to be in friendship with God, to the point that you realize that even venial sin is displeasing to God.

So, just thank God that He gave you the grace of repentance. If you're still unsure of yourself, just talk with a priest--in or out of the confessional.

Edited March 18, 2006 by Mateo el Feo

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

thank you for bieng so kind and explaining this to me.

God Bless,

Sam

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

I still listened to the music after absolution does this make the confession invalid?

[brendan1104]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Mar 18 2006, 08:35 PM']I still listened to the music after absolution does this make the confession invalid?
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It's probably doubtful, because you probably did not (and it seems so) have firm purpose of amendment. You also did not make restitution for the stolen goods (the music you downloaded). In this case, it would probably consist of deleting the music.

Edited March 19, 2006 by brendan1104

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Mar 18 2006, 07:35 PM']I still listened to the music after absolution does this make the confession invalid?
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No, it means you have something else to confess.

[uruviel]

well, I would say that, you wouldn't be making a commitment not to sin again if you kept these sinful things. Stolen things. You must not only have true contrition for your sins, but make a firm commitment not to commit them again, and if it is difficult, ask God to help you over come the temptation. Because if you had sincere sorrow for your sins and love for Christ you would firmly delete the items, and Not again steal music. Thats my opninion. But it is not my judgement to make

[goldenchild17]

[quote name='notardillacid' date='Mar 17 2006, 09:52 AM']anyhoo thats my .02
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Are you sure? Or could it be the stolen 2 cents?

[prose]

I confessed downloading music online on more than one occasion, and two separate and conservative priests told me that it was not a sin.

[Dave]

Sam, I hate to tell you, but even if downloading music wasn't an issue here, your past confessions might still be invalid in that you've displayed an obstinate refusal to submit to the Holy Father regarding the Tridentine Mass and to acknowledge the Novus Ordo Mass as intrinsically good and pleasing to God (despite any abuses that priests might commit), as well as cooperating in the sin of schism by praising or condoning what Archbishop Lefebvre and his cronies did. All of those are objectively mortal sins, but I can't help but suspect that you didn't confess them or, if you did confess them, weren't properly repentant of them, which seems pretty evident considering that you've been spouting the same errors time and time again regardless of how much people have corrected you.

[Amator Veritatis]

If a person either fails to have a firm purpose of amendment or does not intend to make restitution prior to the Confession, he makes a bad Confession, which is invalid. For a valid Confession, five things are necessary. Firstly, the penitent must know his sins (Examination of Conscience). Secondly, he must have true contrition for them. Thirdly, he must have a firm purpose of amendment. Fourthly, he must confess his sins and receive absolution. Fifthly, he must amend his life. To amend one's life includes avoiding, at least, near and voluntary occasions of sin as well as making restitution for wrongdoing. If the penitent never intended to make restitution or never intended to avoid the near and voluntary occasions of sin, it would be a mortal sin of Presumption in addition to the rest. The safest route, and only moral route, is to make a General Confession. It is a matter of moral theology that the safest route be taken regarding salvation and the Sacraments. Because this is a matter of the salvation of your soul, you would be required to take the safest route. If you need more information on a General Confession, buy the pamphlet issued by TAN concerning the Sacrament of Confession. It is entitled [i]Confession: Its Fruitful Practice[/i]. Saint Alphonsus Liguori compiled a book, the translation of which was entitled [i]Mission Book[/i] in English, which was gave instructions for parish missions. I have a copy from the middle of the nineteenth century, but I am all but certain that this book is not being re-printed by anyone. In this book there is an extensive section on Confession and specifically on General Confession. It includes a wonderful Examination of Conscience for a General Confession. Please contact me if you would like further details.

N.B., the pamphlet on Confession I mentioned earlier can be purchased online at the following link: [url="http://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/558/keywords/general,confession/"]http://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/sho...ral,confession/[/url]

Edited March 28, 2006 by Amator Veritatis

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

[quote name='Amator Veritatis' date='Mar 28 2006, 01:25 PM']If a person either fails to have a firm purpose of amendment or does not intend to make restitution prior to the Confession, he makes a bad Confession, which is invalid. For a valid Confession, five things are necessary. Firstly, the penitent must know his sins (Examination of Conscience). Secondly, he must have true contrition for them. Thirdly, he must have a firm purpose of amendment. Fourthly, he must confess his sins and receive absolution. Fifthly, he must amend his life. To amend one's life includes avoiding, at least, near and voluntary occasions of sin as well as making restitution for wrongdoing. If  the penitent never intended to make restitution or never intended to avoid the near and voluntary occasions of sin, it would be a mortal sin of Presumption in addition to the rest. The safest route, and only moral route, is to make a General Confession. It is a matter of moral theology that the safest route be taken regarding salvation and the Sacraments. Because this is a matter of the salvation of your soul, you would be required to take the safest route. If you need more information on a General Confession, buy the pamphlet issued by TAN concerning the Sacrament of Confession. It is entitled [i]Confession: Its Fruitful Practice[/i]. Saint Alphonsus Liguori compiled a book, the translation of which was entitled [i]Mission Book[/i] in English, which was gave instructions for parish missions. I have a copy from the middle of the nineteenth century, but I am all but certain that this book is not being re-printed by anyone. In this book there is an extensive section on Confession and specifically on General Confession. It includes a wonderful Examination of Conscience for a General Confession. Please contact me if you would like further details.

N.B., the pamphlet on Confession I mentioned earlier can be purchased online at the following link: [url="http://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/558/keywords/general,confession/"]http://www.tanbooks.com/index.php/page/sho...ral,confession/[/url]
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hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm i think all of my confessions were invalid, becuause of restution.

[Theologian in Training]

The easiest way to settle this is to ask yourself one question: why did you go to confession in the first place? It does not sound like you were forced and it does not sound like you had any ill intentions. However, I would say if your conscience bothered you while you were in confession and deliberately withheld that confession, then there is something, otherwise, I cannot see how your confessions would be invalid, in this case.

God Bless

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

[quote name='Theologian in Training' date='Mar 28 2006, 07:15 PM']The easiest way to settle this is to ask yourself one question: why did you go to confession in the first place? It does not sound like you were forced and it does not sound like you had any ill intentions. However, I would say if your conscience bothered you while you were in confession and deliberately withheld that confession, then there is something, otherwise, I cannot see how your confessions would be invalid, in this case.

God Bless
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what does it mean to make restitution?

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Mar 28 2006, 08:17 PM']what does it mean to make restitution?
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Good ole dictionary.com: The act of restoring to the rightful owner something that has been taken away, lost, or surrendered. See Synonyms at reparation.
The act of making good or compensating for loss, damage, or injury; indemnification.
A return to or restoration of a previous state or position.

An example of this is the fact that I fix/work on computers for people for free, knowing full well I could make money on the deal. Granted, I do it because I don't need the money, but also I do it because I used to be very big into piracy and hacking. So, because I cannot pay back the "debts" that I owe physically, to all the artists, companies, etc., though I deleted it all, I pay it back or make resititution for those wrongs I have done in the past...

Hope that helps

Edited March 29, 2006 by Theologian in Training