Would I Need To Confess?

[Guest anon]

If I started to masturbate but stopped

[Carson Weber]

The action in and of itself is intrinsically grave matter, which means that it is a mortal sin if done with free consent and full knowledge.

However, there are many different factors that play into whether you actually committed a mortal sin because the extreme temptation involved in this scenario (esp. when one is fighting to break an addiction) can lessen consent so that starting and stopping would not be mortal but rather venial.. because you had the courage to fight off the temptation.

Let's say that you're fighting an addiction and this is a courageous effort on your part to fend off the evil one. Well, that is a sign that you are well aware of your love for God the Father and your willingness to obey him, even when temptation drives you so far as to begin assenting to a gravely sinful action.

The rule is: When in doubt as to knowledge and consent.. and when you are certain with regard to gravity, confess.

Confessing will free your conscience, cleanse you of any sin, and give you the grace to not even start next time that the temptation comes on.

Praise the Lord for the sacrament of penance!

[BLAZEr]

I would also suggest that you confess for the simple fact that Confession gives us the grace to resist sin in the future. So the more you confess, the less you are prone to sin.


In regards to your question, what you seem to be asking is whether what you did was a mortal sin. I think you need to speak to a priest about this. We can't offer you this type of counsel here. Only a priest whom you explain the whole situation to can tell you.