§ 2. On General Confession

1710. DEFINITION. General confession is the repetition of several confessions. It embraces either the whole life or a notable part of it, for example one or several years.

DIVISION. One general confession is NECESSARY, namely one which must be made on account of the invalidity of past confessions; another is SPONTANEOUS or free, which is made from the counsel of the confessor or from the devotion of the penitent. This latter, moreover, can be, according to the character of the persons and circumstances, either useful, useless, or even harmful.

PRACTICAL RULES. - I. General confession, UNDER GRAVE OBLIGATION, regularly, must be enjoined upon all who have confessed sacrilegiously or invalidly. This is clear from what was said in the preceding section.

We said regularly, because the penitent must not always be warned about the invalidity of past confessions, namely when he is in good faith and it is foreseen that he will not consent to repeating them. For in this case, absolution indirectly extends itself to confessions made invalidly. Yet sometimes a prudent confessor will be able so to examine the penitent that he, even not knowing it, makes a general confession. Once this has been made, nothing now seems to stand in the way of manifesting to him the invalidity of past confessions, so that he may depart with perfect serenity of soul.

But if the penitent shows himself DISPOSED, it must be gathered from the circumstances whether confession is to be begun immediately, or deferred to another time. - In this matter it must be considered: whether the penitent himself desires delay in order to consult a more perfect preparation; whether he is truly suited to making a good examination of conscience; whether some obstacle, either on the part of the penitent or on the part of the confessor, could arise by which confession would be impeded.

These things considered, if confession truly seems TO BE PROCRASTINATED, let the penitent be taught the manner of rightly preparing himself and the method of making an examination of conscience, with an admonition added that in this affair he proceed accurately indeed and diligently, but not scrupulously; let him be admonished about applying diligence, which consists in this, that through prayer and frequent repetition of acts of contrition he procure true contrition for himself; and finally, for raising his soul, let there be shown the ease with which a general confession, which grants great peace to the mind, is usually made, especially because the opportune and paternal help of the confessor will not be lacking to him.

But if the penitent is altogether unable to return, or not except after a long time, or if the necessity of communicating presses, general confession must be received IMMEDIATELY. - If there were a great concourse of penitents, or a brief space of free time, the confessor will be able to restrict himself to things altogether necessary, by contracting instructions and exhortations; yet with the admonition added that the penitent either return to him later, even after a longer time, in order to hear the other instructions which are necessary; or at least that, as soon as he can, he meet another zealous confessor by whom he may be instructed.⁶

1711. II. General confession, although not necessary, is ordinarily TO BE CONCEDED to those asking it; and to very many, even not asking, prudently TO BE ADVISED. Hence the following admonition of St. Alphonsus to the people:⁷ "I exhort each one, unless he has already done it, to confess all the sins which he has ever committed in his life: and I speak not only for those who have confessed sacrilegiously... or invalidly... but also concerning anyone who wishes to betake himself to a good life."

We said, 1. ordinarily to be conceded: for if you except the scrupulous and certain others concerning whom it will be said below, general confession, or at least a partial repetition of confessions, profits much for conceiving greater sorrow for sins, for peace and tranquility of soul, and for a persevering change of life.⁸ Indeed, it not rarely happens that what at first was judged only useful is afterward recognized as truly necessary.

We said, 2. prudently to be advised: for it is licit neither to thrust it upon all indiscriminately, nor upon anyone by importunate exhortations, when it is not necessary.⁹ But it is to be advised opportunely, whether total or partial, as will seem expedient: - 1. to those whose prior confessions are judged doubtfully valid; - 2. to those who need more accurate instruction for a Christian manner of life, especially if they are men of good will who are foreseen to receive counsel with a ready soul; - 3. to those whom the desire of a more perfect life holds; - 4. to those who are in danger of life, or are forced to commit themselves to such danger; - 5. to spouses, and to all ending or beginning a part of life of graver moment; - 6. to all the faithful, universally, on extraordinary occasions which, according to the mind of the Church, are offered to them for expiating consciences and producing worthy fruits of penance, such as Jubilee and Missions; - 7. to pious persons who make a sacred retreat, in which they do a useful thing by repeating the confessions of the whole year.¹⁰

1712. III. General confession is not to be conceded, but is TO BE PROHIBITED to all those to whom it is judged notably harmful. - Such are: 1. The scrupulous, to whom one general confession indeed may be of profit, but repeated confession will harm; hence they are not to be heard in this, but are earnestly exhorted to blind obedience. - 2. Penitents who have sinned much against the sixth precept and cannot, without danger of again defiling themselves, repeat a confession already validly made; hence it suffices if they sorrow for the sins and renew the accusation summarily. 3. Certain occasionaries and recidivists, who are not truly disposed and sometimes ask for general confession so that they may more easily catch at absolution. These betray themselves by the manner in which they accuse themselves of sins committed from the last confession; and therefore they are to be warned and kindly instructed to leave the occasion and to fight strenuously against the evil habit, and afterward to make general confession with fruit (cf. n. 1822 and 1823).

1713. It is asked: What is the MANNER of receiving a general confession?

Resp. 1. BEFORE CONFESSION, the confessor must take care to know the explicit state of the penitent and the various circumstances from which he can be directed toward questioning prudently and fruitfully. Hence: 1. let him examine whether a necessary confession is at issue or not, according to what was said at n. 1710; for if it is necessary, the penitent must be heard, questioned, and helped with much greater diligence and care; but if it is not necessary, he must certainly be warned that so great a diligence is not required, indeed that he is free to keep some things silent. 2. Let him prudently inquire concerning the condition of the penitent, whether he is celibate or not, about his age, occupations or offices, about his manner of living, etc.; if he is married, from what time, whether he has children, etc. 3. Let him ask about the state of conscience, whether here and now he is entangled in some evil custom or by some evil affection of soul; whether perhaps he has been enrolled in some condemned society; whether he has frequently approached the Sacraments, and with what dispositions; whether he concealed sins; at what time; for how long; whether he confessed them afterward, and repeated sacrilegious confessions; and how often? - But to obtain these notions, ordinarily, it is expedient first to receive the particular confession.¹¹

2. IN THE CONFESSION ITSELF, let the confessor help the penitent, not disturb him. If the penitent is prepared, let him confess in his own way. - If he is scarcely prepared or rude, first let him ask from him the sins which weigh most upon him, that he may proceed more securely; then let him himself immediately supply the necessary things, according to a uniform order, for example of the Decalogue, the precepts of the Church, and particular obligations, unless a special reason suggests otherwise.

3. AT THE END OF CONFESSION, let the general question not be omitted: whether the penitent still has something in mind. Wherefore we notice that, for greater peace and purity of soul, especially if a confession only useful is at issue, even matter not necessary can rightly be declared and asked about, that is, doubtful mortal sins, graver venials, aggravating circumstances, except in shameful matter, and generally all things which apprehensively, or from the mind of the penitent, can be grave. Otherwise a little-instructed penitent, who does not know how to distinguish light things from grave in the manner of theologians, and necessary circumstances from non-necessary, always thinks that many things were lacking to his confessions which had necessarily to be declared.¹² - See the rest at n. 1804 sqq.