The Quality of Confession

Confession of sins is to be made with true supernatural sorrow and sincerity of heart. Otherwise, the absolution of the priest cannot be effective. Nor does the effect of absolutiontake place in a penitent who confesses without sorrow and afterwards repents.

Confession is to be entire; that is, all mortal sins in kind and number, according as they are remembered by the penitent,are to be confessed. Otherwise, the confession would savor of hypocrisy. And even one remembered mortal sin left unconfessedwould keep the soul from union with God, and it would render the confession sacrilegious.

Confession is made by the penitent sinner in person,not by sending another as agent or proxy, or by mailing a letter. The penitent is to confess his own sins, manifesting them to the priest in some intelligible manner.

The requisite qualities of confession, therefore, are that it should be humble, sincere, and entire.