Q. 793. {215} Is our Confession worthy if, without our fault, we forget to confess a mortal sin?  A. If without our fault we forget to confess a mortal sin, our Confession is worthy, and the sin is forgiven; but it must be told in Confession if it again comes to our mind.

Q. 794.  May a person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession go to Holy Communion before going again to confession?  A. A person who has forgotten to tell a mortal sin in confession may go to communion before again going to confession, because the forgotten sin was forgiven with those confessed, and the confession was good and worthy.

Q. 795. {216} Is it a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession?  A. It is a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy Ghost, and make our Confession worthless.

Q. 796.  How is concealing a sin telling a lie to the Holy Ghost?  A. Concealing a sin is telling a lie to the Holy Ghost, because he who conceals the sin declares in confession to God and the priest that he committed no sins but what he has confessed, while the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, saw him committing the sin he now conceals and still sees it in his soul while he denies it.

Q. 797.  Why is it foolish to conceal sins in confession?  A. It is foolish to conceal sins in confession:  (1) Because we thereby make our spiritual condition worse; (2) We must tell the sin sometime if we ever hope to be saved; (3) It will be made known on the day of judgment, before the world, whether we conceal it now or confess it.

Q. 798. {217} What must he do who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession?  A. He who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins he has committed since his last worthy Confession.

Q. 799.  Must one who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in confession do more than repeat the sins committed since his last worthy confession?  A. One who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in confession must, besides repeating all the sins he has committed since his last worthy confession, tell also how often he has unworthily received absolution and Holy Communion during the same time.

Q. 800. {218} Why does the priest give us a penance after Confession?  A. The priest gives us a penance after Confession, that we may satisfy God for the temporal punishment due to our sins.

Q. 801.  Why should we have to satisfy for our sins if Christ has fully satisfied for them?  A. Christ has fully satisfied for our sins and after our baptism we were free from all guilt and had no satisfaction to make.  But when we wilfully sinned after baptism, it is but just that we should be obliged to make some satisfaction.