Does this need to be confessed as well?

[FAH]

If you watched an inappropriate TV program, would you need to confess all the times you laughed at a rude joke contained therein, or just confess the fact you watched the actual program that was inappropriate in nature?

[mommyof4]

Just confess you watched the show. And don't watch it again.

[Ron Conte]

for a valid confession,
you need to confess each and every actual mortal sin
that can be remembered after a diligent examination of conscience
in kind and number, i.e. the type of sin in terms of morality,
and the number of times (as best you can remember).

Laughing at a rude joke is not a grave matter, so it is not mortal.
It is good to confess venial sins, but you don't need to do so
in order to have a valid confession and be forgiven of all sin.

[RB2]

Originally Posted by FAH

If you watched an inappropriate TV program, would you need to confess all the times you laughed at a rude joke contained therein, or just confess the fact you watched the actual program that was inappropriate in nature?

This is a very good question; laughing instances and counting versus confessing the episode.

In my book, since you are talking to Jesus in the confessional, he knows your sins. Number and kind of sin are always preferred but sometimes impractical or ill advised.
Frequently or sometimes the 'episode' is the sin in reference to number.

1) Argument with someone, spouse or other
You confess the episode, you dont count up the number of insults or turned phrases.
Nor do you try to interpret breaks in the argument, so as to continue upping the count.

2) Physical fight with someone
You confess the episode, not the number of punches,nor the t #gentlemanly punches vs. #dirty puches for instance. But you do communicate the gravity of the situation as to your guilt and level of violence.

3)Prevalent problems:
Premarital sex or cheating on spouse sex.
Watching pornography and/or pleasuring yourself .
You confess the episode, whether it was once or several hours or all night or several nights or 1 week or more of engaging in mortal sin.
The priest is not interested in how many times the act was completed during an afternoon or an evening or nightly during a week. Besides Jesus knows this. Although it is appropriate to think of what you did and have remorse it can be unhealthy to then be reliving the experience to be counting up the number of completed times during an episode. The episode or many episodes is the sin. Confessing the episode(s), confesses the sin. The priest is not interested in, nor does he require salacious details. Further, causing your mind to run over the episode(s) to count the completed number of times for something like this can be disturbing and/or lead to further unhealthy/lustful or sinful thoughts. This further makes it providentially easier on you and makes it providentially easier on the priest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Father, forgive me it has been 3 years since my last confession these are my sins
I have left the Church and did not attend mass in those 3 years , Please forgive me Father, but I am back now.

vs.

Father, forgive me it has been 3 years since my last confession these are my sins.
I have left the Church 3 years ago, but did attend mass 7 random times in those three years. So forgive me for missing mass 3x52 -7 times. Further I also didnt go to confession
3 times that I was responsible for in those three years. Please forgive me.


Its the episodic length frequently not the detailed numbers!