Let's go to Hermann in Miami, Florida. Good morning, Hermann.

Patrick, thank you for taking my call. I have a question in regards to confession.

So I went to confession last weekend, and I confessed my sins and the priest gave me the absolution,

but the short version, which is I absolve you of all your sins in

the name of the Father's Son, Holy Spirit. But then I told him, can you do the long version,

though, by the ministry of the church, grant you part of that long one? And he told me, no, no,

the short one works just fine kind of what he told me. And I didn't want to argue with him.

So my question is, is that short form absolution, does that absolve me of all my sin? Or do I have to go back?

No, you don't. Okay. Yeah, so the essential form that's required for validity is for the priest to say,

I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit.

So as long as he says that, then you've been validly absolved of your sins.

I mean, all other things being equal.

But I don't know why a priest wouldn't say the longer form that

the church prescribes because there's meaning and assistance and healing in those words.

So, you know, if I were his bishop, I might say, Father McGillicuddy, why aren't you saying

the full formula that's prescribed in the confessional and, you know,

maybe correct him on that, but that's not my place to correct the priest.

But whatever his reasons may be good or bad, the fact is what he said to you is sufficient

for validity.

Okay, that sounds good.

And I feel better.

And I didn't want to get into arguments with him in the confession also.

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