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Embarrassed Ed wrote:

Hi, guys —

Good Day, and thanks for your time.

I'm not sure if this is something you can answer, but it deals with Confession.

Having struggled with the sin of masturbation for a while now, I find myself embarrassed to mention this actual word and instead confess this as Impure, lustful, sexual desires, or temptations.

  • Is this OK for Confession or do I have to actually say the word masturbation?

Thanks,

Ed

  { Is saying this good enough in Confession or do I have to actually say the word "masturbation"? }

Eric replied:

Dear Ed —

You don't need to use the term but you need to be more precise. It makes no sense to confess a temptation because temptations are not sinful; not even sexual desires, per se, are sinful.

So you're not really confessing a sin there. You might say, I was impure with myself, and the priest will know.

Eric

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