Fr Flader answers question on confessing same sins

Fr. John Flader stated that repeating the same sins during confession is not an abuse of the sacrament. In a Q&A with The Catholic Weekly, Flader explained that individuals face consistent temptations based on their unique temperaments, personalities, family situations, and work environments.

Flader noted that because people remain in the same life situations, they will naturally experience similar weaknesses from one confession to the next. He listed examples such as repeated anger, overeating, alcohol abuse, selfishness, or sins against chastity.

According to Flader, an abuse of the sacrament occurs only if a person confesses the same sins without true sorrow or a genuine effort to struggle against them. He noted that true contrition requires a resolution to avoid those sins in the future.