Do I need to confess a mortal sin committed before I was baptized?
The short answer
No. Baptism forgave all your prior sins — original and personal — and all punishment for them. Confession is for sins committed after baptism.
Baptism forgives all
By baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and personal sins, and all punishment for sin; nothing remains to impede entry into God's kingdom (CCC 1263).
Confession is for afterward
Christ instituted penance above all for those who, since baptism, have fallen into grave sin and lost baptismal grace (CCC 1446).
Continue exploring
- As a Protestant, may I confess my sins to a priest to stay focused on the Lord?Q&A
- Can I give a priest permission to talk about my confession?Q&A
- Can a priest report a sin not yet committed, to prevent a crime?Q&A
- Can confession be made online?Q&A
- Can mortal sins be forgiven without confession?Q&A
- Can priests hear confessions by phone, e-mail or online?Q&A