What is the requirement about yearly confession?
The short answer
After reaching the age of discretion, the faithful must confess their grave, that is mortal, sins at least once a year. A sin is mortal only with grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent.
The Catechism says that after reaching the age of discretion, each of the faithful must confess serious sins at least once a year (CCC 1457). Its footnote points to canon 989, which speaks of "grave sins," meaning mortal sins; the Catechism's "serious sins" are to be understood the same way.
A sin is mortal only if three conditions are met: grave matter, full knowledge and complete consent (cf. CCC 1857). A sin of grave matter missing either of the other conditions is not mortal: the matter is grave, but the sin is not. The Catechism explains that one commits venial sin when one disobeys the moral law in a grave matter without full knowledge or complete consent (CCC 1862).
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