Saints' Discussion Forums

I've been thinking about this....... I read something about the Judgement Day, and how we'll see all our sins. But what about the sins that we have confessed? Will we see them, but know they're forgiven and God won't punish us for them? how does forgiveness affect Judgement Day?

thanks :)

Interesting question and I don't know the answer.  :-\ Shin or Brigid will probably be able to answer that.

Even if we confess we still have to repair for them don't we? Either by penance on earth or in Purgatory. But I don't know how our sins are seen on Judgement day. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. :boggles:

I do not know this particular answer well.. to my knowledge there are two views.. one that because you confessed the sin that it is erased, and will not be known.. my impression is that this is a minority view..

The other view is that all will be revealed to the greater glory of God..

The sins of the saints will only reveal the great glory of God in His mercy for pardoning them.


'I answer that, At the last and general judgment it behooves the Divine justice, which now is in many ways hidden, to appear evidently to all. Now the sentence of one who condemns or rewards cannot be just, unless it be delivered according to merits and demerits. Therefore just as it behooves both judge  and jury to know  the merits of a case, in order to deliver a just verdict, so is it necessary, in order that the sentence appear to be just, that all who know the sentence  should be acquainted with the merits. Hence, since every one will know of his reward or condemnation, so will every one else know of it, and consequently as each one will recall his own merits or demerits, so will he be cognizant of those of others. This is the more probable and more common opinion, although the Master (Sent. iv, D, 43) says the contrary, namely that a man's sins blotted out by repentance will not be made known to others at the judgment. But it would follow from this that neither would his repentance for these sins be perfectly known, which would detract considerably from the glory of the saints and the praise due to God  for having so mercifully delivered them.'

St. Thomas Aquinas

You can read more fully St. Thomas's treatment of the topic in his Summa. (http://www.newadvent.org/summa/5087.htm#article1)

I recently read some passages from the writings of Catherine of Genoa and she said that the souls in purgatory are completely oblivious to their own sins and to those of others.
Their sins already having been washed away before entering purgatory are no longer remembered by God or by them. They suffer only the due satisfaction still to be rendered to Gods justice as a result of their imperfect contrition.
I remember vaguely some years ago reading about a certain saint who was downcast because of her past sins. The Lord appearing to her questioned her as to why? When she explained the Lord answered, “I no longer recall these things therefore why do you”?
I think that whether He does or not it will be to His greater glory and to our eternal happiness in heaven.

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)

In this area of the country the 'minority' view is definitely the view of the vast majority! Seems to me that if this were not true than how could St. Teresa of Avila and St. Padre Pio tell us to pray and not to worry? If the Church has taught throughout the centuries that confession to a priest rids you of your sins (not of penance!), it needs to be true.



Since Scripture only speaks of those that are dead (as opposed to "asleep") to mean those who are in mortal sin, it seems to me that those in a state of grace at death from their earthly existence would only know of the attachment they still have.







From what I can gather, it seems that our confessed sins may be 'generally' known during the General Judgement due to how they affected the people around us. However no mention is made of them 'being brought up' in our Particular Judgement.

I hope that answers your question somewhat.

thanks for the replies! :) I guess.. we will see ;)

Just after these posts, yesterday afternoon, I heard Jim Burnham discuss the end times. This specifically was not mentioned at all. I was hoping it would be. :imsorry:

All are quotes of Saint John Vianney:





Saint Therese of the Child Jesus said:


MarysLittleFlower, it seems that He doesn't have anything more to do with showing us our absolved sins (other than showing us our attachments and need for purification).