Are My Father’s Sins Forgiven?

If your father’s absolution was imparted as part of a confession then his sins are forgiven and he has no need to do anything else.

The only time serious sins can be forgiven without confession is when the individual is truly unable to speak his confession. Either because he is unconscious or simply unable to speak.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the anointing of the sick confers “the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance” (1532).

I would note that the forgiveness of sins is not mentioned as “conditional.” It simply states that if the individual is unable to confess then the sacrament confers the forgiveness of sins.

I would therefore say that if your father was unable to confess then his sins were truly forgiven in the Last Rites and sacrament of anointing. I would not think he has need to go to confession for any sins prior to the anointing, unless of course he would find it spiritually beneficial.

If, however, your father was able to confess but the priest simply gave him general absolution rather than hearing his confession then he would need to go to confession.