The Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation in the Catholic Church
The sacrament of Reconciliation is the sacrament that celebrates the divine power to forgive our sins and renew our love for God and people.
Its Different Names
Confession, Reconciliation, Penance,
Its Essential Elements
The Catholic Church teaches the primary elements of the Sacrament are contrition, confession, and satisfaction. The sinner confesses his sins and vocalizes his internal repentance. The priest then gives penance and through the power of his ordination, pronounces the words of absolution.
Contrition
The Council of Trent, defines contrition as: "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again" (#1451). The Catholic Church recognizes two types of contrition, perfect and imperfect. Perfect contrition means that we are sorry for our sins because we love God above all else and recognize that we've offended him. Imperfect contrition is a sense of being sorry that comes from imperfect motives, i.e. fear of hell or recognizing how awful our sin is.
Confession
Confession in the Catholic Church is not like the politician's "mistakes were made." On the contrary, it is an owning up to our own responsibility in our sinfulness by naming specific shortcomings. We must tell the priest all the mortal sins. In confession we are expected to do an "examination of conscience," where we reach deep into our souls and recall the sins we have committed.
Absolution
The absolution remits the guilt and the eternal punishment of mortal sin. After the confession, the person will make an "act of contrition" which is an outward prayer in front of the priest that affirms the person's inward state of being sorry. Then the priest will give counsel and assign a penance. Finally, the priest says the words of absolution and we are forgiven, a cause of great rejoicing! The priest is not the source of forgiveness.
Satisfaction
It is simply making reparation to God for our wrongs we have done. The Catholic Church does not burden people with excessive penances and the priest usually assigns a few prayers or an act of charity. The early Church, as noted above, strongly believed in the concept of penance.
Its Four Parts
Contrition – we feel great sorrow for our sins
Confession – we unburden our sins
Absolution – we are assured of God's forgiveness
Satisfaction – we perform an act of penance
Its Free Gifts of God's Mercy and Forgiveness
Lift the burden of sin
Renew the grace of Baptism
Give inner peace and a new strength of purpose
