The Sacrament of Confession, also known as the Sacrament of Penance and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is one of the least understood, and least utilized, sacraments in the Catholic Church. In reconciling us to God, it is a great source of grace, and Catholics are encouraged to take advantage of it often, even if they are not aware of having committed a mortal sin. Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness. Christ has fully satisfied for our sins and after our baptism we were free from all guilt and had no satisfaction to make. But when we willfully sinned after baptism, it is but just that we should be obliged to make some satisfaction. Given that sin destroys our relationship with God and undermines our relationship with each other, reconciliation designates that precise effect of Christ’s redemption of the human race and restores our relationship with God and humans.
21 “Peace be with you,” Jesus said to them again. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
Christ breaks down the barriers that sin raises between us and God, and within the human family. Our conversion from sin and reception of divine mercy are continually renewed by confession. Serious sin separates us from the body of the church, and sacramental penance reconciles us with God and the community of His people.
Sophia Sketchpad: Confession (7:55)
The Purpose of Confession
The purpose of Confession is to reconcile man to God. When we sin, we deprive ourselves of God’s grace. And by doing so, we make it even easier to sin some more. The only way out of this downward cycle is to acknowledge our sins, to repent of them, and to ask God’s forgiveness. Then, in the Sacrament of Confession, grace can be restored to our souls, and we can once again resist sin.
“In the life of the body a man is sometimes sick, and unless he takes medicine, he will die. Even so in the spiritual life a man is sick on account of sin. For that reason he needs medicine so that he may be restored to health; and this grace is bestowed in the Sacrament of Penance.” ― Saint Thomas Aquinas
How are sins forgiven through the Sacrament of Reconciliation? (6:31)
How can the Catholic Church forgive sins? (6:28)
Why Is Confession Necessary?
Non-Catholics, and even many Catholics, often ask whether they can confess their sins directly to God and whether God can forgive them without going through a priest. On the most basic level, of course, the answer is yes, and Catholics should make frequent acts of contrition, which are prayers in which we tell God that we are sorry for our sins and ask for His forgiveness.
But the question misses the point of the Sacrament of Confession. The sacrament, by its very nature, confers graces that help us to live a Christian life, which is why the Church requires us to receive it at least once per year. (See Five Precepts of the Church for more details.) Moreover, it was instituted by Christ as the proper form for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore, we should not only be willing to receive the sacrament but should embrace it as a gift from a loving God.
“A church that suffers no persecution but enjoys the privileges and support of the things of the earth – beware! – is not the true church of Jesus Christ. A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good, so that they are secured in their sinful state, betrays the gospel’s call.” ― Saint Óscar Romero
Before celebrating the Sacrament of Confession, one should prepare oneself with an examination of conscience, which involves reflecting prayerfully on one’s thoughts, words, and deeds in order to identify any sins.
Why do we need frequent Confession? | WHY (1:58)
What Is Required?
Three things are required of a penitent in order to receive the sacrament worthily:
- You must be contrite—or, in other words, sorry for your sins.
- You must confess those sins fully, in kind and in number.
- You must be willing to do penance and make amends for your sins.
18 All this has been done by God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18)
Confession is a Place of Victory (8:02)
