YOUCAT Lesson 232
YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth
232 What must I bring to a confession?
Essential elements of every confession are an examination of
conscience, contrition, a purpose of amendment, confession, and penance. [1450-1460;
1490-1492; 1494]
Photo: …..Penitents await
their turn to enter the confessional to be reconciled with God. …..232
The examination of conscience should be done thoroughly, but
it can never be exhaustive. No one can
be absolved from his sin without real contrition, merely on the basis of
“lip-service”. Equally indispensable is
the purpose of amendment, the resolution not to commit that sin again in the
future. The sinner absolutely must
declare the sin to the confessor and, thus, confess to it. The final essential element of confession is
the atonement or penance that the confessor imposes on the sinner to make
restitution for the harm done.
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you
retain the sins of any, they are retained.” John 20:23
“Repentance results from a knowledge of the truth.” Thomas Stearns Elliot (1888-1965,
American-English poet)
“A sign of sincere repentance is avoiding the occasion of
sin.” St. Bernard of Clairvaux
(1090-1153)
THE ACTS OF THE PENITENT
…….1450
"Penance
requires . . . the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite
of heart, confess with the lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful
satisfaction."(Roman Catechism II,V,21; cf. Council of Trent (1551):
Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1673.)49
–Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition
…….1451
Among
the penitent's acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow
of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution
not to sin again."(Council of Trent
(1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1676.)50 –CCC
…….1452 When
it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is
called "perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits
venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm
resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.(compare Council of Trent (1551):
Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1677.)51
–CCC
…….1453 The
contrition called "imperfect" (or "attrition") is also a
gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of
sin's ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties
threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can
initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be
brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however, imperfect
contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to
obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.(compare Council of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer
1678; 1705.)52
–CCC
.......1454 The reception of this sacrament ought to
be prepared for by an examination of conscience made in the light of
the Word of God. The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten
Commandments, the moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters,
such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings.(compare Matthew 5-7; Romans 12-15; 1 Corinthians 12-13; Galatians 5; Ephesians 4-6; etc.)53 –CCC
…….1455
The
confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view,
frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an
admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility
for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the
Church in order to make a new future possible. –CCC
…….1456 Confession
to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: "All mortal
sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be
recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been
committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins
sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those
which are committed openly."(Council of Trent
(1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1680 (ND 1626); compare Exodus 20:17; Matthew 5:28.)54
When
Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they
undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who
fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine
goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, "for if the
sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot
heal what it does not know."(Council
of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1680 (ND 1626); compare St. Jerome, In Eccl. 10,11:Patrologia Latina 23:1096.)5 –CCC
……..1457 According
to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion,
each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious
sins at least once a year."(compare Codex Iuris Canonici, can 989; council of Trent
(1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1683; DS 1708.)56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a
mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep
contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has
a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to
confession.(compare Council of
Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1647; 1661; Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 916; Corpus Canonum Ecclesiarm
Orientalium, can. 711.58)57 Children must go to the sacrament of
Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.(compare Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 914.)58 –CCC
…….1458 Without
being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is
nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.(compare Council of Trent: Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1680; Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 988 § 2.)59 Indeed the regular confession of our
venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let
ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By
receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's
mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful(compare Luke 6:36.)60
Whoever
confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts
your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner
are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear "man" - this is what
God has made; when you hear "sinner" - this is what man himself has
made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made.
. . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your
good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works.
The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth
and come to the light.(St.
Augustine, In Jo. ev. 12,13:Patrologia Latina 35,1491.)61 –CCC
Satisfaction
……..1459
Many
sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the
harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered,
pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also
injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God
and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the
disorders sin has caused.(compare Council of
Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1712.)62 Raised
up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing
something more to make amends for the sin: he must "make satisfaction
for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called
"penance." –CCC
…….1460 The penance the confessor imposes must take
into account the penitent's personal situation and must seek his spiritual
good. It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the
sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service
of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient
acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to
Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become
co-heirs with the risen Christ, "provided we suffer with him."(Romans 8:17; Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:1-2; compar Council of
Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1690.)63
The
satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though
it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if
just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of "him who
strengthens" us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our
boasting is in Christ . . . in whom we make satisfaction by bringing
forth "fruits that befit repentance." These fruits have their
efficacy from him, by him they are offered to the Father, and through him they
are accepted by the Father.(Council
of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1691; compare Philippians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17; Galatians 6:14; Luke 3:8.)64 –CCC
IN BRIEF
…….1490 The movement
of return to God, called conversion and repentance, entails sorrow for and
abhorrence of sins committed, and the firm purpose of sinning no more in the
future. Conversion touches the past and the future and is nourished by hope in
God's mercy. –CCC
…….1491 The
sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and
the priest's absolution. The penitent's acts are repentance, confession or
disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do
works of reparation. --CCC
…….1492 Repentance (also called contrition) must
be inspired by motives that arise from faith. If repentance arises from love of
charity for God, it is called "perfect" contrition; if it is founded
on other motives, it is called "imperfect." –CCC
…….1494 The confessor proposes the performance of
certain acts of "satisfaction" or "penance" to be performed
by the penitent in order to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish
habits befitting a disciple of Christ. --CCC
