Catechism of the Catholic Church · Part Two › Section Two › Chapter Two · Article 4 (§§1422–1498)
Paragraphs · 77
The Catechism's text is under copyright, so each paragraph is quoted briefly here with a link to the full text at vatican.va.
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
- §1422 — "Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion."vatican.va
I. What is This Sacrament Called?
- §1423 — It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.vatican.va
- §1424 — It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession" - acknowledgment and praise - of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.vatican.va
II. Why a Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism?
- §1425 — "YOU were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." One must appreciate the magnitude of the gift God has given us in the sacraments of Christian initiation in order to…vatican.va
- §1426 — Conversion to Christ, the new birth of Baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the Body and Blood of Christ received as food have made us "holy and without blemish," just as the Church herself, the Bride of Christ, is "holy and without blemish."vatican.va
III. The Conversion of the Baptized
- §1427 — Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."vatican.va
- §1428 — Christ's call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church who, "clasping sinners to her bosom, (is) at once holy and always in need of purification, (and) follows constantly the path of penance and renewal."vatican.va
- §1429 — St. Peter's conversion after he had denied his master three times bears witness to this. Jesus' look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him.vatican.va
IV. Interior Penance
- §1430 — Jesus' call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, "sackcloth and ashes," fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion.vatican.va
- §1431 — Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed.vatican.va
- §1432 — The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: "Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!"vatican.va
- §1433 — , proved that the world has not believed in him whom the Father has sent. But this same Spirit who brings sin to light is also the Consoler who gives the human heart grace for repentance and conversion.vatican.va
V. The Many Forms of Penance in Christian Life
- §1434 — The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.vatican.va
- §1435 — Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right, by the admission of faults to one's brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness.vatican.va
- §1436 — Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has reconciled us with God.vatican.va
- §1437 — Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father - every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.vatican.va
- §1438 — The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice.vatican.va
- §1439 — The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father: The fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father's house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself…vatican.va
VI. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
- §1440 — Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church.vatican.va
- §1441 — Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, "The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" and exercises this divine power: "Your sins are forgiven."vatican.va
- §1442 — Christ has willed that in her prayer and life and action his whole Church should be the sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood.vatican.va
- §1443 — During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them.vatican.va
- §1444 — In imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. This ecclesial dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christ's solemn words to Simon Peter: "I will give you…vatican.va
- §1445 — The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his.vatican.va
- §1446 — Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion.vatican.va
- §1447 — Over the centuries the concrete form in which the Church has exercised this power received from the Lord has varied considerably. During the first centuries the reconciliation of Christians who had committed particularly grave sins after their Baptism (for example, idolatry, murder, or adultery) was…vatican.va
- §1448 — Beneath the changes in discipline and celebration that this sacrament has undergone over the centuries, the same fundamental structure is to be discerned. It comprises two equally essential elements: on the one hand, the acts of the man who undergoes conversion through the action of…vatican.va
- §1449 — The formula of absolution used in the Latin Church expresses the essential elements of this sacrament: the Father of mercies is the source of all forgiveness.vatican.va
VII. 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."vatican.va
- §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."vatican.va
- §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.vatican.va
- §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).vatican.va
- §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 moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings.vatican.va
- §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…vatican.va
- §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…vatican.va
- §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."vatican.va
- §1458 — Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. 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.vatican.va
- §1459 — Many sins wrong our neighbor. , 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.vatican.va
- §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.vatican.va
VIII. The Minister of This Sacrament
- §1461 — Since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, the bishops' collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry.vatican.va
- §1462 — Forgiveness of sins brings reconciliation with God, but also with the Church. Since ancient times the bishop, visible head of a particular Church, has thus rightfully been considered to be the one who principally has the power and ministry of reconciliation: he is the moderator of the penitential discipline.vatican.va
- §1463 — Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them.vatican.va
- §1464 — Priests must encourage the faithful to come to the sacrament of Penance and must make themselves available to celebrate this sacrament each time Christians reasonably ask for it.vatican.va
- §1465 — When he celebrates the sacrament of Penance, the priest is fulfilling the ministry of the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, of the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds, of the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return, and…vatican.va
- §1466 — The confessor is not the master of God's forgiveness, but its servant. the minister of this sacrament should unite himself to the intention and charity of Christ.vatican.va
- §1467 — Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him.vatican.va
IX. The Effects of This Sacrament
- §1468 — "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship." Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament.vatican.va
- §1469 — This sacrament reconciles us with the Church. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. the sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it. In this sense it does not simply heal the one restored to ecclesial communion, but has also a revitalizing effect on the life…vatican.va
- §1470 — In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life.vatican.va
X. Indulgences
- §1471 — The doctrine and practice of indulgences in the Church are closely linked to the effects of the sacrament of Penance.vatican.va
- §1472 — To understand this doctrine and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin.vatican.va
- §1473 — The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains.vatican.va
- §1474 — The Christian who seeks to purify himself of his sin and to become holy with the help of God's grace is not alone. "The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of…vatican.va
- §1475 — In the communion of saints, "a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth.vatican.va
- §1476 — We also call these spiritual goods of the communion of saints the Church's treasury, which is "not the sum total of the material goods which have accumulated during the course of the centuries.vatican.va
- §1477 — "This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are truly immense, unfathomable, and even pristine in their value before God.vatican.va
- §1478 — An indulgence is obtained through the Church who, by virtue of the power of binding and loosing granted her by Christ Jesus, intervenes in favor of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from…vatican.va
- §1479 — Since the faithful departed now being purified are also members of the same communion of saints, one way we can help them is to obtain indulgences for them, so that the temporal punishments due for their sins may be remitted.vatican.va
XI. The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance
- §1480 — Like all the sacraments, Penance is a liturgical action. the elements of the celebration are ordinarily these: a greeting and blessing from the priest, reading the word of God to illuminate the conscience and elicit contrition, and an exhortation to repentance; the confession, which acknowledges…vatican.va
- §1481 — The Byzantine Liturgy recognizes several formulas of absolution, in the form of invocation, which admirably express the mystery of forgiveness: "May the same God, who through the Prophet Nathan forgave David when he confessed his sins, who forgave Peter when he wept bitterly, the prostitute…vatican.va
- §1482 — The sacrament of Penance can also take place in the framework of a communal celebration in which we prepare ourselves together for confession and give thanks together for the forgiveness received.vatican.va
- §1483 — In case of grave necessity recourse may be had to a communal celebration of reconciliation with general confession and general absolution. Grave necessity of this sort can arise when there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time for the priest or priests to hear each penitent's confession.vatican.va
- §1484 — "Individual, integral confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile themselves with God and the Church, unless physical or moral impossibility excuses from this kind of confession."vatican.va
In Brief
- §1485 — "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week," Jesus showed himself to his apostles. "He breathed on them, and said to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit.vatican.va
- §1486 — The forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism is conferred by a particular sacrament called the sacrament of conversion, confession, penance, or reconciliation.vatican.va
- §1487 — The sinner wounds God's honor and love, his own human dignity as a man called to be a son of God, and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone.vatican.va
- §1488 — To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world.vatican.va
- §1489 — To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men.vatican.va
- §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.vatican.va
- §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.vatican.va
- §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."vatican.va
- §1493 — One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience.vatican.va
- §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.vatican.va
- §1495 — Only priests who have received the faculty of absolving from the authority of the Church can forgive sins in the name of Christ.vatican.va
- §1496 — The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are: - reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; - reconciliation with the Church; - remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; - remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from…vatican.va
- §1497 — Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church.vatican.va
- §1498 — Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory.vatican.va
Scripture cited · 110 verses
Exodus 20:17 · Tobit 12:8 · Psalm 51:17 · Isaiah 1:16 · Isaiah 1:17 · Lamentations 5:21 · Ezekiel 36:26 · Ezekiel 36:27 · Joel 2:12 · Joel 2:13 · Amos 5:24 · Zechariah 12:10 · Matthew 5:24 · Matthew 5:28 · Matthew 6:1 · Matthew 6:2 · Matthew 6:3 · Matthew 6:4 · Matthew 6:5 · Matthew 6:6 · Matthew 6:7 · Matthew 6:8 · Matthew 6:9 · Matthew 6:10 · Matthew 6:11 · Matthew 6:12 · Matthew 6:13 · Matthew 6:14 · Matthew 6:15 · Matthew 6:16 · Matthew 6:17 · Matthew 6:18 · Matthew 16:19 · Matthew 18:18 · Matthew 28:16 · Matthew 28:17 · Matthew 28:18 · Matthew 28:19 · Matthew 28:20 · Mark 1:15 · Mark 2:5 · Mark 2:7 · Mark 2:10 · Mark 2:17 · Luke 3:8 · Luke 6:36 · Luke 7:48 · Luke 9:23 · Luke 11:4 · Luke 15:11 · Luke 15:12 · Luke 15:13 · Luke 15:14 · Luke 15:15 · Luke 15:16 · Luke 15:17 · Luke 15:18 · Luke 15:19 · Luke 15:20 · Luke 15:21 · Luke 15:22 · Luke 15:23 · Luke 15:24 · Luke 15:32 · Luke 19:9 · Luke 22:61 · John 5:24 · John 6:44 · John 12:32 · John 15:26 · John 16:8 · John 16:9 · John 19:37 · John 20:21 · John 20:22 · John 20:23 · John 21:15 · John 21:16 · John 21:17 · Acts 2:36 · Acts 2:37 · Acts 2:38 · Romans 3:25 · Romans 8:17 · 1 Corinthians 1:31 · 1 Corinthians 5:11 · 1 Corinthians 6:11 · 1 Corinthians 12:26 · 2 Corinthians 5:18 · 2 Corinthians 5:20 · 2 Corinthians 10:17 · Galatians 3:27 · Galatians 5:19 · Galatians 5:20 · Galatians 5:21 · Galatians 6:14 · Ephesians 1:4 · Ephesians 4:22 · Ephesians 4:24 · Ephesians 5:27 · Philippians 4:13 · James 5:20 · 1 Peter 4:8 · 1 John 1:8 · 1 John 2:1 · 1 John 2:2 · 1 John 4:10 · Revelation 2:5 · Revelation 2:16 · Revelation 22:15