RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 4_WORSHIP, LITURGY AND SACRAMENTS_MODULE 7

Module 6_Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

Introduction
Through the sacrament s of Christian Initiation, man receives the new life of Christ.
Now we carry this life ―in earthen vessels,‖ and it remains ―hidden with Christ in God.‖
We are still in our ―earthly tent,‖ subject to
suffering, illness and death. This new life as a child
of God can be weakened and even lost by sin.
The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls
and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and
restored him to bodily health, has willed that his
Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his
work of healing and salvation, even among her own
members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments
of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the
sacrament of Anointing the Sick.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the learner is expected:
1. to know the Sacrament of the Holy penance and its importance
2. to appreciate and give value to the Sacrament of Penance
3. to develop in the students a habit to go for confession
Learning Content
Lesson 1_ What is the Sacrament of Penance?
Sacrament of Penance is the sacrament by which we obtain pardon from God’s mercy
for the offense committed against Him. This sacrament was instituted by Christ for the
forgiveness of the sins committed after Baptism; hence, it is known as Second Baptism. It
is also called Reconciliation, because the penitent, having regained the state of grace, is
―reconciled‖ with God and with his Church.
What is this Sacrament called?
1. Sacrament of Conversion – it makes sacramentally present Jesus’ call to
conversion, the first step in returning to the Father.
2. Sacrament of Penance – it consecrates the Christian sinner’s personal and ecclesial
steps of conversion, penance and satisfaction.
3. Sacrament of Confession – since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is
an essential element of this sacrament.
4. Sacrament of Forgiveness – since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God
grants the penitent ―pardon and peace.‖
5. Sacrament of Reconciliation – because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who
reconciles.
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Who instituted the Sacrament of Penance?

Jesus himself instituted the Sacrament of Penance when he showed himself to
his apostles on Easter Day and commanded them, ―Receive the Holy Spirit, if you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven: if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.‖
(Jn 20:22-23).
Who can forgive sins?
God alone forgives sins. Jesus could say, ―Your sins are forgiven‖ (Mk 2:5) only
because he is the Son of God. And priests can forgive sins in Jesus’ place only because
Jesus has given them that authority.
Why A Sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism?
Baptism does snatch us from the power of sin and death and brings us into the new life of
the children of God, but it does not free us from human weakness and the inclination to sin which
tradition called concupiscence. That is why we need a place where we can be reconciled with
God again and again and that is the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.
The Conversion of the Baptized
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‖ (Mark 1:15)
Baptism is the principal place for the first and fundamental conversion. The second
conversion follows the path of ―penance and renewal.‖ St. Ambrose says the two
conversions that, in the Church, ―there are water and tears: the water of Baptism and the
tears of repentance.‖
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. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to
change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This
conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called
animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart).
Lesson 2_Many Forms of Penance in the Church
What is Penance?
Penance is making restitution or satisfaction for a wrong that has been committed.
It is expressed it in acts of charity and in solidarity with others. One does penance also by
praying, fasting, and supporting the poor spiritually and materially.
Forms of Penance
Scripture and the Church Fathers
insist above all on three forms of penance –
fasting, prayer and almsgiving, which
express conversion in relation to oneself, to
God and to others.
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Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite
as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears
of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints,
and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
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. Through
the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened.
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. 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. These times are
particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of
penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing
(charitable and missionary works).
Lesson 3_The Acts of the Penitent
The three acts of the penitent are contrition, confession and satisfaction.
Contrition
Contrition is sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with
the resolution not to sin again. There are two kinds of contrition—the perfect and
imperfect contrition. 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. The contrition is called "imperfect" (or
"attrition") when 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.
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.
The confession of sins
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.
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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."
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.
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. 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. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before
receiving Holy Communion for the first time.
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. By receiving more frequently
through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is
merciful.
Satisfaction or Penance
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). Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the
disorders sin has caused. 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." Penance is to make satisfaction or to
repair for the harm done.
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.
Lesson 4_The Matter and Form of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
The Matter of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
The proximate matter is the three acts of the penitent: contrition, confession and
satisfaction. The remote matter is the sins committed after Baptism. The necessary matter
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is all the mortal sins committed after Baptism that are not yet confessed and forgiven by
sacramental absolution. The free matter is all the venial sins committed after Baptism.
Sin, Mortal and Venial Sins
Sin is a refusal to give God our obedience; a refusal to give God our love. There are
different kinds of sins, original sin, actual sin, social sin, mortal sins and venial sins. With
regards to gravity of sin, we have two types – the mortal sin and the venial sin.
A mortal sin (mortal sin) cuts a person off from God. For a sin to be mortal, three
conditions must together be met: 1) the object is grave matter, that it be opposed to an
important value, for instance, directed against life of God (For example, murder,
blasphemy, adultery and so on), committed with 2) full knowledge and 3) deliberate
consent. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must
entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.
Venial sins are opposed to secondary values (honor, truth, property, and so on) or
are committed without full knowledge of their seriousness or without full consent of
the will. Such sins disrupt the relationship with God but do not sever it.
The Form of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
The form of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the words of the
absolution pronounced by the confessor. Its nucleus is the words, “I absolve you from
your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
The complete formula is as follows: ―God, the Father of mercies, through the death
and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit
among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give
you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of
the Holy Spirit.”
Lesson 5_ Minister and Effects of the Sacrament of Penance
Minister of the Sacrament of Penance
The bishops and priests, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy orders have the power
to forgive sins, ―in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.‖ Priest
must encourage the faithful and make themselves available to celebrate it. He is the sign
and the instrument of God’s merciful love for the sinner. He is a servant of God’s
forgiveness. He must pray and do penance for his penitent, entrusting him to the Lord’s
mercy. Priests are bound to keep absolute secrecy. This secret is called ―sacramental
seal.‖
The Seal of Confession is the obligation of the priest to keep absolute secrecy
regarding the sins confessed to him: under no circumstances can this seal be broken, lest
the confessor be excommunicated.
St. John Nepomucene was declared patron of the Confessors because he suffered
martyrdom by the hand of King Wenceslaus IV of Boemia, who wanted to know the sins
confessed by his Queen. Since the saint could not be convinced to break the Seal of

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Confession, either by threats or promises of riches and honors. The saint was tortured and
then drowned in a river.
Effects of the Sacrament of Penance
1. The Sacrament of Penance can forgive all sins, mortal as well as venial sins. Venial
sins may also be forgiven through the acts of repentance done outside the Sacrament
of Penance.
2. Reconciliation with God occurs through sanctifying grace infused in the soul.
3. Reconciliation with the Church is accomplished.
4. Remission of eternal punishment due to mortal sins takes place.
5. Partial remission of temporal punishment also occurs.
6. Peace, serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation are found.
7. Sacramental grace, which is a sort of spiritual force to successfully fight off
temptations in areas related to the sins confessed, is given.
Lesson 5_ Indulgences
Sin and Punishments of sin
Sin and punishment go together. God is infinitely merciful; he is quick to forgive
the repentant sinner. But at the same time, God is infinitely just. God is a just God, but he
is not a vengeful God. In human affairs the administration of punishment often is
motivated more by vindictiveness than by charity. With God, the opposite is true. While
his justice demands that sins be ―evened up‖ by adequate reparation, God does not seek to
―get even‖ with the sinner. Always his end in view is the salvation of the wrong-doer.
Sin has double consequences or we called these consequences as punishments for
sin. The consequences or punishments for sin are eternal punishment and temporal
punishment. God does not punish the individual sinner. Rather, the sinner punishes
himself. The sinner freely chooses the consequences along with his sin.
For a mortal sin, there are two kinds of punishment attached to it – eternal
punishment and temporal punishment. The consequence of a venial sin is only temporal
punishment. The eternal punishment deprives us of communion with God and therefore
makes us incapable of eternal life or in simple terms ―the eternal loss of God‖ or the sinner
goes to hell. That is why when a person dies in a state of mortal sin, he goes to hell
because of the eternal punishment attached with the committing of mortal sin. But mortal
sin can be forgiven through the Sacrament of Baptism or Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation and thus eternal punishment is also erased or remitted through these
sacraments.
Temporal punishment (meaning for a time) may remain even after the mortal sin
itself is forgiven. When we commit venial sin, we also acquire temporal punishment.
Temporal punishment is simply the debt of satisfaction which I owe to God for my sins
even after the sins themselves have been forgiven. It is a matter of ―repairing the damage.‖
We pay this debt of temporal punishment through the sufferings of purgatory. In

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purgatory, we are being purified of this ―residue‖ of sin. Temporal punishment could be
removed also during this life by appropriate works of penance.
In effect upon the temporal punishment due to sin, there is a difference between the
Sacraments of Baptism and Penance. Baptism forgives mortal sins, original sin and venial
sins. Baptism also removes the eternal punishment due to sin; it also wipes out temporal
punishment due to sin. A person who would die immediately after Baptism would enter
heaven immediately because in Baptism all sins are forgiven and all punishments for sins
are removed.
A person, who happens to die just after going to confession, however, would not
necessarily, be ready for heaven immediately. While the eternal punishment due to sin is
completely remitted in the Sacrament of Penance, the amount of temporal punishment
taken away will depend on the perfection on the penitent’s sorrow. The more fervent his
sorrow the less will be the debt of temporal punishment still remaining; the less
satisfaction he will have to make, here or in purgatory.
Indulgences
Temporal punishment can be remitted or erased through the so-called indulgence.
Indulgence is the remission before God of temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt
have been already forgiven. There are two kinds of indulgence plenary or partial
indulgence. A plenary indulgence is the complete or full remission of temporal
punishment. Thus, when a person dies after receiving the plenary indulgence, he would
soon go to heaven. Plenary indulgence could be gained by doing the prescribed act and
then the three usual conditions. Example, the prescribed act is visiting the cemetery
between November 1 and 8. When the person visits the cemetery, he will do the three
usual conditions 1.) Sacramental Confession 2.) Holy Communion 3.) Prayer for the
Intentions of the Pope (1 Creed, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and 1 Glory Be). Receiving the
Holy Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father would be done on the
same day as the prescribed act was done while the confession can be done within eight
days before or after the prescribed act. Plenary indulgence can be gained for oneself and
for the holy souls in purgatory but not for other living persons. Plenary Indulgence can be
gained only once during the day except in the case of danger of death.
Partial Indulgence is remission only part of temporal punishment. Partial
indulgence could be gain as often in a day as one performs the prescribed work. A partial
indulgence is granted to the faithful: 1.) In performance of their duties and bearing the
trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding– even if only
mentally– some pious invocations (many prayers have partial indulgences such as Act of
Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition, Angel of God, Anima Christi, Apostles’ Creed,
Rosary, ) etc.; 2.) In spirit of faith and mercy, give of themselves or of their goods to serve
their brothers in need; 3.) In the spirit of penance, voluntarily deprived themselves of what
is licit and pleasing to them.
The indulgences attached to the recitation of the rosary are as numerous as we might
expect in a devotion centered on her who is ―the refuge of sinners.‖ For the recitation of
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the five decades of the rosary, the Church grants plenary indulgence if the recitation is
with others in a Church or public oratory or in a family group, a religious community or
pious association.
The Way of the Cross is another easy bypass around purgatory. Each time we make
the Way of the Cross, we can gain a plenary indulgence. The gaining of plenary
indulgence is regulated by the following norms:
1. The pious exercise must be made before stations of the Way of the Cross
legitimately erected.
2. For the erection of the Way of the Cross fourteen crosses are required, to which it
is customary to add fourteen pictures or images, which represents the stations of
Jerusalem.
3. According to the more common practice, the pious exercise consists of fourteen
pious readings, to which some vocal prayers are added.
4. A movement from one station to the next is required.
Those who are ―impeded‖ can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one
half-hour in pious reading and meditation of the passion and death of our Lord Jesus
Christ. (Enchiridion of Indulgences)
How Indulgence is possible?
The Church has a treasury from which she ―dispenses‖ by means of indulgences.
This spiritual treasury of the Church contains the satisfactions necessary for the removal
of temporal punishment. Jesus, by his life and death has contributed in this treasury the
infinite satisfactions for the removal of temporal punishment. In this treasury also are all
the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary, penances and sacrifices of all
the saints, and the satisfactions of all those who have followed in the footsteps of Christ
the Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy. When we gain indulgence, the
Church gets from this spiritual treasury the satisfactions necessary for the removal of
temporal punishment. It means that others have already made penances for us in order that
our temporal punishment maybe removed.
Lesson 6_The Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Penance may be administered according to three different rites:
1.) The Rite for the reconciliation of one Penitent; 2.) The Rite for the Reconciliation of
Several Penitents with the Individual confession and absolution; 3.) The Rite for the
Reconciliation of Many Penitents with a general confession and a general absolution.
1.) The Rite for the Reconciliation of one penitent. This is the usual manner of
administering the Sacrament of Penance.
2.) The Rite for Reconciliation of several penitents with individual confession and
absolution. This rite maybe followed when one wants to give special solemnity to
this sacrament as, for example, during a mission, or in Lenten retreats. The rite may
consists of some scriptural readings, the preaching of a sermon, a time for
examination of conscience, and the common recitation of the general confession
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prayer. Afterward, each of the penitents individually confesses to one of the
confessors present. The confessors individually judge, impose the penance, and
absolve the penitents one by one. This rite is at times referred to as the
―communitarian celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.
3.) The Rite for the Reconciliation of Many Penitents with a general confession and a
general absolution. This rite does not have individual confession. A general
penance is imposed, which each penitent may supplement with voluntary acts, and
general absolution is given to all at the same time. This rite is used in case of grave
necessity. 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. Grave necessity can also exist when, given the number of penitents,
there are not enough confessors to hear individual confessions properly in a
reasonable time, so that the penitents through no fault of their own would be
deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time. In this case, for
the absolution to be valid the faithful must have the intention of individually
confessing their grave sins in the time required.
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. Personal confession is thus the form
most expressive of reconciliation with God and with the Church.

Learning Resources
Belmonte, Charles, ed. Faith Seeking Understanding, vol 1. Mandaluyong, Metro Manila,
Philippines: Studium Theologiae Foundation, Inc., 2006.

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Makati, Metro, Manila: ECCCE and Word and Life
Publications, 1994.

Pirlo, Paolo. The Seven Sacraments. Paranaque City, Philippines: Sons of Holy Mary
Immaculate Quality Catholic Publications, 2018.

Trese, Leo J. The Faith Explained. Manila: Sinag-Tala Publishers, Inc.,1983.