THE SACRAMENT OF CHRISTIAN

LIVING
CONFESSION
Amalhaya D.
Salem
OUTLINE
• What is Confession?
• The Graces of Confession
• Requirements for Confession
• Who can Minister the sacrament of Confession?
• The Matter and Form of Confession
• Steps in Confession
What is Confession?

• The Sacrament of confession is one of

the most unique and beautiful aspects
of Catholicism. Jesus Christ, in His
abundant love and mercy.
• Jesus instituted the sacrament of
Confession after his resurrection.
• Jesus said to his apostles, “As the Father
sent me, so I am sending you. Receive the
Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you
forgive, they are forgiven; for those
whose sins you retain, they are retained”.
(John 20: 22-23
•We all need the sacrament of
Confession, because of our
sinful nature.
•Those who refuse to confess their
sins to the priests, claiming that
they confessed directly to God, are
questioning the words of Jesus.
The Graces of Confession
• The sacrament of Confession confers
three major spiritual graces, namely:
1.Forgiveness of sins and receiving
the sanctifying grace.
2.Reconciliation with the Church
3.Indulgence
Forgiveness of sins and receiving the
sanctifying grace

•The sacrament of Confession

remits all sins, and therefore
gives the sanctifying grace.
Reconciliation with the Church

• Every mortal sin, even the most

secret one, we damage the
Church, destroy the harmony
among brothers and sisters.
Indulgence

•The indulgence is the

remission of the temporal
punishment of sin.
Requirements for Penance
1. Every Christian Catholic can receive
the sacrament of Confession.
2. Those who are Excommunicated
3. Every time we commit “mortal sin”
Minister
•The minister of Confession is
the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops
and Priests.
Matter
•Confession of sins
•Act of Contrition
Form
•The form of Confession are these
words: “I absolve you from your
sins in the name of the Father
and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.”
Steps in Confession
•Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
•Penitent: Amen.
•Priest: May God, who has enlightened every
heart, help you to know your sins and trust in
his mercy.
•Penitent: Amen.
•Penitent: Father, forgive me for I have
sinned.
: My last confession was…(state the last
month or year of the last confession)
:My sins are…(confess all mortals sins you
have committed since the last confession)
•The priest then gives the penitent appropriate
counsel and proposes suitable act of penance
which the penitent accepts to make
satisfaction for sin and to amend his life.
Act of Contrition
•O my God, I am heartily sorry for having
offended you, and I detest all my sins, because
I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell;
but most of all because they offend you, my
God, who are all good and deserving of all my
love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your
grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and
to amend my life. Amen.
Absolution
• Then the priest give and absolution to the penitent.
• Priest: 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 in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
• Penitent: Amen.
Dismissal
•Priest: Give thanks to the Lord, for He
is good.
•Penitent: His mercy endures forever.
•Priest: the Lord has freed you from
your sins. Go in peace.
•Penitent: Thanks be to God.