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 TOPIC 20.8
THE EFFECTS & THE NECESSITY OF THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION

Ref: Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1457-1458; 1468-1473

 THE EFFECTS & THE NECESSITY
OF THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION

Personal Effects: Personal Effects: Personal Effects:

Restoration of Divine Life Remission of Sins the Sacramental Grace
and its Punishment of Penance.
and Revival of Merits

Ecclesial effect: The Graces of Confession

a grace for the whole Church redounds to all of creation

The Necessity Necessity of Confession

of the Sacrament of Confession by precept
 Personal Effects:
Restoration
of Divine Life
The whole power of Confession consists
in restoring our reconciliation with God (cf CCC 1468),
the principal facets of which are:

◦ (for those in mortal sin) restoration of sanctifying grace,

along with all the supernatural virtues
and the gifts of the Holy Spirit
◦ we once again share in divine nature and become a living member
of the Body of Christ

◦ The infusion of sanctifying grace is brought about

by virtue of the proper administration of the sacrament itself
(ex opere operato), but the degree of grace received depends
on the quality of our contrition
◦ it is possible (like St. Peter) to recover sanctifying grace sin
after Confession in a degree higher than before
he lost it through sin.
Cf Lk 15:7.
 Personal Effects:
Remission of Sins
and its Punishment
and Revival of Merits
◦ The infusion of sanctifying grace washes away our sins –mortal sins
especially, but also of the venial sins
we have confessed and are sorry for
◦ all sin leaves a spiritual blemish in our soul (the guilt of sin),
which is removed in Confession, making our souls
again pleasing to God.

◦ The eternal punishment for mortal sin is remitted,

but the temporal punishments for forgiven sins
are not always completely remitted, depending
on the quality of one’s contrition.
Cf. Lk 23:42-43

◦ The supernatural merits due to good works

performed in the state of grace are revived,
even after having been totally lost through mortal sin.
◦ the good works that merited them have passed, but the charity
that motivated them remain acceptable to God for all eternity.
 Personal Effects:
the sacramental grace
of Penance.
The special sacramental grace of Confession
not only brings the forgiveness of sins,
but also the strengthening of the soul against temptation
and relapsing into sin.

◦ sanctifying grace brings with it a healing of the wounds

left by sin and a personal claim to the actual graces
necessary to combat especially the sins we are most prone
to commit.

◦ the value of frequent Confession and frequent Communion:

a means to grow in faith, hope, love, humility,
the spirit of penance, and peace & joy.
Cf. CCC 1458

◦ The institution of Confession by Christ

is fitting because it helps us grow in these virtues.

◦ two kinds of penitents: those who avail of Confession

through necessity, and those who avail of it through devotion.
 Ecclesial Effect:
a Grace
for the whole Church
◦ The graces that the penitent receives redound
to the good of the entire Church.
◦ we are all members of one another in Christ
cf 1 Cor 12; Eph 4

◦ “This sacrament reconciles us with the Church.

Sin damages fraternal communion. (Confession) does not simply heal the one
restored to ecclesial communion,
but also has a revitalizing effect on the life of the Church which suffered from
the sin of one of her members.”
CCC 1469

◦ The offense due to sin calls for reconciliation

with both God and the Church
◦ the institution of Penance by Christ is fitting
since the priest is not only a minister of Christ,
but also a minister of the Church
 The Graces
of Confession
redounds
to all of creation
In God’s plan, it is through man that
the whole visible world
is to render glory to the Creator by
serving the raw material
for man to build bonds
of communion between him
and the Creator
and with his fellowmen.
◦ sin destroyed the original harmony
not only between God and man, but
also between man and his fellowmen,
and between man and nature.

“Reconciliation with God leads

to other reconciliations which repair the
breaches caused by sin.
The penitent is reconciled
with himself in his inmost being, where
he regains his innermost truth. He is
reconciled
with his brethren whom he
has in some way wounded
and offended. He is reconciled
with the Church. He is reconciled with
all creation.”
CCC 1469
 The Necessity
of the Sacrament of Confession
Two kinds of necessity insofar Confession is necessary
as the reception of some sacraments is concerned: with a necessity of means
THE NECESSITY THE NECESSITY for all those who commit mortal sin
OF MEANS OF PRECEPT after Baptism.

Reason
Christ instituted Confession to
serve as the ordinary means
applies to sacraments whose applies to sacraments whose of obtaining forgiveness
reception reception
is so necessary in the has been made obligatory by of such sins
ordinary way of salvation a special precept cf. Mt 16:18-29; 18:18;
established by Christ of the Church. Jn 20:21-22.
Cf. CCC 1446
that without their use salvation
cannot
be attained
 Necessity
of Confession
by precept
By necessity of Church precept, the confession
of mortal sin is obligatory once year,
beginning when a person
reaches the use of reason (i.e., about the 7th year)
Cf. CCC 1457

◦ this precept is meant to highlight the grave duty

that we have to care for our spiritual well-being.

◦ To remain in the state of mortal sin

for a considerable period of time cannot
but lead one to fall more deeply into sin
cf. Apoc 22:11

◦ The Church also requires the reception of Penance

before Holy Communion should one be conscious
of not being in the state of grace.
Cf. CCC 1457

◦ Church law also establishes that children

make their first Confession before first Communion.
Cf. CCC 1457
 TOPIC 20.8
THE EFFECTS & THE NECESSITY OF THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION

Ref: Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1457-1458; 1468-1473.