THE SACRAMENT OF

Confession/ Penance/
Reconciliation
Examination of Conscience
 Threefold Name of the Sacrament
 Reconciliation signifies
repairing a relationship and a
return to the faithful ,
unconditional love of God.
 Confession indicates the
acknowledgement of our sins
in a disposition of deep
sorrow for having hurt him.
 Penance shows the
seriousness of our desire to
mend the relationship that
was broken.
The Sacrament of Penance challenges us to
examine our hearts inwardly and then express
outwardly the ways we have failed to love God
and neighbour—through both personal sin and
social sin.
The examination of conscience is a very helpful
guide in reflection on how we have offended God
and what particular sins we have committed. It is, in
essence, an examination of our relationship with
God, and not just an endeavour to make a list of
deeds or misdeeds. It encourages us to look into
dispositions, and the actual state of our hearts.
What is the sacrament of penance/
confession/ reconciliation?

It is the sacrament
instituted by Jesus Christ
through which a repentant
sinner is reconciled with
God and with the Church.
CCC 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.”
We are broken. We are wounded.
Healings is one of our deepest longings
and God reaches out to heal us
 THE CHURCH:
A Place of Healing

Jesus answered, “It is not the

healthy who need a doctor, but the
sick. I have not come to call the
righteous , but sinners , to
repentance.”
Luke 5: 31-32
 SAINT AUGUSTINE:
“There was no other reason for
Christ the Lord to come, except to
save sinners. Take away the
illness, take away the wounds:
there is no more need for
medicine! If the great physician
came from heaven it was because
the sick man lay stretched out
across the world. The sick man
was the human race.”
( s. 175, 1 Pl 38, 945)
Confession is an amazing grace that saves.
It is the key to peace of mind and
improvement.
 The Unconditional Love
of God the Father

God loves us immensely

and wants our eternal
happiness. This is so true
that even after
sinning, He is always
willing to forgive us.
He actually never ceases to
call us back to Him and to
proper behavior.
 The Parable of the Prodigal Son:
Biblical Foundation
The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that God is
a merciful father, always ready to welcome
back the repentant sinner; and that we too should
forgive our repentant brothers (Luke 15: 11- 32)
 THE TRUTH ABOUT SIN
CCC 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. For this reason
conversion entails both God's
forgiveness and reconciliation with
the Church, which are expressed
and accomplished liturgically by the
sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation.
 “And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one. Amen”
Matthew 6: 13
 Sin is an act of
ingratitude, pride
and rebellion
against Him.
Whenever we sin, we turn
away from God. Any refusal
to behave according to
God’s will is a sin. If we
want to enjoy God’s
forgiveness , we must
respond to His
invitation to STOP
SINNING!
 Having received the undeserved gift of
forgiveness, we are called to extend the
same forgiveness and mercy to others. We
take up the task of being instruments of
reconciliation in our communities and world,
working for peace, justice, and love.
 We are forgiven.
We are to forgive.
It is not easy to forgive. But one thing to that could
help us do it is to remember that we have been
forgiven by God.
Make the sign of the cross and say and say: Bless
me, Father, for I have sinned.
My last good confession was. . . ago. Since then, I
have committed the following sins...
For these sins and all the sins of my past life,
especially the sins against . . .