Sacrament of Penance

In the sacrament of penance the faithful who confess their sins to a lawful minister, are sorry for their sins and have a purpose of amendment, receive from God, through the absolution given by that minister, forgiveness of sins they have committed after baptism, and at the same time they are reconciled with the Church, which by sinning they have wounded.

Preparation

To receive the salvific remedy of the sacrament of penance, a member of he Christian faithful must be disposed in such a way that rejecting sins committed and having a firm purpose of amendment, the person is turned back to God.

Signs and Symbols

Essential to the Rite of Penance are the following: Contrition, Confession, Act of Penance, and Absolution.

Celebration

All to whom by virtue of office the care of souls is committed, are bound to provide for the hearing of the confession of the faithful entrusted to them, who reasonably request confession, and they are to provide these faithful with an opportunity to make individual confession on days and at times arranged to suit them. The proper place to hear sacramental confessions is a church or oratory.  Confessions are not to be heard outside a confessional without a just cause.