What is The Sacrament of Penance?

 

This is the sacrament in which the
Heavenly Father, through the merits of
Jesus Christ receives again the child who
returns repentant. It cancels the sins of the
past life, serves as the principal means of

keeping oneself from falling into sin again,
and of correcting one’s faults. Approach
the sacrament regularly. It is wise counsel
to go ordinarily to the same confessor and
not easily to change one’s confessor
without necessity. The conditions
necessary for making a good confession
are: prayer, examen, sorrow, resolution,
accusation, and satisfaction. Sorrow
coupled with resolution is indispensable
for receiving pardon.

Prayer before Confession

“O Lord, may I know myself; may I
know you!” (St Augustine). May I know
my own selfishness, ignorance, and
weakness, and know, too, that you are
ready to lift me up and sustain me as I
climb toward the spiritual heights you call
me to attain. May I distrust myself and
trust in you!
Enlighten my mind, that I may see all
my sins clearly soften my heart, that I
may be truly sorry for them; give me the

grace and courage to confess them
sincerely, and thus obtain your pardon,
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour,
Amen.

Examination of Conscience

Relations toward the Sacrament
1. What is my attitude to the sacrament of
penance? Do I sincerely want to be set
free from sin, to turn again to God, to
begin a new life, and to enter into a deeper
friendship with God? Or do I look on it as
a burden, to be undertaken as seldom as
possible?
2. Did I forget to mention, or deliberately
conceal, any grave sins in past confessions?
3. Did I perform the penance I was given?
Did I make reparation for any injury to
others? Have I tried to put into practice
my resolution to lead a better life in keeping
with the Gospel?

Relations toward God

1. Is my heart set on God, so that I really
love him above all things and am faithful
to his commandments, as a son loves his
father? Or am I more concerned about
the things of this world? Have I a right
intention in what I do?
2. God spoke to us in his Son. Is my faith
in God firm and secure? Am I whole-
hearted in accepting the Church’s
teaching? Have I been careful to grow in
my understanding of the faith, to hear
God’s word, to listen to instructions on the
faith, and to avoid dangers to the faith? Have I
been always strong and fearless in
professing my faith in God and the
Church? Have I been willing to be known
as a Christian in private and public life?
3. Have I prayed morning and evening?
When I pray, do I really raise my mind and
heart to God, or is it a matter of words
only? Do I offer God my difficulties, my
joys, and my sorrows? Do I turn to God in
time of temptation?

4. Have I love and reverence for God’s
name? Have I offended him in blasphemy
swearing falsely, or taking his name in
vain? Have I shown disrespect for the
Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints?

5. Do I keep Sundays and days of S
obligation holy by taking a full part, with
attention and devotion, in the liturgy, and
especially in the Mass? Have I fulfilled the
precept of annual confession and of
communion during the Easter season?
6. Are there false gods that I worship by
giving them greater attention and deeper
trust than I give to God: money,
superstition, spiritism, or other occult
practices?

Relations toward Others

1. Have I a genuine love for my
neighbours? Or do I use them for my own
ends, or do to them what I would not want
done to myself? Have I given grave scandal
by words or actions?

2. In my family life, have I contributed to
the well-being and happiness of the rest of
the family by patience and genuine respect
and giving them help in their spiritual and
material needs? Have I been careful to
give a Christian upbringing to my children,
and to help them by a good example and
by exercising authority as a parent? Have
I have been faithful to my husband (wife) in my
heart and in my relations with others?
3. Do I share my possessions with the
less fortunate? Do I do my best to help the
victims of oppression, misfortune, and
poverty? Or do I look down on my
neighbour, especially the poor, the sick,
the elderly, strangers, and people of other
races?
4. Does my life reflect the mission I
received in Confirmation? Do I share in
the apostolic and charitable works of the
Church and in the life of my parish? Have
I helped to meet the needs of the Church
and of the world and prayed for them: for
unity in the Church, for the spread of the
Gospel among the nations, for peace and
justice, etc.?

5. Am I concerned for the good and
prosperity of the human community in
which I live, or do I spend my life caring the
only for myself? Do I share to the best of
my ability in the work of promoting justice,
morality, harmony, and love in human
relations? Have I done my duty as a
citizen? Have I paid my taxes?
6. In my work or profession, am I just,
hard-working, honest, serving society out
of love for others? Have I paid a fair wage
to my employees? Have I been faithful to
my promises and contracts?
7. Have I obeyed legitimate authority and
given it due respect?
8. If I am in a position of responsibility or
authority, do I use this for my own
advantage or for the good of others, in a
spirit of service?
9. Have I been truthful and fair, or have l
injured others by deceit, calumny,
detraction, rash judgment, or violation of
a secret?
10. Have I done violence to others by
damage to life or limb, reputation, honour,

or material possessions? Have I involved
thern in loss? Have I been responsible for
advising an abortion or procuring one?
Have I kept up hatred for others? Am I
estranged from others through quarrels,
enmity, insults, anger? Have I been guilty
of refusing to testify to the innocence of
another because of selfishness?
11. Have I stolen the property of others?
Have I desired it unjustly and inordinately?
Have I damaged it? Have I made restitution
of other people’s property and made good
their loss?
12. If I have been injured, have I been
ready to make peace for the love of Christ
and to forgive, or do I harbour hatred and
the desire for revenge?

Relations toward Self

1. Where is my life really leading me? Is
the hope of eternal life, my inspiration?
Have I tried to grow in the life of the Spirit
through prayer, reading the word of God
and meditating on it, receiving the
sacraments, self-denial? Have I been

anxious to control vices, my bad
inclinations and passions, e.g. envy, love
of food and drink? Have I been proud and
boastful, thinking myself better in the sight
of God and despising others as less
important than myself? Have I imposed
my own will on others, without respecting
their freedom and rights?
2. What use have I made of time, of health
and strength, of the gifts God has given
me to be used like the talents in the
Gospel? Do I use them to become more
perfect every day? Or have I been lazy
and too much given to leisure?

3. Have I been patient in accepting the
sorrows and disappointments of life? Have
I performed mortification to “fill up what
is wanting to the sufferings of Christ”?
Have I kept the precept of fasting and
abstinence?
4. Have I kept my senses and my whole
body pure and chaste as a temple of the
Holy Spirit consecrated for resurrection
and glory, and as a sign of God’s faithful
love for men and women, a sign that is

seen most perfectly in the sacrament of
matrimony? Have I dishonoured my body
by fornication, impurity, unworthy
conversation or thoughts, evil desires or
actions? Have I given in to sensuality?
Have I indulged in reading, conversation,
shows, and entertainments that offend
Christian and human decency? Have I
encouraged others to sin by my failure to
maintain these standards? Have I been
faithful to the moral law in my married
life?
5. Have I gone against my conscience
out of fear or hypocrisy?
6. Have I always tried to act in the true
freedom of the children of God according to
the law of the Spirit, or am I the slave of
forces within me?

Confession of Sins 

In the confessional, humbly present
yourself to the confessor saying ‘Bless me,
Father, for I have sinned.’ Make the sign
of the cross, then mention when you made
your last confession. Then briefly and
sincerely make your accusation.

Then say, ‘For these and for all the
sins of my past life, especially…. (here name
some sin which you find easier to feel
sorry for) I ask pardon of God and of you.’
Listen attentively to the advice and
the penance and the absolution, the priest
will give you in the following words:
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
Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
R: Amen.
The priest may add:

May the passion of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the intercession of the Blessed
Virgin Mary and of all the saints, whatever
good you do and suffering you endure,
heal your sins, help you to grow
holiness, and reward you with eternal life.
Go in peace.
R: Amen.

Prayer after Confession

First of all, say your penance, then make
your thanksgiving.
How good you have been to me, O
Lord! Instead of punishing me, you have
shown me infinite mercy. I promise, with
the help of your grace, to make up with
great love and good works for the
innumerable offences which I have
committed against you.
Most holy Virgin, angels, and saints of
heaven, I thank you for your help; obtain
for me consistency and the firm desire to
know, love, and serve God better.