Reconciliation: the Sacrament of Penance

Frequently asked questions















What does scripture say about the Reconciliation?
The call to reconciliation, both with God and our fellow human beings, permeates sacred scripture.  That Jesus entrusted the power to reconcile to his Church is perhaps clearest in St John’s Gospel, where the risen Jesus breathes on the apostles and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."  (John 20: 23)

What happened in the early Church?
The Church fought hard for the principle of forgiveness and reconciliation.  In North Africa, in particular, a large group – the Donatists – broke away because they would not accept back Christians who had succumbed to threats or torture during the persecutions, and had abandoned the faith.  The Catholics insisted on Jesus’ command to forgive, “Not seven but seventy-seven times” (Mt 18: 22)

Confession was public in those days, and so was the penance: and it was often quite harsh.  The sacrament was used only for very grave sins, especially apostasy (denying the Faith), adultery and murder.

How did the sacrament develop?
After the Roman Empire collapsed, the old form of public penance became impractical.  It was the monks – especially the Irish monks – who revived the sacrament in the form we know today, with a private confession of sins.  The Church also realised that the forgiveness of sins need not be restricted to the “big” sins, but that the grace of the sacrament could also be extended to those “everyday” faults we call venial sins.

What is the “second rite”?
The “second rite” combines a common preparation with individual confession and absolution.  This respects both the privacy of each penitent, and the communal nature of the sacrament: that it is reconciliation with the whole Body of Christ.  When we celebrate this rite (e.g. in Advent or Lent) there will be a large number of priests, so that the sacrament does not take too long.  You are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity if you possibly can.

But I haven’t really sinned…?
Actually, we are all sinners (1 Jn 1: 10), and we are all called to be saints.  At the very least we have missed opportunities to be greater saints.  If we are not conscious of any serious sins, we can simply confess our sorrow for our daily failings and weaknesses, and ask the Lord’s forgiveness for these.

How often should I confess?
There is no absolute rule about frequency.  Pope John Paul II, who used to confess weekly, said, “Those who go to Confession frequently, and do so with the desire to make progress, will notice the strides that they make in their spiritual lives."  There can be no better preparation for the great feasts of the Church – like Christmas – than a good confession.  Anyone conscious of grave sin – one that ruptures our relationship with God -  must confess before receiving the other sacraments.

Why the name “Reconciliation”?
The Sacrament is officially called the “Sacrament of Penance”, and popularly called “Confession”.  In fact, the four constituent parts of the sacrament are contrition (sorrow for sin), confession, penance and absolution.  The word “Reconciliation” is thought by many to describe the whole process rather well.

What is “absolution”?
The priest, speaking in the person of Christ, applies that power given to the apostles by Jesus after the resurrection (see above.)  He declares, “I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit.”

I’m forgiven : why a penance?
The penance is not “punishment”, but something to help us make a fresh start.  It may be as simple as making an extra prayer.  Where possible, it should be linked in some way to the sins we have been forgiven (e.g. by praying for those we have offended.)

What is restitution?
Restitution may be necessary if I have taken something wrongly.  It is a consequence of genuine sorrow.  If I’m sorry for stealing, I must be prepared to return what I stole.  If I am sorry for taking away someone’s good name, I must do what I can to restore that, too.

And the “seal of confession”?
You can be absolutely sure that the priest will never reveal to anyone what you have told him in the sacrament.  That is the “seal”.

The Catholic Catechism on Reconciliation

Read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about Reconciliation.