Lesson Sixteenth of the Baltimore Catechism No. 2 examined the effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation, including increasing sanctifying grace in our souls. Now, we look at the Sacrament of Penance, which helps us to retain and restore that sanctifying grace.
Often known as the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation today, Penance offers us forgiveness of our sins, through absolution offered by the priest, who acts, as in the Mass, in the person of Christ.
The questions are numbered consecutively with Lesson Sixteenth. For more information and links to other resources, click on each question below.
187. Q. What is the Sacrament of Penance?
A. Penance is a Sacrament in which the sins committed after Baptism are forgiven.188. Q. How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin and restore the soul?
A. The Sacrament of Penance remits sins and restores the friendship of God to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest.189. Q. How do you know that the priest has the power of absolving sins?
A. I know that the priest has the power of absolving from the sins committed after Baptism, because Jesus Christ granted that power to the priests of His Church when He said: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."190. Q. How do the priests of the Church exercise the power of forgiving sins?
A. The priests of the Church exercise the power of forgiving sins by hearing the confession of sins, and granting pardon for them as ministers of God and in His name.191. Q. What must we do to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily?
A. To receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily we must do five things:- We must examine our conscience.
- We must have sorrow for our sins.
- We must make a firm resolution never more to offend God.
- We must confess our sins to the priest.
- We must accept the penance which the priest gives us.
