In Lesson Sixteenth of the Baltimore Catechism No. 1, we discuss the central act of the Sacrament of Penance, Confession, through which we receive absolution for our sins. This lesson from the First Communion Catechism contains 6 questions and answers drawn from Baltimore Catechism No. 2 (Confirmation Catechism). The numbering from Catechism No. 2 is used to make it easy to cross-reference the two catechisms.
For a detailed explanation of Lesson Sixteenth, see the introduction to Lesson Nineteenth of Catechism No. 2.
For more information and links to other resources, click on each question below.
A. Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.
A. We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well also to confess our venial sins.
A. If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should tell the number as nearly as possible, and say how often we may have sinned in a day, a week, or a month, and how long the habit or practice has lasted.
A. It is a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy Ghost, and make our Confession worthless.
A. He who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins he has committed since his last worthy Confession.
A. The priest gives us a penance after Confession, that we may satisfy God for the temporal punishment due to our sins.
