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e cannot forgive ourselves. Only the one we offend can forgive us. In Confession God acts to absolve us of those sins we commit after baptism. Because it is an action of God, a sacrament, we can know with certainty that our sins have been forgiven and that our relationship with God has been restored.

For a confession to be valid there are a number of conditions: • There need to be sins to confess. • There needs to be a conversion or repentance for sin. • There needs to be a firm intention to change one’s life with God’s help.

Doesn’t confession just give an excuse for committing sin? he Sacrament of Confession was instituted by Christ to help us become holy. Although we have been baptised we still suffer the weakening effects of original sin. St Paul expressed this when he said: “the good things I want to do I find myself not doing, while the bad things I want to avoid, I find myself doing” (Rm 7:15)

Confession and Christian Life he principal effect of confession is reconciliation with God and with the Church. The life of grace is restored to those who have lost it by deliberately turning away from God in mortal sin.

What is Confession?

For More Information Catechism of the Catholic Church, paras: 1422-24; 1430-1440; 1456-58. Code of Canon Law, no. 929 Key Books to Read A New Penance Book, CTS (D660) A Simple Prayer Book, CTS (D665) A Way of Life for Young Catholics, CTS (Do774) Credo - The Catholic Faith Explained, CTS (EV 4)

We should go to confession often because in this sacrament we don’t just have our sins forgiven, we are also given God’s grace to heal and strengthen us within, in order to live the life of holiness to which we are called.

Examination of Conscience, CTS Essentials Leaflet (LF 9)

Catholics have the obligation to confess their sins at least once a year, but most would wish to make use of this wonderful channel of grace monthly or even fortnightly. It is a good habit to develop, and the fruits are gradual but sure.

What Catholics Believe, (Do531)

Reconciliation - The Mercy of Christ, CTS (Do716)

Visit: www.CTSbooks.org A wide range of inexpensive publications is available from CTS to help nurture your faith and keep you informed about a wide range of issues. If you would like to receive further information please contact us: CTS, 40-46 Harleyford Road, London SE11 5AY Or visit www.CTSbook.org Tel: 020 7640 0042 Fax: 020 7640 0046

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All rights reserved. © 2004 Incorporated Catholic Truth Society. Cover image © Lorenzo Lees, Stained Glass Depicting Jesus Christ © Royalty-Free/CORBIS, Witch Hazel Flowers in Snow © Wolfgang Kaehler/CORBIS, Sunrise © Peter Johnson/CORBIS.

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What is Confession? onfession is the Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. Through the Sacraments Christ continues his healing and lifegiving ministry in the Church.

Confession is a sacrament that goes by many names: • We call it the Sacrament of Reconciliation because it is the means Christ has left us to be reconciled with God and his Church. • It is the Sacrament of Penance because it involves a turning back to God and away from our selfishness. • It is called Confession because in this sacrament we confess or ‘speak forth’ our sins. • It is also fittingly called the Sacrament of Pardon and Peace, because in this Sacrament God does what we cannot do: he forgives our sins and brings peace to our souls.

“The most precious result of the forgiveness obtained in the Sacrament of Penance is to be found in the reconciliation with God which takes place in the inmost heart of a son who was lost and is found again”. Pope John Paul II

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What is Sin? o sin is to go against God’s law by thought, word, deed or omission. God’s law is summed up by Jesus as loving God above all things and loving our neighbour as ourselves. The gravity of sin does not depend on how bad we feel about something we may have done. Some people feel very bad about quite insignificant things. Others are capable of committing great crimes and feeling very little compunction, or regret.

Minor Sins ome sins we commit are relatively minor. We call them venial sins. It would be very difficult to confess all these minor sins, but nevertheless it is good for us to mention some in confession, especially those which represent a present area of struggle for us.

Major Sins ther sins are more serious or grave. Sometimes they are called mortal sins. When we refer to a sin as grave or serious we are focusing on the objective offence given to God. When we refer to a sin as mortal we are focussing on the harm such sins do to our relationship with God. We are bound to mention in confession every mortal sin of which we are aware, including as far as possible, the number of times we may have committed it. We cannot receive Holy Communion until we have sought forgiveness for such sins.

Isn’t it negative to focus on sin? orgiveness of sins is very much part of the Christian profession of faith. Isaiah prophesied: “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow” (Is. 1:18). John the Baptist prepared the people to receive Jesus by getting them to confess their sins and undergo a symbolic washing in the river Jordan (the word ‘baptism’ comes from the Greek ‘to wash’). Jesus, God made man, through his life, death and resurrection, brings about reconciliation between God and man. After the Resurrection he breathed on his apostles and gave them the power to forgive sins: “Those whose sins you forgive shall be forgiven, those whose sins you retain shall be retained” (Jn 20:23).

For a sin to be mortal there are three conditions: • First of all the offence must be serious. In other words it must directly contravene one of the Ten Commandments or one of the precepts of the Church. Sins described by the Church as ‘grave’ or ‘serious’ are mortal sins if the following two conditions are met: • We must know that we are committing a mortal sin. If we didn’t realise that something was sinful, then objectively offence is still given to God (and so it is still good to confess it) although subjectively we may not be to blame. Growth in holiness carries with it a desire to inform our consciences as to what may be a serious sin. • Finally, there must be full consent of our will to the action. If we do something by mistake or in error, we may have been careless but we are not guilty of having committed a mortal sin.

Why did Christ institute a Sacrament of Forgiveness? ometimes people do not give much thought to the seriousness of their actions, wrongly presuming that God will forgive them even without repentance. Other people are overwhelmed by a sense of guilt at what they have done and often find it hard to believe that they can be forgiven.

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