Catholic Church Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====Penance==== {{Main|Sacrament of Penance}} The Sacrament of Penance (also called Reconciliation, Forgiveness, Confession, and Conversion<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Sacraments%20of%20Healing |title=''Compendium of the CCC'', 296 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref>) exists for the conversion of those who, after baptism, separate themselves from Christ by sin.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Sacraments%20of%20Healing |title=''Compendium of the CCC'', 297 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> Essential to this sacrament are acts both by the sinner (examination of conscience, contrition with a determination not to sin again, confession to a priest, and performance of some act to repair the damage caused by sin) and by the priest (determination of the act of reparation to be performed and [[absolution]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Sacraments%20of%20Healing |title=''Compendium of the CCC'', 302β303 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> Serious sins ([[mortal sin]]s) should be confessed at least once a year and always before receiving Holy Communion, while confession of [[venial sin]]s also is recommended.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Sacraments%20of%20Healing |title=''Compendium of the CCC'', 304β306 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> The priest is bound under the severest penalties to maintain the "[[seal of confession]]", absolute secrecy about any sins revealed to him in confession.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The%20Sacraments%20of%20Healing |title=''Compendium of the CCC'', 309 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=30 June 2011}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page