Penance

====Catholicism====
The [[Catholic Church]] uses the term "penance" in a number of separate but related instances: (a) as a moral virtue, (b) as a sacrament, (c) as acts of satisfaction, and (d) as those specific acts of satisfaction assigned the penitent by the confessor in the context of the sacrament. These have as in common the concept that the person who sins must repent and as far as possible make reparation to divine justice.<ref name=Hanna>{{cite Catholic Encyclopedia |wstitle=Penance |last=Hanna |first=Edward |volume=11}}</ref>

=====A moral virtue=====
Penance is a moral virtue whereby the sinner is disposed to hatred of their sin as an offence against God and to a firm purpose of amendment and satisfaction. The principal act in the exercise of this virtue is the detestation of one's own sin. The motive of this detestation is that sin offends God. Theologians, following [[Thomas Aquinas]] (Summa III, Q. lxxxv, a. 1), regard penance as truly a virtue, though they have disagreed regarding its place among the virtues. Some have classed it with the virtue of charity, others with the virtue of religion, [[Bonaventure]] saw it as a part of the virtue of justice. [[Thomas Cajetan|Cajetan]] seems to have considered it as belonging to all three; however, most theologians agree with Aquinas that penance is a distinct virtue ({{lang|la|virtus specialis}}).<ref name=Hanna/>

{{blockquote|Penance as a virtue resides in the will. Since it is a part of the cardinal virtue of justice, it can operate in a soul which has lost the virtue of charity by mortal sin. However it cannot exist in a soul which has lost the virtue of faith, since without faith all sense of the just measure of the injustice of sin is lost. It urges the individual to undergo punishment for the sake of repairing the order of justice; when motivated by even an ordinary measure of supernatural charity it infallibly obtains the forgiveness of venial sins and their temporal punishments; when motivated by that extraordinary measure which is called perfect charity (love of God for his own sake) it obtains the forgiveness of even mortal sins, when it desires simultaneously to seek out the Sacrament of penance as soon as possible, and of large quantities of temporal punishment.<ref name=Franciscan/>}}

Penance, while a duty, is considered to be a gift in Catholicism, as it is held that no person can do any penance worthy of God's consideration without God first giving the grace to do so. Penance proclaims mankind's unworthiness in the face of God's condescension, the indispensable disposition to God's grace, for though sanctifying grace alone forgives and purges sins from the soul, it is necessary that the individual consent to this action of grace by the work of the virtue of penance.<ref name=Franciscan>{{cite web|url=http://www.franciscan-archive.org/franciscana/penance.html|title=The Vitue of Penance|website=franciscan-archive.org}}</ref> Penance helps to conquer sinful habits and builds generosity, humility and patience.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dioceseaj.org/vocations/searching-for-answers/virtues|title="Virtues", The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown|access-date=2016-11-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114172127/http://www.dioceseaj.org/vocations/searching-for-answers/virtues|archive-date=2016-11-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=====Sacrament of Penance=====
{{main|Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)}}
[[File:Исповедь берн собор.jpg|thumb|Confession in a [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]]]]

According to the Catholic Catechism, "the process of repentance and conversion was described by Jesus in the parable of prodigal son."<ref name="Catechism of the Catholic Church">{{cite web|url=http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#379/z|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church|website=ccc.usccb.org}}</ref> In the Catholic Church, the [[Sacraments (Catholic Church)|sacrament]] of penance (also called reconciliation, forgiveness, [[Confession (religion)|confession]] and conversion)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html#The |title=Celebration of the Christian Mystery Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 296 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2012-09-20}}</ref> is one of the two sacraments of healing: Jesus Christ has willed that by this means the church should continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P45.HTM |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1421 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2012-09-20}}</ref> Reconciliation with God is both the purpose and effect of this sacrament.<ref name="ccc.usccb.org">{{cite web|url=http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#387/z|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church|website=ccc.usccb.org}}</ref>

Through the priest who is the minister of the sacrament and who acts not in his own name but on behalf of God, confession of sins is made to God and absolution is received from God.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholic-truth.info/apologetics/confess.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303185641/http://catholic-truth.info/apologetics/confess.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-03-03 |title=Catholic Apologetics on Catholic Truth – Penance |publisher=Catholic-truth.info |access-date=2012-09-20 }}</ref> In this sacrament, the sinner, placing themselves before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way, the judgment to which they will be subjected at the end of their earthly life.<ref name="ccc.usccb.org"/>

Essential to the 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 |title=Celebration of the Christian Mystery Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 302-303 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2012-09-20}}</ref> among the penitent's acts contrition holds first place. Serious sins ([[mortal sin]]s) must be confessed within at most 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 |title=Celebration of the Christian Mystery Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 304-306 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2012-09-20}}</ref>

=====Assigned penance=====
The act of penance or satisfaction that the priest imposes helps the penitent to overcome selfishness, to desire more strongly to live a holy life, to be closer to Jesus,  and to show to others the love and compassion of Jesus.<ref>Ronzani, Rinaldo.''Conversion and Reconciliation'' (St Paul Communications 2007 {{ISBN|9966-08-234-4}}), p. 89</ref> It is part of the healing that the sacrament brings: "Sin injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relations with God and neighbour. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must 'make satisfaction for' or 'expiate' his sins."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P4D.HTM |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1459 |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2012-09-20}}</ref> This is done by prayer, charity, or an act of Christian asceticism.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FwP7UTl2zWoC&q=%22spiritual+health+requires+more%22&pg=PA69 |title=J.A. DiNoia et al., ''The Love That Never Ends'' (Our Sunday Visitor Publishing 1996 ISBN 978-0-87973-852-5), p. 69 |access-date=2012-09-20|isbn=9780879738525 |last1=Dinoia |first1=J. A. |last2=Cessario |first2=Romanus |last3=O'Donnell |first3=Gabriel |last4=Cameron |first4=Peter J. |year=1996 |publisher=Our Sunday Visitor Pub. Division, Our Sunday Visitor }}</ref> The rite of the sacrament requires that "the kind and extent of the satisfaction should be suited to the personal condition of each penitent so that each one may restore the order which he disturbed and through the corresponding remedy be cured of the sickness from which he suffered."<ref>Rite of Penance, 6 c</ref>

Penance may consist of prayer, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, "and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we all must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#385/z|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church|website=ccc.usccb.org}}</ref>

=====Penitential acts=====
{{See also|Paenitemini}}

In the 1966 [[apostolic constitution]] {{lang|la|[[Paenitemini]]}} [[Pope Paul VI]] said, "Penance therefore—already in the Old Testament—is a religious, personal act which has as its aim love and surrender to God: fasting for the sake of God, not for one's own self...<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19660217_paenitemini.html Pope Paul VI. ''Paenitemini'', Chapter 1, February 17, 1966, Libreria Editrice Vaticana]</ref> [The Church] reaffirms the primacy of the religious and supernatural values of penitence (values extremely suitable for restoring to the world today a sense of the presence of God and of His sovereignty over man and a sense of Christ and His salvation)."{{sfn|Paenitemini, Chapter III A}} In {{lang|la|Paenitemini}} it is affirmed that "[b]y divine law all the faithful are required to do penance."{{sfn|Paenitemini, Chapter III, 1.1}} "As from the fact of sin we Christians can claim no exception, so from the obligation to penance we can seek no exemption."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/us-bishops-pastoral-statement-on-penance-and-abstinence.cfm|title=Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence|website=usccb.org}}</ref> Chapter 8 of the [[Didache]] enjoined Christians to fast every Wednesday and Friday.

The conversion of heart can be expressed in many ways. "Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, ''fasting, prayer, and almsgiving'', which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#378/z|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church|website=ccc.usccb.org}}</ref> Also mentioned are efforts at reconciliation with one's neighbor, and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins" as in 1 Peter 4:8.<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Peter|4:8}}</ref> "Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance."{{sfn|CCC §1434}}

In the Liturgical year, the seasons of Advent and Lent are particularly appropriate for penitential exercises such as voluntary self-denial and fraternal sharing.<ref name="Catechism of the Catholic Church"/> Under canon 1250 of the [[1983 Code of Canon Law]], "The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4O.HTM|title=Code of Canon Law - IntraText|website=vatican.va}}</ref> Canon 1253 states that "The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast."{{sfn|1983 Code of Canon Law, can.1253}}

In 2001 the [[United States Conference of Catholic Bishops]], in a document titled "Penitential Practices for Today's Catholics", reiterated their decision to allow U.S. Catholics to substitute another form of penance for abstinence from meat on the Fridays outside of Lent. While the document includes a list of suggested penitential practices, the selection of a Friday penance is left to the individual.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/penitential-practices-for-todays-catholics.cfm|title=Penitential Practices for Today's Catholics|website=usccb.org}}</ref>

In 2011, Catholic bishops in England and Wales reversed their earlier decision to permit Catholics to practice a penance other than meat abstinence on Fridays. They said, in part: "The bishops wish to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity.{{nbsp}}[...] It is important that all the faithful be united in a common celebration of Friday penance."<ref>[http://www.osv.com/RSS/365DaysToMercy/TabId/2752/ArtMID/21013/ArticleID/19367/Honoring-Christ%E2%80%99s-sacrifice-with-penance-every-Friday.aspx Emmons, Dennis. "Honoring Christ's sacrifice with penance every Friday", ''OSV Newsweekly'', March 2, 2016]</ref>

It is held that if fasting honestly causes one to be unable to fulfill their required tasks, it is uncharitable to fast, and the law of fasting would not apply.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Many acts of penance carry an [[indulgence]], which may be applied in behalf of the souls departed. God alone knows what remains to be expiated. The Church, in granting an indulgence to the living, exercises its jurisdiction; over the dead it has no jurisdiction and therefore makes the indulgence available for them by way of suffrage ({{lang|la|per modum suffragii}}), i.e. it petitions God to accept these works of satisfaction and in consideration thereof to mitigate or shorten the sufferings of the souls in [[Purgatory]].<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07783a.htm Kent, William. "Indulgences." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 14 November 2016</ref>