Penance is an experience of the gift of God's boundless mercy.
Not only does it [the Sacrament of Penance] free us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis: "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. The Sacrament of Penance is God's gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. "In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).
God's Gift of Forgiveness -- CLICK to view
~from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Click to view more)
Brief Videos about the Reconciliation:
- What is it and how it is done: (The initial steps you take before the Sacrament of Reconciliation Part 1) from Busted Halo
- What is it and how it is done: (The four essential elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation fears you might have about not having confessed in a long period of time. Part 2) from Busted Halo
CLICK to learn about preparation for the sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Paschal