2. CONFESSION – IS A SACRAMENT INSTITUTED
BY JESUS CHRIST IN HIS LOVE IN MERCY TO
OFFER SINNERS FORGIVENESS FOR OFFENSES
COMMITTED AGAINST GOD. AT THE SAME TIME
SINNERS RECONCILE WITH THE CHURCH WHO
IS ALSO WOUNDED BY OUR SINS.
3. IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSION
THIS SACRAMENT ALLOWS JESUS TO ABSOLVE YOUR
SINS AND HELPS YOU LEAD A LIFE FOLLOWING THE
GUIDANCE AND GLORY OF CHRIST.
WHILE IT SEEM LIKE DIFFICULT TO CONFESS YOUR
DEEPEST FEARS REGRETS AND SINS CONFESSION IS A
LIBERATING EXPERIENCE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO REPAIR
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LORD.
4. FOUR STEPS TO RECONCILIATION :
STEP 1 : CONTRITION
CONTRITION IS SORROW OF THE SOUL AND DETESTATION FOR THE SIN
COMMITED ,TOGETHER WITH THE RESOLUTION NOT TO SIN AGAIN’’.
STEP 2 : CONFESSION
THE CONFESSION OR DISCLOSURE OF SINS EVEN FROM A SIMPLY
HUMAN POINT OF VIEW ,FREES US AND FACILITIES OUR RECONCILIATION
WITH OTHER.
STEP 3 : ABSOLUTION
THE PRIEST SPEAKS THE WORDS BY WHICH ‘’GOD THE MERCIES’’
RECONCILES A SINNER TO HIM SELF THROUGH THE MERITS OF THE
CROSS.
5. STEP 4 : SATISFACTION
AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HEALING IS THE ‘’PENANCE’’ THE
PRIEST IMPOSE IN REPETATION FOR OUR SINS.
6. SPIRITUAL EFFECTS OF CONFESSION
• RECONCILIATION WITH GOD BY WHICH THE
PENITENT RECOVERS GRACE
• RECONCILIATION WITH THE CHURCH
• REMISSION OF THE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT
INCURRED BY MORTAL SINS
7. RITES OF CONFESSION
THE PRIEST PROPOSES AN ACT OF PENANCE
WHICH THE PENITENT ACCEPTS TO MAKE
SATISFACTION FOR SIN AND TO AMEND HIS
LIFE.
8. SYMBOLS OF CONFESSION
THE FIVE MAJOR SYMBOLS RECOGNISED ARE KEYS, PURPLE
STOLE, RAISED HAND, SIGN OF THE CROSS AND A
SCOURGING WHIP. THE KEYS CROSSED IN THE SHAPE OF AN X
IS THE MORE COMMONLY KNOWN SYMBOL FOR THE
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION.