An Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend You, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
NOTE: An act of Perfect contrition is essentially sorrow for sin solely because it is such an offense against God. Such Contrition or sorrow for sin must not be motivated by fear of Hell or self loathing for what one has done because of shame and disgrace. An act of Perfect contrition is made when recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not possible at the moment. One must resolve to make a Sacramental confession as soon as possible.
Thank You
Thank you for noticing what I try so hard to hide. Thank you for not condemning. Thank you for saying words that defend and heal. And thank you for saying it's blest. Thank you.
What is Sin?
How do we sin - In relation to God; Community or individual; Self?
What types of Sin are there? Commission (Word or Deed); Omission
What kinds of sin are there? Original; Mortal; Venial
What denotes the kind of sin committed? Gravity; Knowledge; Consent.
What is the Matter of this sacrament? Penitent’s contrition, confession, and willingness to make satisfaction.
What is the Form of this sacrament? Priest’s prayer of absolution: “God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Who is the Minister of this sacrament? Comment on SECRECY
What is Conscience? Accumulated knowledge; Others help, sense of COMMUNITY. Gift which must be developed and nourished. ENLIGHTENED and open minded Christians.
How do we examine it before the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
How we have sinned against God (commandments);
Church (Precepts & lack of participation)
Community (Duties of state in life).
The ‘Our Father’; Faith; Hope; Charity.
What is:
Reconciliation (Coming back; Making peace).
Contrition (Sadness for what you did; intention of mending your ways); Confession (Telling someone your misdeeds, admitting your faults);
Absolution (Forgiveness – God’s is unconditional);
Penance (Helping yourself for the future; Correcting faults);
Reparation (making good);
What are:
Excommunication;
Interdict:
Detraction:
Calumny:
Examination of conscience
An Act of Contrition O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend You, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
Seven Simple Steps toward Repentance:
1. Every evening or morning, take some time out to review the previous day. Begin by quieting your mind so you can hear the Holy Spirit speaking to your conscience.
2. Ask the Spirit to show you any wrongdoing-in your thoughts and desires, in your words and relationships, and in your actions. You may want to use the examination of conscience on pages 74-76 as a guide.
3. Think about how the sins you see have clouded your experience of and trust in the Lord's love.
4. Check your heart: Are you pliable and willing to change your mind about these sins? Do you feel unwilling to change? Do you have any sense that it's hopeless even to try?
5. Cling to God. Acknowledge that he is your strength and tell him that you want him to reform your mind so that you think as he would have you think and choose as he would have you choose. Renounce any drive in you that wants to remain independent of the Lord.
6. Place yourself in God's hands and obey whatever you think he is asking you to do. As you practice, God's voice will become clearer.
7. Be sure to move from thought to action. Make a decision to take one or two concrete steps to overcome or avoid that sin area the next day. Remember: Jesus is with you every step of the way!
Preparation for reconciliation
FAITH
1 Do I make an honest effort to grow in the faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of faith as revealed in the life of Jesus?
2 Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?
3 Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?
4 Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?
5 Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic faith?
6 What have I done today to externally profess my faith?
7 Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?
8 Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith?
9 Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?
10 Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?
HOPE
1 Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting
discouraged?
2 Do I daily say a short act of hope?
3 Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?
4 Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?
5 Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?
6 Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?
7 Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?
8 Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?
9 Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?
10 How often today have I complained, even internally?
CHARITY
1 Have I told God today that I love Him?
2 Do I tell Jesus that I love Him with my whole heart?
3 Do I take the occasion to tell God that I love Him whenever I experience something I naturally dislike?
4 Have I capitalized on the difficulties today to tell God that I love Him just because He sent me the trial or misunderstanding?
5 Do I see God's love for me in allowing me to prove my love for Him in the crosses He sent me today?
6 Have I seen God's grace to prove my love for Him in every person whom I met today?
7 Have I failed in charity by speaking unkindly about others?
8 Have I dwelt on what I considered someone's unkindness toward me today?
9 Is there someone that I consciously avoid because I dislike the person?
10 Did I try to carry on a conversation today with someone who is difficult to talk to?
11 Have I been stubborn in asserting my own will?
12 How thoughtful have I been today in doing some small favor for someone?
13 Have I allowed my mood to prevent me from being thoughtful of others today?
14 Am I given to dwelling on other people's weaknesses or faults?
15 Have I been cheerful today in my dealings with others?
16 Do I control my uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise in my mind?
17 Did I pray for others today?
18 Have I written any letters today?
19 Have I controlled my emotions when someone irritated me?
20 Have I performed any sacrifice today for someone?
Parable of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:
And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
To which brother can you relate?
Why?
Catechism of the Church - Reconciliation
1485 "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week," Jesus showed himself to his apostles. "He breathed on them, and said to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained"' (Jn 20:19, 22-23).
1486 The forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism is conferred by a particular sacrament called the sacrament of conversion, confession, penance, or reconciliation.
1487 The sinner wounds God's honor and love, his own human dignity as a man called to be a son of God, and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone.
1488 To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world.
1489 To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men. One must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others.
1490 The movement of return to God, called conversion and repentance, entails sorrow for and abhorrence of sins committed, and the firm purpose of sinning no more in the future. Conversion touches the past and the future and is nourished by hope in God's mercy.
1491 The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest's absolution. The penitent's acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.
1492 Repentance (also called contrition) must be inspired by motives that arise from faith. If repentance arises from love of charity for God, it is called "perfect" contrition; if it is founded on other motives, it is called "imperfect."
1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.
1494 The confessor proposes the performance of certain acts of "satisfaction" or "penance" to be performed by the penitent in order to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits befitting a disciple of Christ.
1495 Only priests who have received the faculty of absolving from the authority of the Church can forgive sins in the name of Christ.
1496 The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are:
- reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
- reconciliation with the Church;
- remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins;
- remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
- peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation;
- an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.
1497 Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church.
1498 Through indulgences the faithful can obtain the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory.
Anointing of the Sick
The chief text from the Bible concerning anointing of the sick is James 5: 14-15 "Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the Church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And if they have committed sins, these will be forgiven."
To whom can this Sacrament be given? Elderly people; Seriously sick people; People who are in danger of death; Those who are going to have serious surgery.
The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, when administered to a person at the point of death, is called Viaticum or Last Rites.
What are the effects of this Sacrament? The sacrament gives a special grace to those experiencing difficulties stemming from grave illness or old age, also pre-serious surgery.
What does this sacrament include? The Sacrament of Penance; The reception of Holy Communion; Anointing with oil by the priest; Laying of hands on the sick; Special prayers over them.
What effects does the special grace of this sacrament have? Preparation for eternal life; Possible restoration of health; Forgiveness of sins; Union of the sick person to the passion of Christ; Strength, peace, and courage in their suffering.
The corporal works of mercy are oriented toward the body.
Corporal Works of Mercy
The seven practices of charity toward our neighbor, based on Christ's prophecy of the Last Judgment, that will determine each person's final destiny:
- Feed the hungry - Give drink to the thirsty - Clothe the naked - Shelter the homeless - Visit the sick - Visit those in prison - Bury the dead
Mt 25:34 “Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.'”
The spiritual works of mercy are oriented toward the soul.
Spiritual Works of Mercy
The seven practices of Catholic charity toward our neighbor's soul:
- Convert the sinner - Instruct the ignorant - Counsel the doubtful
- Comfort the sorrowful - Bear wrongs patiently - Forgive injuries
- Pray for the living and the dead
These are based on the teaching of Christ and on Church practice since apostolic times.
Catechism of the Church – Anointing of the Sick
1526 "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (Jas 5:14-15).
1527 The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.
1528 The proper time for receiving this holy anointing has certainly arrived when the believer begins to be in danger of death because of illness or old age.
1529 Each time a Christian falls seriously ill, he may receive the Anointing of the Sick, and also when, after he has received it, the illness worsens.
1530 Only priests (presbyters and bishops) can give the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, using oil blessed by the bishop, or if necessary by the celebrating presbyter himself.
1531 The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament.
1532 The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
- the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
- the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
- the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
- the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
- the preparation for passing over to eternal life.