The sacrament of reconciliation, explained

The sacrament of Reconciliation is the sacrament in which Christ forgives the sins you've committed after Baptism, through the ministry of a priest. You confess your sins to a priest with sorrow and the intention to change, and he absolves you in Christ's name. It reconciles you with God and with the Church at the same time (CCC 1422). It's also called Confession, Penance, or the sacrament of conversion.

What is the sacrament of reconciliation?

It's one of the seven sacraments, and one of the two the Church calls sacraments of healing, along with the Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1421). Baptism already washed away every sin. But it didn't take away our weakness, or the pull toward sin that the tradition calls concupiscence (CCC 1426). Christians still fall, sometimes seriously.

So Christ gave his Church a way back that you can use as often as you need it. The early Church Fathers called it "the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace" (CCC 1446). Baptism is the first rescue. Reconciliation is what you hold on to when you've gone overboard again.

Why does it have so many names?

Each name points to a different side of the same sacrament (CCC 1423–1424):

• The sacrament of conversion, because it makes present Jesus' call to turn back to the Father.
• The sacrament of Penance, because it consecrates your own steps of conversion, penance and making amends.
• The sacrament of Confession, because telling your sins to a priest is an essential part of it. It's also a "confession" in the older sense: praising God's holiness and his mercy.
• The sacrament of forgiveness, because through the priest's absolution God grants "pardon and peace."
• The sacrament of Reconciliation, because it gives you the love of the God who reconciles. Saint Paul's words: "Be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20).

In everyday speech, "Confession" and "Reconciliation" are the most common. Parishes and religious education programs often say Reconciliation, especially for children's first time.

Where does it come from?

Only God can forgive sins. Jesus forgave sins because he is God, and he openly claimed that authority when he healed the paralyzed man in Capernaum (Mark 2:1–12). Then he passed that authority on.

On the evening of Easter Sunday, the risen Jesus appeared to the apostles, breathed on them, and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:22–23; CCC 1485). The apostles couldn't forgive or retain sins without hearing them first, which is why Confession involves telling your sins aloud.

Bishops and priests have that authority today through the sacrament of Holy Orders (CCC 1461). The priest isn't forgiving you on his own power. He acts in the person of Christ, and it's Christ who forgives.

What are the four parts of reconciliation?

The Catechism describes the sacrament as a whole made of three acts by you and one by the priest (CCC 1491):

1. Contrition. Sorrow for your sins, with the resolution not to sin again (CCC 1451). It doesn't have to be a strong feeling. Sorrow that comes partly from fear is enough to begin.
2. Confession. Telling your sins to the priest. You confess every mortal sin you remember since your last confession, with roughly how many times (CCC 1456; Code of Canon Law, can. 988 §1). Confessing venial sins is strongly recommended too (CCC 1458).
3. Satisfaction. The penance the priest gives you, usually a prayer or a small act of charity. Absolution takes away the sin, but sin also leaves damage behind, and penance begins to repair it (CCC 1459).
4. Absolution. The priest prays the prayer of absolution, ending with "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." At those words, your sins are forgiven. More in what is absolution.

What does the sacrament do?

"The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship" (CCC 1468). The Catechism lists its effects (CCC 1496):

• Reconciliation with God. If you were in mortal sin, you return to the state of grace.
• Reconciliation with the Church. Every sin wounds the whole Body of Christ. This sacrament heals that too (CCC 1469).
• Freedom from eternal punishment. The eternal punishment that mortal sin deserves is taken away.
• Release from temporal punishment, at least in part.
• Peace of conscience and spiritual consolation.
• Strength for the fight against sin in the days ahead.

There's one more, quieter effect. In Confession you submit yourself to God's merciful judgment now, which in a certain way anticipates the judgment at the end of your life (CCC 1470). You hear the verdict ahead of time, and it is mercy.

What happens in confession?

The rite itself is short, usually a few minutes. You prepare with an examination of conscience at home. In the confessional you make the sign of the cross, say how long it's been since your last confession, and tell your sins. The priest may offer advice, gives you a penance, and asks you to pray an Act of Contrition. Then he absolves you.

Everything you say is protected by the seal: the priest can never reveal it, to anyone, for any reason (CCC 1467). For the full step-by-step, see how to go to confession. For the actual words, see what to say in confession. To prepare, start with how to examine your conscience.

How often should you go?

The minimum is set by Church law: after reaching the age of reason, every Catholic is obliged to confess serious sins at least once a year (CCC 1457; Code of Canon Law, can. 989). And if you're aware of a mortal sin, you go to Confession before receiving Communion (CCC 1385).

The Church hopes for more than the minimum. Regular confession of everyday sins helps form your conscience, fight bad tendencies and let Christ heal you (CCC 1458). Many Catholics go once a month. We go into the options in how often should you go to confession.

Who can receive it?

Any baptized Catholic who has reached the age of reason. In the Latin Church, children usually make their first Reconciliation around age seven, before their First Communion. Adults becoming Catholic who are already baptized make their first Confession before they're received into the Church.

A sacrament isn't only for people who feel they've done something terrible. You can go with venial sins alone. Confessing everyday sins is a good habit, not a sign that something is wrong.

Are there other ways to receive it?

The ordinary way is individual confession and absolution, one penitent with one priest (CCC 1484). Many parishes also hold communal penance services, especially in Lent and Advent: a shared prayer service, then individual confessions with several priests.

General absolution, given to a group without individual confession, is allowed only in grave necessity, such as imminent danger of death with no time to hear each person. Even then, those who receive it must intend to confess their mortal sins individually afterward (CCC 1483).

If you haven't been in a while

You don't need to understand all of this before you go. The priest will guide you through anything you've forgotten. Find a confession time this week, take ten quiet minutes the night before to look back honestly, and go. Saying "It's been a long time, Father" is a perfectly good way to start.