The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

5th Grade Theology · River Ridge / Frilot

Study Guide

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1. Conversion

God calls us to turn back to him

God constantly calls us to turn back to him. Over and over again, he calls us to conversion. Conversion is a turning to God with all of one’s heart. Conversion leads us to live our lives according to God’s great love for us.

2. The Beginning of the Sacrament

Jesus made conversion possible

Jesus made conversion possible. He forgave people their sins and reconciled them to his Father. After his Death and Resurrection, Christ appeared to his apostles and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” and when he said this he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
— John 20:21-23

This was the beginning of the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.

3. Key Terms

1

Penance and Reconciliation

The sacrament by which our relationship with God and the Church is strengthened or restored and our sins are forgiven.

2

Personal sin

A thought, word, deed, or omission against God’s law. There are two types of personal sin.

3

Venial sins

Venial sins are personal sins that hurt our relationship with God and the Church.

4

Mortal sins

Mortal sins are serious sins that cut us off from God and his grace. In order for a sin to be a mortal sin, three things must be true:

  1. The thought, word, deed, or omission must be seriously wrong.
  2. The person committing the sin must KNOW it is seriously wrong.
  3. The person committing the sin must freely and willingly choose to do it anyway.
When someone commits a mortal sin, he/she must go to confession in order for his/her relationship with God to be restored.

Tip: Mortal = serious + know it + choose it freely.

4. What Happens in Reconciliation

Through the sacrament of Reconciliation many things happen:

  1. We receive God’s forgiveness. Our sins are forgiven by a priest in the name of Christ and the Church and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
  2. We are reconciled with God. The life of grace in us is strengthened or made new. Our friendship with God becomes stronger.
  3. We are reconciled with the Church. Our relationship with the Body of Christ is made stronger and we grow as a forgiving community.
  4. We are strengthened to live by the commandments and Jesus’ teachings to love one another as he has loved us.

5. Going to Confession

How often?

6. The Four Parts of the Sacrament

1

Contrition

Our heartfelt sorrow for the sins we have committed and having the desire to sin no more.

2

Confession

Naming our sins to the priest and taking responsibility for our actions.

3

Penance

An action that shows we are sorry for our sins. This can be a prayer, work of mercy, or act of service.

4

Absolution

Our sins are forgiven in the name of Christ and the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tip: Order: Contrition → Confession → Penance → Absolution.

The Act of Contrition

The Act of Contrition is a prayer that we pray to show sorrow for our sins and to ask Jesus’ forgiveness.