304. What is a sacrament?

A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.

305. How many sacraments are there?
There are seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing
of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
306. From whom do the sacraments receive their power to give grace?
The sacraments receive their power to give grace from God, through the merits of Jesus
Christ.
Let a man so account us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (I
Corinthians 4:1)
307. Do the sacraments give sanctifying grace?
The sacraments do give sanctifying grace.
Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:17)
308. Does each of the sacraments also give a special grace?
Each of the sacraments also gives a special grace, called sacramental grace, which helps
one to carry out the particular purpose of that sacrament.
309. Do the sacraments always give grace?
The sacraments always give grace if we receive them with the right dispositions.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty
of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)
310. Why are Baptism and Penance called sacraments of the dead?
Baptism and Penance are called sacraments of the dead because their chief purpose is to
give the supernatural life of sanctifying grace to souls spiritually dead through sin.
Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
311. Why are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and
Matrimony called sacraments of the living?
Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony are
called sacraments of the living because their chief purpose is to give more grace to souls
already spiritually alive through sanctifying grace.
312. What sin does one commit who knowingly receives a sacrament of the living in
mortal sin?
He who knowingly receives a sacrament of the living in mortal sin commits a mortal sin
of sacrilege, because he treats a sacred thing with grave irreverence.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty
of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)
313. Which are the sacraments that can be received only once?
The sacraments that can be received only once are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy
Orders.
314. Why can Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders be received only once?
Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders can be received only once because they imprint
on the soul a spiritual mark, called a character, which lasts forever.
And do not grieve the Holy Ghost of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
315. What is Baptism?
Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace by which
we become children of God and heirs of heaven.
Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
316. What sins does Baptism take away?
Baptism takes away original sin; and also actual sin and all the punishment due to them,
if the person baptized be guilty of any actual sins and truly sorry for them.
Get up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. (Acts 22:16)
317. What are the effects of the character imprinted on the soul by Baptism?

The effects of the character imprinted on the soul by Baptism are that we become
members of the Church, subject to its laws, and capable of receiving other sacraments.
318. Who can administer Baptism?
The priest is the usual minister of Baptism, but if there is danger that someone will die
without Baptism, anyone else may and should baptize.
319. How would you give Baptism?
I would give Baptism by pouring ordinary water on the forehead of the person to be
baptized, saying while pouring it: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
320. Why is Baptism necessary for the salvation of all men?
Baptism is necessary for the salvation of all men because Christ has said: "Unless a man
be born again of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Now they who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about
three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41)
321. How can those be saved who through no fault of their own have not received the
sacrament of Baptism?
Those who through no fault of their own have not received the sacrament of Baptism can
be saved through what is called baptism of blood or baptism of desire.
322. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of blood?
An unbaptized person receives the baptism of blood when he suffers martyrdom for the
faith of Christ.
Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
323. How does an unbaptized person receive the baptism of desire?
An unbaptized person receives the baptism of desire when he loves God above all things
and desires to do all that is necessary for his salvation.
If anyone love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come
to him and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)
324. When should children be baptized?
Children should be baptized as soon as possible after birth.
325. What sin do Catholic parents commit who put off for a long time, or entirely neglect,
the Baptism of their children?
Catholic parents who put off for a long time, or entirely neglect, the Baptism of their
children, commit a mortal sin.
326. What do we promise through our godparents in Baptism?
We promise through our godparents in Baptism to renounce the devil and to live
according to the teachings of Christ and of His Church.
327. Why is the name of a saint given in Baptism?
The name of a saint is given in Baptism in order that the person baptized may imitate his
virtues and have him for a protector.
328. What is the duty of a godparent after Baptism?
The duty of a godparent after Baptism is to see that the child is brought up a good
Catholic, if this is not done by the parents.
329. Who should be chosen as godparents for Baptism?
Only Catholics who know their faith and live up to the duties of their religion should be
chosen as godparents for Baptism.
330. What is Confirmation?
Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Ghost comes to us in a special
way and enables us to profess our faith as strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of
Jesus Christ.
But I speak the truth to you; it is expedient for you that I depart. For if I do not go, the
Advocate will not come to you. (John 16:7)
331. Who is the usual minister of Confirmation?
The bishop is the usual minister of Confirmation.

332. What does the bishop do when he gives Confirmation?

The bishop extends his hands over those who are to be confirmed, prays that they may
receive the Holy Ghost, and, while laying his hand on the head of each person, anoints
the forehead with holy chrism in the form of a cross.
And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and
they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:6)
333. What does the bishop say in anointing the person he confirms?
In anointing the person he confirms, the bishop says: "I sign you with the sign of the
cross and I confirm you with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
334. What is holy chrism?
Holy chrism is a mixture of olive oil and balm, blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday.
335. What does the anointing of the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross signify?
The anointing of the forehead with chrism in the form of a cross signifies that the
Catholic who is confirmed must always be ready to profess his faith openly and to
practice it fearlessly.
336. Why does the bishop give the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek?
The bishop gives the person he confirms a slight blow on the cheek to remind him that he
must be ready to suffer everything, even death, for the sake of Christ.
337. What are the effects of Confirmation?
Confirmation increases sanctifying grace, gives its special sacramental grace, and
imprints a lasting character on the soul.
And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and
they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (Acts 19:6)
338. What does the sacramental grace of Confirmation help us to do?
The sacramental grace of Confirmation helps us to live our faith loyally and to profess it
courageously.
339. What is the character of Confirmation?
The character of Confirmation is a spiritual and indelible sign which marks the Christian
as a soldier in the army of Christ.
340. What is necessary to receive Confirmation properly?
To receive Confirmation properly it is necessary to be in the state of grace, and to know
well the chief truths and duties of our religion.
341. After we have been confirmed, why should we continue to study our religion even
more earnestly than before?
After we have been confirmed, we should continue to study our religion even more
earnestly than before, so that we may be able to explain and defend our faith, and thus
cooperate with the grace of Confirmation.
342. Why should all Catholics be confirmed?
All Catholics should be confirmed in order to be strengthened against the dangers to
salvation and to be prepared better to defend their Catholic faith.
343. What is the Holy Eucharist?
The Holy Eucharist is a sacrament and a sacrifice. In the Holy Eucharist, under the
appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received.
I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread he
shall live forever. (John 6:51-52)
344. When did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night before He died.
And having taken bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is
my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In like manner he
took also the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which shall be shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
345. Who were present when Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist?

When Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist the apostles were present.
Now when the evening arrived, he came with the Twelve. (Mark 14:17)
346. How did Christ institute the Holy Eucharist?
Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist in this way: He took bread, blessed and broke it, and
giving it to His apostles, said: "Take and eat; this is My body"; then He took a cup of
wine, blessed it, and giving it to them, said: "All of you drink of this; for this is My blood
of the new covenant which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins"; finally,
He gave His apostles the commission: "Do this in remembrance of Me."
And having taken bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is
my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In like manner he
took also the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which shall be shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
347. What happened when Our Lord said: "This is My body . . . this is My blood"?
When Our Lord said, "This is My body," the entire substance of the bread was changed
into His body; and when He said, "This is My blood," the entire substance of the wine
was changed into His blood.
348. Did anything of the bread and wine remain after their substance had been changed
into Our Lord's body and blood?
After the substance of the bread and wine had been changed into Our Lord's body and
blood, there remained only the appearances of bread and wine.
349. What do we mean by the appearances of bread and wine?
By the appearances of bread and wine we mean their color, taste, weight, shape, and
whatever else appears to the senses.
350. What is the change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and
blood of Christ called?
The change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of
Christ is called Transubstantiation.
351. Is Jesus Christ whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the
appearances of wine?
Jesus Christ is whole and entire both under the appearances of bread and under the
appearances of wine.
352. How was Our Lord able to change bread and wine into His body and blood?
Our Lord was able to change bread and wine into His body and blood by His almighty
power.
All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)
353. Does this change of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ continue to be
made in the Church?
The change of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ continues to be made in
the Church by Jesus Christ, through the ministry of His priests.
354. When did Christ give His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body
and blood?
Christ gave His priests the power to change bread and wine into His body and blood
when He made the apostles priests at the Last Supper by saying to them: "Do this in
remembrance of Me."
355. How do priests exercise their power to change bread and wine into the body and
blood of Christ?
Priests exercise their power to change bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ
by repeating at the Consecration of the Mass the words of Christ: "This is My Body ...
this is My blood."
356. Why does Christ give us His own body and blood in the Holy Eucharist?
Christ gives us His own body and blood in the Holy Eucharist:
1. to be offered as a sacrifice commemorating and renewing for all time the sacrifice
of the cross;
2. to be received by the faithful in Holy Communion;
3. to remain ever on our altars as the proof of His love for us, and to be worshiped
by us.

357. What is the Mass?

The Mass is the sacrifice of the New Law in which Christ, through the ministry of the
priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner under the appearances of bread and
wine.
For, from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the
Gentiles; and in every place there is sacrifice and there is offered to my name a clean
oblation. (Malachi 1:11)
358. What is a sacrifice?
A sacrifice is the offering of a victim by a priest to God alone, and the destruction of it in
some way to acknowledge that He is the Creator of all things.
359. Who is the principal priest in every Mass?
The principal priest in every Mass is Jesus Christ, who offers to His heavenly Father,
through the ministry of His ordained priest, His body and blood which were sacrificed on
the cross.
And having taken bread, he gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is
my body, which is being given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In like manner he
took also the cup after the supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which shall be shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
360. Why is the Mass the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross?
The Mass is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross because in the Mass the victim
is the same, and the principal priest is the same, Jesus Christ.
361. What are the purposes for which the Mass is offered?
The purposes for which the Mass is offered are: first, to adore God as our Creator and
Lord; second, to thank God for His many favors; third, to ask God to bestow His
blessings on all men; fourth, to satisfy the justice of God for the sins committed against
Him.
362. Is there any difference between the sacrifice of the cross and the Sacrifice of the
Mass?
The manner in which the sacrifice is offered is different. On the cross Christ physically
shed His blood and was physically slain, while in the Mass there is no physical shedding
of blood nor physical death, because Christ can die no more; on the cross Christ gained
merit and satisfied for us, while in the Mass He applies to us the merits and satisfaction of
His death on the cross.
For we know that Christ, having risen from the dead, dies now no more, death shall no
longer have dominion over him. (Romans 6:9)
363. How should we assist at Mass?
We should assist at Mass with reverence, attention, and devotion.
364. What is the best method of assisting at Mass?
The best method of assisting at Mass is to unite with the priest in offering the Holy
Sacrifice, and to receive Holy Communion.
364a. How can we best unite with the priest in offering the Holy Sacrifice?
We can best unite with the priest in offering the Holy Sacrifice by joining in mind and
heart with Christ, the principal Priest and Victim, by following the Mass in a missal, and
by reciting or chanting the responses.
365. Who said the first Mass?
Our Divine Savior said the first Mass, at the Last Supper, the night before He died.
366. What is Holy Communion?
Holy Communion is the receiving of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. (John 6:57)
367. What is necessary to receive Holy Communion worthily?
To receive Holy Communion worthily it is necessary to be free from mortal sin, to have a
right intention, and to obey the Church's laws on the fast required before Holy
Communion out of reverence for the body and blood of Our Divine Lord. However, there
are some cases in which Holy Communion may be received without fasting.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty
of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)

368. Does he who knowingly receives Holy Communion in mortal sin receive the body
and blood of Christ and His graces?
He who knowingly receives Holy Communion in mortal sin receives the body and blood
of Christ; but he does not receive His graces and he commits a grave sin of sacrilege.
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty
of the body and the blood of the Lord. (I Corinthians 11:27)
369. What should we do to receive more abundantly the graces of Holy Communion?
To receive more abundantly the graces of Holy Communion we should strive to be most
fervent and to free ourselves from deliberate venial sin.
370. Does the Church now command us to fast from midnight before Holy Communion?
The Church does not now command us to fast from midnight before Holy Communion,
as it did formerly. The laws enacted by Pope Pius XII now regulate this matter by the
number of hours we must fast.
371. When may Holy Communion be received without fasting?
Holy Communion may be received without fasting when one is in danger of death, or
when it is necessary to save the Blessed Sacrament from insult or injury.
372. What are the laws enacted by Pope Pius XII regarding the fast required before Holy
Communion?
The laws enacted by Pope Pius XII regarding the fast required before Holy Communion
are the following:
1. Water may be taken at any time before Holy Communion without breaking the
fast.
2. Sick persons, though not confined to bed, may receive Holy Communion after
taking medicine or nonalcoholic drinks. A priest's permission is not necessary.
3. All Catholics may receive Holy Communion after fasting one hour from food and
drink including even alcoholic beverages in moderation. This rule applies to Holy
Communion at midnight Mass as well as at Masses celebrated in the morning,
afternoon or evening. A priest's permission is not needed.
4. One may not receive Holy Communion a second time on the same day, unless the
danger of death arises, when he can receive the Blessed Sacrament as Viaticum.
But one who has received the Holy Eucharist at the midnight Mass of Christmas
or at the Mass of the Easter Vigil may receive again in the course of the day.
These rules show the Church's desire that all Catholics partake of the Holy
Eucharist frequently.
373. How should we prepare ourselves for Holy Communion?
We should prepare ourselves for Holy Communion by thinking of Our Divine Redeemer
whom we are about to receive, and by making fervent acts of faith, hope, love, and
contrition.
Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof. (Matthew 8:8)
374. What should we do after Holy Communion?
After Holy Communion we should spend some time adoring Our Lord, thanking Him,
renewing our promises of love and of obedience to Him, and asking Him for blessings for
ourselves and others.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to
you. (Matthew 7:7)
375. What are the chief effects of a worthy Holy Communion?
The chief effects of a worthy Holy Communion are: first, a closer union with Our Lord
and a more fervent love of God and of our neighbor; second, an increase of sanctifying
grace; third, preservation from mortal sin and the remission of venial sin; fourth, the
lessening of our inclinations to sin and the help to practice good works.
He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. (John 6:57)
376. When are we obliged to receive Holy Communion?
We are obliged to receive Holy Communion during Easter time each year and when in
danger of death.
377. Why is it well to receive Holy Communion often, even daily?
It is well to receive Holy Communion often, even daily, because this intimate union with
Jesus Christ, the Source of all holiness and the Giver of all graces, is the greatest aid to a
holy life.

And they continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of
the breaking of the bread and in the prayers. (Acts 2:42)
378. How should we show our gratitude to Our Lord for remaining always on our altars
in the Holy Eucharist?
We should show our gratitude to Our Lord for remaining always on our altars in the Holy
Eucharist by visiting Him often, by reverence in church, by assisting every day at Mass
when this is possible, by attending parish devotions, and by being present at Benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament.
379. What is the sacrament of Penance?
Penance is the sacrament by which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven through the
absolution of the priest.
380. Whence has the priest the power to forgive sins?
The priest has the power to forgive sins from Jesus Christ, who said to His apostles and to
their successors in the priesthood: "Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive,
they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose
sins you shall retain, they are retained. (John 20:22-23)
381. With what words does the priest forgive sins?
The priest forgives sins with the words: "I absolve thee from thy sins in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."
382. What are the effects of the sacrament of Penance, worthily received?
The effects of the sacrament of Penance, worthily received, are:
1. the restoration or increase of sanctifying grace;
2. the forgiveness of sins;
3. the remission of the eternal punishment, if necessary, and also of part, at least, of
the temporal punishment, due to our sins;
4. the help to avoid sin in future;
5. the restoration of the merits of our good works if they have been lost by mortal
sin.
383. What else does the sacrament of Penance do for us?
The sacrament of Penance also gives us the opportunity to receive spiritual advice and
instruction from our confessor.
384. What must we do to receive the sacrament of Penance worthily?
To receive the sacrament of Penance worthily, we must:
1. examine our conscience;
2. be sorry for our sins;
3. have the firm purpose of not sinning again;
4. confess our sins to the priest;
5. be willing to perform the penance the priest gives us.
But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed and keep all my
commandments and do judgment and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die.
(Ezekiel 18:21)
385. What is an examination of conscience?
An examination of conscience is a sincere effort to call to mind all the sins we have
committed since our last worthy confession.
386. What should we do before our examination of conscience?
Before our examination of conscience we should ask God's help to know our sins and to
confess them with sincere sorrow.
387. How can we make a good examination of conscience?
We can make a good examination of conscience by calling to mind the commandments of
God and of the Church, and the particular duties of our state of life, and by asking
ourselves how we may have sinned with regard to them.
What is Holy Orders?
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which men receive the power and grace to perform
the sacred duties of bishops, priests, and other ministers of the Church.
For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in the things
pertaining to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. (Hebrews 5:1)
452. What are some of the requirements that a man may receive Holy Orders worthily?
That a man may receive Holy Orders worthily it is necessary:

1. that he be in the state of grace and be of excellent character;

2. that he have the prescribed age and learning;
3. that he have the intention of devoting his life to the sacred ministry;
4. that he be called to Holy Orders by his bishop.
If anyone is eager for the office of bishops, he desires a good work. A bishop then, must
be blameless, married but once, reserved, prudent, of good conduct, hospitable, a
teacher, not a drinker or a brawler, but moderate, not quarrelsome, not avaricious. (I
Timothy 3:1-3)
452a. What is meant essentially by a vocation to the priesthood?
By a vocation to the priesthood is meant essentially that invitation to receive Holy Orders
given by the proper ecclesiastical superior to a man who, after a sufficient period of
preparation and trial, gives signs that he has been called by God to the priesthood.
452b. What are the chief signs that a man has been called by God to the priesthood?
The chief signs that a man has been called by God to the priesthood are: a sincere desire
to become a priest, a virtuous life, and sufficient bodily health and intellectual ability to
enable him to make the required studies and to perform the duties of the priestly life.
452c. Do religious brothers and sisters receive the sacrament of Holy Orders?
No; religious brothers and sisters do not receive the sacrament of Holy Orders, but they
have received from God a vocation to dedicate their lives to His service.
453. What are the effects of ordination to the priesthood?
The effects of ordination to the priesthood are: first, an increase of sanctifying grace;
second, sacramental grace, through which the priest has God's constant help in his sacred
ministry; third, a character, lasting forever, which is a special sharing in the priesthood of
Christ and which gives the priest special supernatural powers.
Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 109:4)
454. What are the chief supernatural powers of the priest?
The chief supernatural powers of the priest are: to change bread and wine into the body
and blood of Christ in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and to forgive sins in the sacrament
of Penance.
Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose
sins you shall retain, they are retained. (John 20:22-23)
455. Why should Catholics show reverence and honor to the priest?
Catholics should show reverence and honor to the priest because he is the representative
of Christ Himself and the dispenser of His mysteries.
With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests. (Ecclesiasticus 7:31)
456. Who is the minister of the sacrament of Holy Orders?
The bishop is the minister of the sacrament of Holy Orders.
http://www.catholicity.com/baltimore-catechism/lesson34.html
You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and in the Spirit of our God."9 One must appreciate the magnitude of the gift God
has given us in the sacraments of Christian initiation in order to grasp the degree to which
sin is excluded for him who has "put on Christ."10 But the apostle John also says: "If we
say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."11 And the Lord
himself taught us to pray: "Forgive us our trespasses,"12 linking our forgiveness of one
another's offenses to the forgiveness of our sins that God will grant us.
1426 Conversion to Christ, the new birth of Baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the
Body and Blood of Christ received as food have made us "holy and without blemish,"
just as the Church herself, the Bride of Christ, is "holy and without blemish." 13
Nevertheless the new life received in Christian initiation has not abolished the frailty and
weakness of human nature, nor the inclination to sin that tradition calls concupiscence,
which remains in the baptized such that with the help of the grace of Christ they may
prove themselves in the struggle of Christian life.14 This is the struggle of conversion
directed toward holiness and eternal life to which the Lord never ceases to call us.15
III. THE CONVERSION OF THE BAPTIZED
1427 Jesus calls to conversion. This call is an essential part of the proclamation of the
kingdom: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in
the gospel."16 In the Church's preaching this call is addressed first to those who do not yet
know Christ and his Gospel. Also, Baptism is the principal place for the first and

fundamental conversion. It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism17 that one renounces
evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life.
1428 Christ's call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This
second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church who, "clasping sinners
to her bosom, [is] at once holy and always in need of purification, [and] follows
constantly the path of penance and renewal."18 This endeavor of conversion is not just a
human work. It is the movement of a "contrite heart," drawn and moved by grace to
respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first.19
1429 St. Peter's conversion after he had denied his master three times bears witness to
this. Jesus' look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the
Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him.20 The second conversion also
has a communitarian dimension, as is clear in the Lord's call to a whole Church:
"Repent!"21
THE MANY FORMS OF PENANCE IN CHRISTIAN LIFE
1434 The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways.
Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and
almsgiving,31 which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.
Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as
means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort at reconciliation with one's neighbor, tears
of repentance, concern for the salvation of one's neighbor, the intercession of the saints,
and the practice of charity "which covers a multitude of sins."32
1435 Conversion is accomplished in daily life by gestures of reconciliation, concern for
the poor, the exercise and defense of justice and right,33 by the admission of faults to one's
brethren, fraternal correction, revision of life, examination of conscience, spiritual
direction, acceptance of suffering, endurance of persecution for the sake of righteousness.
Taking up one's cross each day and following Jesus is the surest way of penance.34
1436 Eucharist and Penance. Daily conversion and penance find their source and
nourishment in the Eucharist, for in it is made present the sacrifice of Christ which has
reconciled us with God. Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are
fed and strengthened. "It is a remedy to free us from our daily faults and to preserve us
from mortal sins."35
1437 Reading Sacred Scripture, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and the Our Father every sincere act of worship or devotion revives the spirit of conversion and repentance
within us and contributes to the forgiveness of our sins.
1446 Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church:
above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their
baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of
Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The
Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as "the second plank [of salvation] after the
shipwreck which is the loss of grace."47
1447 Over the centuries the concrete form in which the Church has exercised this power
received from the Lord has varied considerably. During the first centuries the
reconciliation of Christians who had committed particularly grave sins after their Baptism
(for example, idolatry, murder, or adultery) was tied to a very rigorous discipline,
according to which penitents had to do public penance for their sins, often for years,
before receiving reconciliation. To this "order of penitents" (which concerned only certain
grave sins), one was only rarely admitted and in certain regions only once in a lifetime.
During the seventh century Irish missionaries, inspired by the Eastern monastic tradition,
took to continental Europe the "private" practice of penance, which does not require
public and prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the
Church. From that time on, the sacrament has been performed in secret between penitent
and priest. This new practice envisioned the possibility of repetition and so opened the
way to a regular frequenting of this sacrament. It allowed the forgiveness of grave sins
and venial sins to be integrated into one sacramental celebration. In its main lines this is
the form of penance that the Church has practiced down to our day.
1448 Beneath the changes in discipline and celebration that this sacrament has undergone
over the centuries, the same fundamental structure is to be discerned. It comprises two

equally essential elements: on the one hand, the acts of the man who undergoes
conversion through the action of the Holy Spirit: namely, contrition, confession, and
satisfaction; on the other, God's action through the intervention of the Church. The
Church, who through the bishop and his priests forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ
and determines the manner of satisfaction, also prays for the sinner and does penance
with him. Thus the sinner is healed and re-established in ecclesial communion.
1449 The formula of absolution used in the Latin Church expresses the essential elements
of this sacrament: the Father of mercies is the source of all forgiveness. He effects the
reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit, through
the prayer and ministry of the Church:
God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and the 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.48
VII. THE ACTS OF THE PENITENT
1450 "Penance requires . . . the sinner to endure all things willingly, be contrite of heart,
confess with the lips, and practice complete humility and fruitful satisfaction."49
Contrition
1451 Among the penitent's acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of
the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin
again."50
1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called
"perfect" (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains
forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to
sacramental confession as soon as possible.51
1453 The contrition called "imperfect" (or "attrition") is also a gift of God, a prompting
of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin's ugliness or the fear of eternal
damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a
stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of
grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution. By itself however,
imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to
obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.52
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm