Chapter 14: Penance and the
Anointing of the Sick
INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Free write for a few minutes about what the story of the woman caught
in adultery (cf. Jn 8:1-11) reveals to you about the forgiveness of sins.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation?
 What are mortal and venial sins?
 When did Christ institute the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation?
KEY IDEAS
 The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the Sacrament of Healing in
which Jesus Christ himself, through the actions of a priest, forgives those sins
committed after Baptism, thereby reconciling us to God and to the Church.
 A sin can be (1) mortal, that is, a grave offense against God resulting in a complete
separation from God and spiritual death to the soul; or (2) venial, that is, a
relatively minor offense that impairs but does not sever our relationship with God.
 Christ instituted this Sacrament when he told the Apostles, “‘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 20:22-23).
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What did Christ provide when his people are in need of spiritual
and physical healing?
He instituted the Sacraments of Healing: the Sacrament of Penance for
spiritual healing and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for
physical as well as spiritual healing.
Why do people sometimes hesitate to receive these Sacraments?
They are afraid to confess their sins or to admit they or a loved one may
be dying.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the Sacrament of Penance?
It is the Sacrament of Healing in which Jesus Christ himself, through the actions
of a priest, forgives sins committed after Baptism.
What does sin weaken or even break?
Sin weakens and can even break the sinner’s relationship of communion with
God and his Church.
How does the Sacrament of Penance continue Christ’s public ministry?
This Sacrament perpetuates Christ’s ministry of spiritual healing, which he
initiated during his public ministry and now continues through the Holy Spirit
acting in the Church.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What does each person’s sins do to the Church?
They wound the Church.
What does the Church do for sinners?
“By charity, by example, and by prayer,” the Church “labors for their
conversion” (LG 11 § 2).
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is concupiscence?
Concupiscence is the tendency toward sin that everyone experiences, even
after Baptism, as a consequence of Original Sin.
How does the Sacrament of Penance relate to concupiscence?
Although Baptism removes the guilt associated with Original Sin, it does
not eliminate concupiscence, i.e., the tendency to sin. Christ, however,
instituted the Sacrament of Penance to heal sinners from sins committed
after Baptism.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is sin?
It is “an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law” and thus an
“offense against God” (CCC 1849-1850). Extension: Because God is the author of
human nature, sin is an act that violates human nature and harms both the sinner and
others.
Why does the Church distinguish between mortal and venial sins?
The Church distinguishes between mortal and venial sins, because actual sins vary in
seriousness and consequence.
Extension: Seriousness refers to the gravity of the offense; e.g., killing one’s brother
is more serious than punching him. Culpability indicates the degree of responsibility
for the offense; e.g., a driver who causes an accident driving five miles above the
speed limit is less culpable than one driving fifty miles above the speed limit.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is a venial sin?
A venial sin is an act that transgresses the moral law but is not grave enough to be
a mortal sin.
What is a mortal sin?
A mortal sin destroys the relationship between God and the sinner, separating the
person from the divine life of God and from the Church.
What is the consequence of dying in a state of deliberate and unrepentant
mortal sin?
Having chosen to be and to remain separated from God in this life, the sinner
will be separated from God for all eternity as well. This state of eternal selfseparation from God is called Hell.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What three conditions must be met in order for a sin to be mortal?
(1) The act must be a grave, or serious, matter; (2) the sinner must have
full knowledge that the act is seriously wrong; (3) and the action must be
freely chosen, i.e., not be performed under compulsion.
Why should everyone strive to avoid even venial sin?
Everyone should strive to avoid even venial sin because all sin is
incompatible with a life of holiness and wholehearted love of God and
neighbor.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to think of an act that constitutes a mortal sin of
commission or omission, being sure to specify how this act meets all three
conditions of a mortal sin.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Are venial sins trivial?
No; although they do not separate the sinner from God, venial sins can
lead to mortal sins more easily.
Why is frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance important?
It gives grace, strengthens union with Christ, and makes it easier to
recognize venial sins and to work so they do not become vices (bad
habits).
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the distinction between a sin of commission and a sin of
omission?
Doing something that should not be done is a sin of commission. Failing
to do something that should be done is a sin of omission.
How can venial sins lead to mortal sins?
A person who neglects to battle small evils will find him- or herself more
likely to commit greater evils.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Think/Pair/Write/Share using the following question:
 How does the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats illustrate the gravity of
sins of omission?
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the Old Testament roots of the Sacrament of Penance?
In the Old Testament, God provided his Chosen People with a ritual sacrifice
to atone for sin, revealed the moral law through Moses, and sent Prophets
who preached repentance and foretold the coming of a Messiah who would
redeem the world from sin.
What is conversion?
Conversion is the continual, daily turning from sin to Christ that begins with
Baptism and continues throughout the Christian life.
According to Scripture, who alone can forgive sins?
Only God can forgive sins.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
According to the Catechism, no. 1430, what should be the relationship between
interior and exterior works of penance?
Interior repentance of the heart (conversion) comes first and is then demonstrated in
visible gestures and works of penance.
When did Christ institute the Sacrament of Penance?
Christ instituted this Sacrament during a post-Resurrection appearance in the Upper
Room, when he declared to his Apostles, “‘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 20:22-23).
What dual reconciliation does the Sacrament of Penance effect?
The Sacrament of Penance effects the reconciliation of the sinner with (1) God and
(2) the Church community.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to ask and answer three Focus Questions about the
material in the sidebar, “Why Go to Confession?” (p. 321). The questions
should reflect with what you consider the most important ideas in the
section.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Perform a focused reading of the paragraph “This authority to forgive
sins…” including the quote from CCC 1445, using the following question:
 What is the meaning of the power of the “keys” with respect to
forgiveness of sins?
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 1-4 (p. 336)
Practical Exercise 1 (p. 337)
Workbook Questions 1-14
Read “Celebrating Penance” through the sidebar “Indulgences”
(pp. 321-326)
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the essence of the Sacrament of
Penance and Reconciliation.
1. The Sacrament of Penance and
Reconciliation (pp. 316-321)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to complete Practical Exercise 1, an apologetic for
Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Free write for a few minutes about what the Parable of the Prodigal Son (cf.
Lk 15:11-32) reveals to you about forgiveness.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What are the matter, form, and minister of the Sacrament of Penance?
 What are the effects of the Sacrament of Penance?
KEY IDEAS
 The matter of the Sacrament of Penance is the contrition, confession,
and satisfaction of the penitent. The form of Penance is the words of
absolution spoken by the priest on the authority of Jesus Christ. The
minster of Penance is a bishop or priest.
 The Sacrament of Penance forgives mortal and venial sins, restores
sanctifying grace and imparts actual graces, and reconciles the recipient
with God and the Church.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Where is the Rite of Penance ordinarily celebrated?
The Sacrament of Penance is normally celebrated in a confessional or
reconciliation room. Extension: In the Eastern Catholic Churches, this
Sacrament is often celebrated in front of an icon of Christ in the nave of
the church as the penitent quietly (almost silently) confesses his or her sins
as the priest or bishop witnesses and pronounces God’s forgiveness.
Who may receive the Sacrament of Penance?
Any baptized Catholic may receive the Sacrament of Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Who must celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, according to Church law?
(1) Every Catholic over the age of reason must confess his or her grave sins at least
once per year; (2) no one who is aware of an unconfessed mortal sin may receive
Holy Communion until he or she has been absolved in the Sacrament of Penance;
and (3) in the Latin Rite, a child must go to Confession before receiving First Holy
Communion. Extension: The first requirement enables Catholics to obey the
Church’s precept of receiving Holy Communion at least once per year (during the
Easter season). The second is based on St. Paul’s admonition to examine one’s
conscience before going to Communion.
What is the matter of the Sacrament of Penance?
It is the “acts of the penitent”—specifically, the contrition, confession, and
satisfaction of the penitent.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is contrition?
Contrition refers to a true sorrow for having sinned.
What two kinds of contrition are there?
Perfect contrition arises from love for God. Imperfect contrition arises from
fear of eternal damnation or a consciousness of the “ugliness” of sin. Either
is sufficient for forgiveness, although perfect contrition is better.
What is confession?
It is the disclosure of sins to the priest in the Sacrament of Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Think/Pair/Share using the following question:
 On the part of the penitent, what could invalidate a sacramental
confession?
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTION
Why is an examination of conscience recommended before
receiving the Sacrament of Penance?
It is recommended so the penitent is aware of all sins that should be
confessed.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What limit is there to God’s forgiveness of sins?
On God’s part, there is no limit to his forgiveness of sins.
What do both the Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Parable of
the Lost Sheep illustrate?
Both parables illustrate that God himself seeks out people when they are
lost in sin and is overjoyed upon their repentance and return to him.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTION
What is required on the part of a penitent to be forgiven?
All that is required is contrition, which includes a resolution to start
anew and to avoid all sin in the future.
Extension: A penitent can resolve to avoid all sin even though,
realistically, he or she knows it cannot be successful. Nonetheless,
while aware of this weakness, he or she must still orient the will away
from sin and toward God and recommit him- or herself to the path
of sanctification.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Memorize an Act of Contrition (p. 324).
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What sins must be confessed?
All mortal sins must be confessed.
What sins ought to be confessed?
Venial sins ought to be confessed.
What does kind and number mean with respect to the Sacrament
of Penance?
A person should name each sin and state how many times he or she
committed it.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is satisfaction?
Satisfaction is the carrying out of the penance imposed by the bishop or
priest in the Sacrament of Penance.
When should the penance be performed?
It should be performed as soon as possible, ideally immediately after the
Rite is concluded.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the form of the Sacrament of Penance?
The form is the words of absolution spoken by the bishop or priest, “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 the Sacrament of Penance?
A bishop or priest is the minister of the Sacrament of Penance.
Extension: Christ is the true minister of every Sacrament, acting through
his human minister.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How was the Rite of the Sacrament of Penance different in the first
centuries of the Church?
In the early Church, the Sacrament was generally celebrated publicly, and
penances were longer and more severe. Extension: Public confession,
moreover, was followed by a long and severe public penance, followed by
public absolution. Today, by contrast, private confession is followed by private
absolution, followed by a usually easily-performed private penance.
What is the seal of confession?
The seal of confession refers to the fact that the bishop or priest cannot divulge to
anyone, under any circumstances, what was said to him in the Sacrament of
Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the two options generally offered for individual Confession?
Generally offered are (1) anonymous and (2) face-to-face.
Why should a person tell the priest how long it has been since his or her last
Confession?
This information helps the priest appreciate the state of a person’s spiritual life. For
example, a week between Confessions means something different than not having
celebrated it for thirty years.
Why is it a good custom to practice prayer, penance, and almsgiving in
addition to sacramental Penance?
These acts, good in themselves, strengthen people against temptation and guard them
against sin.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to summarize the various effects of a valid
celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTION
What is an indulgence?
An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due
to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian
who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through
the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses
and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and
the saints (cf. CCC 1471).
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the difference between a partial and a plenary indulgence?
A partial indulgence removes part of the temporal punishment due for
forgiven sins, whereas a plenary indulgence removes all the temporal
punishment due for forgiven sins.
What is the Enchiridion?
It is the Church’s official list of indulgenced prayers and actions.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Mini-lecture on indulgences.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 5-14 (p. 336)
Practical Exercise 2 (p. 337)
Workbook Questions 15-29
Read “II. Anointing of the Sick” through “Conclusion” (pp. 327-332)
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the matter, form, minister, and
effects of the Sacrament of Penance.
2. The Celebration and the Effects
of Penance (pp. 321-326)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to complete Practical Exercise 2 on advice to
give to someone who deliberately did not confess a mortal sin out
of embarrassment.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Free write for a few minutes on what struck you most about the miracle
of the raising of Jairus’s daughter (cf. Lk 8:40-42, 49-56).
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?
 What are the matter, form, and minister of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?
 What are the effects of the Anointing of the Sick?
KEY IDEAS
 Anointing of the Sick is the Sacrament of Healing that gives health to the soul—
and sometimes to the body—by prayer and anointing with oil, which confers
special grace on a Christian who is in danger of death from grave illness or old age.
 The matter of the Anointing of the Sick is oil and the laying on of hands; the form
is the accompanying prayer; and the minister is a priest.
 The effects of Anointing of the Sick are uniting the suffering person to the
Passion of Christ; bestowing graces to endure those sufferings in a Christian
manner; forgiving sins; and if it is good for the person’s soul, restoring physical
health.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to perform a paragraph shrink on CCC 1502.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the Anointing of the Sick?
The Anointing of the Sick is a Sacrament of Healing that gives health to the
soul—and sometimes to the body—by prayer and anointing with oil and confers
special grace on Christians who are in danger of death from grave illness or old
age.
What does the Church exhort the sick and suffering to do?
They should contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting their
sufferings to the Passion and Death of Christ.
How was sickness viewed in the Old Testament?
The Israelites understood illness as somehow linked to sin and believed that
repentance could lead to healing.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What was the rationale for the attitude that the man born blind was
stricken with his condition because of his or his parents’ sin?
It was the attitude that a person’s illness was a punishment for sin.
How is suffering really connected to sin?
Sin and suffering both originate in the disorder of Original Sin, but
human suffering is not distributed in proportion to the sins of each
individual.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
When did Christ institute the Sacrament of the Anointing of the
Sick?
It is not known exactly when Christ instituted the Sacrament of Anointing
of the Sick, but he did heal many people, usually by laying his hands on
them. He also appointed his Apostles to heal, and they obediently carried
on his work and “anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them”
(Mk 6:13).
Why did Christ heal people?
Christ healed people both to demonstrate that he is the Messiah and to
show compassion for those who were suffering.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the Christian attitude toward the sick and suffering?
Christians should live out the virtue of charity by caring for the sick and
suffering.
Why is Christ called the Divine Physician?
He is God, and he heals the whole man, soul and body.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What do Christ’s Passion and Death reveal with respect to each
Christian’s own suffering and death?
It allows each Christian to understand his or her own suffering and death
as crosses to be embraced in order to share in Christ’s ministry of
compassion and healing.
How did St. James testify to the Sacrament of the Anointing of the
Sick?
He indicated that the priests (elders) of the Church should pray over the
sick person, anointing him or her with oil, to heal him and forgive sins.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Who may receive the Anointing of the Sick?
Anyone may receive it who has reached the age of reason and is in danger of
death due to illness or old age, or who is about to undergo a serious surgical
operation.
Extension: In the Eastern Catholic Churches, it is common to have a service of
Anointing on the Wednesday of Holy Week wherein the whole congregation
recognizes its spiritual sickness and celebrates the Anointing.
Should those who are in danger of death be informed about their
condition?
Yes; they should so they can prepare for death and reconcile with God and
others.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Can the Anointing of the Sick be received more than once?
Yes; it may be received again with the occurrence of a new, serious illness
or when the recipient’s condition worsens.
Why can the Anointing be given conditionally to those who are
unconscious or even recently deceased?
Such persons would presumably desire to receive it. Furthermore, people
thought to be dead may in fact still be alive and can benefit from the
Anointing.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Think/Pair/Share using the following question:
 How should Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, and Viaticum
contribute to a person’s “happy death”?
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the matter of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?
The matter of this Sacrament is sacred oil and the laying on of hands.
What is the form of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?
In the ordinary form of the Latin Rite, the form of this Sacrament is the
prayer, “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy
help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you
from sin save you and raise you up.”
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Who is the minister of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick?
A bishop or priest is the minister of this Sacrament.
Is the Anointing of the Sick a private or public rite?
This Sacrament is a public action of the Church, even if celebrated for
just one sick person.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
With what other Sacraments should Anointing of the Sick be
celebrated?
If possible, the Sacrament of Penance should precede the Anointing of
the Sick, which should then be followed by reception of the Eucharist.
What is Viaticum?
Viaticum is Latin for “food for the journey” and refers to the Eucharist
given to a dying person in preparation for his or her heavenly journey.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to summarize the effects of the
Anointing of the Sick.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
 Study Questions 15-20 (p. 336)
 Practical Exercises 3-4 (p. 337)
 Workbook Questions 30-43
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the Sacrament of the
Anointing of the Sick.
3. The Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick (pp. 327-332)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to complete Practical Exercise 3 on what is
owed to a person close to death.
THE END