Sacraments of Healing
Penance
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“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.”
Amen.
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• Definition of Sacrament:
• An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by
Christ and entrusted to the church, by
which divine life is dispensed to us through
the work of the Holy Spirit (CCC #1131,
774).
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“Christ is the Sacrament of God”
“Jesus is the Primordial Sacrament of the Father.
By being the "Primordial Sacrament", Jesus Christ is much more
than simply the originator of the Sacraments.
He is at once the SOURCE, the PRIMARY AGENT and the
GOAL of all sacramental activity.
As GOAL of all sacraments, Christ is the perfection toward which
our life on earth tends.”
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•As SOURCE, Christ is the one in whom all the
sacraments are rooted and from whom they derive
their efficacy.
•As PRIMARY AGENT, he is the one who, through
the actions and words of the minister celebrating
the various sacraments, baptizes, confirms,
forgives, and reconciles, heals, offers himself in
sacrifice, binds in faithful love and consecrates for
service.
•As GOAL of all sacraments, Christ is the
perfection toward which our life on earth tends.”
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“Church is the Sacrament of Christ”
“Since the Church, in Christ, is in the nature of
sacrament – a sign and instrument, that is of
communion with God, and of unity among all men
(people).” (L.G)
“Rising from the dead he sent his life-giving Spirit, upon
his disciples and through him (the Holy Spirit) set up
his Body which is the church, as the universal
sacrament of salvation” (L.G. 48)
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From Christ and the Church flow the Seven Sacraments
* Initiation: Baptism Confirmation and Eucharist.
* Healing: Penance and Anointing
* Vocation: Marriage and Holy Orders.
The Seven Sacraments are privileged moments of a
present encounter between Christ, the church
community, and individuals through the power of the
Holy Spirit in faith for the life of the world. The
sacraments give the grace they signify.
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Sacrament of Penance:
Subject Matter of Penance is Sin.
Mortal Sin… destroys charity in the heart of man by a
grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God,
who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an
inferior good to him. [CCC 1855]
Venial Sin … allows charity to subsist even though it
offends and wounds it. [CCC 1855]
Object of Penance is Grace.
1. Instrumental, efficient causality: (Thomas Aquinas)
2. Moral causality.
3. Occasional causality.
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Questions for consideration in simulated Rite of Penance
• Did the Confessor follow the rubrics in celebrating the
sacrament? For the confessor: if not, explain your
pastoral adaptation of the rubric.
2. What theological questions were raised in the celebration
of the sacrament? (e.g. Images of God, role of the
confessor, moral issues and the like.)
3. Did the confessor exhibit an appropriate pastoral style?
4. Was it truly an experience of prayer? Why or why not?
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In the evening of that same day, the first day of the
week, the doors were closed in the room where the
disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and
stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with
you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The
disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord,
and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.’ As
the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’ After
saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive
the Holy Spirit. For those sins you forgive, they are
forgiven; for those sins you retain, they are retained.’
(Jn. : 20: 19-23).
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“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld
shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the
kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven.” (Jn. 20:19-23)
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Names for the Sacrament of Penance:
Penance - Paying Back
Confession - Owning Up
Reconciliation - Bank Balance
Healing - Healing Relationships with
God, self, others, and creation.
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History of the Sacrament of Penance
The Church has carried out Christ's ministry of forgiveness
and reconciliation since the time of Christ but its
celebration has changed.
Three main periods in the history of the Sacrament:
1. The Early Church
2. Introduction of Canonical Penance
3. Rise of Private Penance
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EARLY CHURCH:
Baptism was the only sacrament of forgiveness.
Christians confessed to one another and overcame sin by fasting,
praying, and charitable works.
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INTRODUCTION OF "CANONICAL PENANCE”
By 300 early Church faced severe persecutions.
Some people abandon their faith.
After the persecutions some wanted to return to
the community.
People could not baptize again.
System of canonical penance developed for
serious sins
* Adultery (against the family)
* Murder (against the community)
* Apostasy (against the faith)
Serious sinners entered order of Order of
Penitents.
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• Public Penance:
• Extended period of time from a few weeks to several
years
• Excluded from celebrating the Eucharist with community
• Required to perform works of penance
• Period of Canonical penance often ended at end of Lent
• Sins were forgiven by a Bishop
• People were reunited with the community.
• Because of the severity of the penitential process, the
sacrament would be put off until deathbed.
• By the 6th century the sacrament was seen as
preparation for death rather than as an aid to living a
Christian life.
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RISE OF "PRIVATE” PENANCE
New development in Ireland in the 6th century by Irish Monks:
Monks had practice of confessing their sins to a spiritual
director from whom they would receive direction and
assurance of God's mercy and forgiveness, and often
received common penances.
Lay people began to seek spiritual advice form the monks:
What developed was a system of forgiveness of sin that was
private and repeatable.
"Penitentials" books were developed that would help the
confessors assign appropriate penances for specific sins.
In 1215 the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that every
Christian who reached the age of reason must make a private
confession of grave sins once a year.
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“Penitential celebrations are gatherings of the people of God to
hear the proclamation of God's word.” #36
“Care should be taken that the faithful do not confuse these
celebrations with the celebration of the sacrament of penance.
Penitential celebrations are very helpful in promoting conversion
of life and purification of heart. It is desirable to arrange such
services especially for these purposes:
- to foster the spirit of penance within the Christian community;
- to help the faithful to prepare for confession which can be
made individually later at a convenient time;
- to help children gradually to form their conscience about sin in
human life and about freedom from sin through Christ;
- to help catechumens during their conversion. “ #37
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Requirements for the validity of the Sacrament of
Penance:
Confession of sin.
Contrition for sin.
Absolution of sin.
Satisfaction for sin.
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Rite of Penance 1973
1.
Rite for Reconciliation of Individual Penitents
Reception of Penitent.
Greeting
Sign of the Cross
Invitation to trust in God
Reading of the Word of God.
Confession of Sins & Acceptance of Satisfaction.
Prayer of the Penitent (Act of contrition).
Absolution
Proclamation of praise of God and Dismissal
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2. Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with
Individual Confession and Absolution:
Introductory Rites
Song
Greeting
Introduction
Opening prayer
Celebration of the Word of God
1st Reading
Responsorial Psalm
2nd Reading
Gospel Acclamations
Gospel
Homily
Examination of conscience
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Rite of Reconciliation:
General Confession of Sins
Litany or Psalm
Lord’s Prayer
Individual Confession and Absolution
Proclamation of Praise for God’s Mercy
Concluding Prayer of thanksgiving.
Concluding Rite:
Blessings
Dismissal
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Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents & General Absolution:
Introductory Rites:
Song
Greeting
Introduction
Opening prayer
Celebration of the Word of God:
1st Reading
Responsorial Psalm
2nd Reading
Gospel Acclamations
Gospel
Homily
General Confession:
Sign of Penance
General Confession of Sins
Litany or Song
Lord’s Prayer
General Absolution
Proclamation of Praise and Conclusion
Song or hymn
Blessing
Dismissal
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Scriptural Examples of Forgiveness & Reconciliation:
Lost Sheep [Luke 15:4-7]
Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32]
Samaritan Woman [John 4: 5- 26]
Zacchaeus [Luke 19: 1-10]
Woman caught in Adultery [John 8: 3-11]
Good Thief [Luke 23: 39-43]
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Practice the living out of the sacrament in one’s life:
Being a reconciling and forgiving person with spouse and
family & community.
“…when any one of us chooses to act as Jesus was known
to act, we too become living sacraments in our world.
When I forgive my brother or sister from my heart, I
become a sacrament of forgiveness; I unveil the face
of God who forgives, just as Jesus himself did.”
(Beguerie and Duchesneau, How to Understand the Sacraments)
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Simulation of the Sacrament of Penance.
•
Did the Confessor follow the rubrics in
celebrating the sacrament? For the confessor:
if not, explain your pastoral adaptation of the
rubric.
•
2. What theological questions were raised in
the celebration of the sacrament? (e.g. Images
of God, role of the confessor, moral issues and
the like.)
•
3. Did the confessor exhibit an appropriate
pastoral style?
•
4. Was it truly an experience of prayer? Why or
why not?
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever.
Amen.
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