Sacrament of Penance (Confession)

“In the Sacrament of Penance the faithful truly ‘obtain pardon from the mercy of God for the offenses committed against him and are at the same time reconciled with the Church, which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, example, and prayer seeks their conversion’”.

~ Order of Penance, 4

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has received approval for a revised Order of Penance. The First use date of the new Ritual text is Ash Wednesday and it will be required for use on Divine Mercy Sunday, 2023. Learn more about the new/revised Order of Penance.

Resources for the revised Ritual Text

• Webinar on the Revised Order of Penance
  • Co-sponsored by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and the USCCB Secretariat for Divine Worship, this webinar provides background on the Sacrament and explains the revision. 
• The Revised Order of Penance: An Opportunity for Catechesis
  • An article from Pastoral Liturgy.

• Why Should I Confess my Sins to a Priest? 
  • From the USCCB, this article takes up a widespread question. 
    • Also available in Spanish
• Sacraments 101: Penance (why we confess)
  • This short video from Busted Halo provides an introduction to the Sacrament by answering some common questions. This could be a great resource to add to a parish website or share the link in parish resources.
• Most Common Problems I see Confession (and how to fix!)
  • This video from Fr. Casey Cole at Breaking in the Habit provides a slightly funny look at some problems people might have in the Confessional. 
• Real Priest Answers Questions about Confession
  • This video from Fr. Casey Cole at Breaking in the Habit provides a chance for people to listen to a priest provide answers to some common questions about the Sacrament. 
• Reconciliation
  • This video from Catholic Central provides an overview of the Sacrament and answers some common questions.  It also provides a study guide to help groups (or individuals) go deeper, have an activity for reflection, and links to other resources. 
• Why Confess My Sins to a Priest?
  • Fr. Mike with Ascension takes up this common question and shows why confessing our sins to a priest makes sense and is not some man-made tradition. 
• That Sin, Again?
  • ​​​​​​​Br. Luke VanBerkum of the Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph offers a reflection here about the reality of confessing the same sin over and over again. It serves as a reminder for all of us that "Confession does not leave us without a solution even for this remaining challenge, for Confession makes us hungry, in particular for the heavenly banquet, the Eucharist".