Sacrament of Penance (Confession)

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." (CCC, 1446)

The United States 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. Stay tuned for more information about the changes to the text. 

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 very common 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 to in parish resoruces.
• 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 abotu the Sacrament.