PENNANCE

"The closer we become to God, the more aware we become of our sins."

We confess our sins to a priest because Christ tolds us to.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
Matthew 18:18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.

To prepare for Catholic confession, you should:

1. Pray and ask God to give you the grace to make a good confession.2. Examine your conscience and reflect on your life, trying to recall all the times you sinned against God since your last confession.3. Be truly sorry for your sins.4. Set aside a few days to recollect, get rid of distractions, abstain from worldly entertainments, and do some particular mortifications.5. Ask God for his grace and light to know your sins, and to cast them away when preparing your examination of conscience.

The Biblical Background for Confessing Our Sins to a Priest.

"In the Old Testament, the practice of confessing sins to a priest is primarily outlined in the Book of Leviticus, which details the laws and rituals associated with sin offerings and atonement. Specifically, Leviticus 4-7 describes various offerings that the Israelites were to bring to the priests for different categories of sins and impurities. The Day of Atonement, described in Leviticus 16, is a significant ritual where the high priest would make atonement for the sins of the people, symbolizing the collective confession and expiation of sins.The priestly tradition emphasizes that these rites of atonement are not merely human actions to influence God's mercy but are objective signs of God's forgiveness. The rituals serve as a means for the people to acknowledge their sins and seek reconciliation with God through the mediation of the priests, who are seen as appointed judges in matters of sin and forgiveness.Additionally, the concept of collective penitence is highlighted in the Old Testament, where communal acknowledgment of sin is part of the identity of the people of God. This collective aspect is evident in various penitential liturgies that reflect a shared awareness of sin among the community.Thus, the Old Testament provides a framework for the confession of sins to priests, establishing a practice that is integral to the Jewish faith and later carried into Christian sacramental theology." --- Magisterium AI

ALL CATHOLICS SHOULD KNOW THAT.....:

The power to forgive sins was given to the apostles and their successors. The only people who have the faculty to forgive sins are those who have received holy orders. Saint Basil compared Confession to caring for the sick. He commented that just as many do not understand the sickness of the body, many do not know the sickness of the soul. They cannot be healed by just anybody. The priest gets his power directly and freely from God, unlike the physician, whose power derives from his knowledge, his professional prestige or his reputation in the community.By divine decision, the confessor acts in the place of Christ in judging the disposition of the sinner, his judgment being based on the penitent’s sorrow and desire for personal amendment. This judgment precedes the absolution that leads to a fuller communion with the Church. As a consequence, the sacrament of Penance is a real judgment to which to sinner willingly submits. But it is a judgment so ordered that the guilty are to be forgiven. Consider what depths of mercy lie in the justice of God! For, according to human justice, he who pleads guilty is punished, but in the divine court, he is pardoned. Blessed be the holy sacrament of Penance.The priest cannot absolve someone who has not repented of his sin. Nor can he absolve someone who will not make restitution for something that has been stolen. He cannot absolve someone who will not forgo the proximate occasions of sin, much less anyone who will not seriously commit himself to avoiding sin and improving his life. Such individuals exclude themselves from the fount of mercy.The judgment in the sacrament of penance is a foreshadowing of and a preparation for the definitive judgment which will take place at the end of our lives. We should try to understand the profound nature of the grace and mercy that are present when our sins are forgiven. Our gratitude if we do so will have no limits. It will be shown in our effort to glorify God eternally for his wonderful compassion. Yet our Lord wants this gratitude to be evident in this life also. We thank God and ask that his Church never be short of holy priests who are willing to impart this sacrament with love and dedication.