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1490 The movement of return to God,
called conversion and repentance, entails sorrow for and
abhorrence of sins committed, and the firm purpose of
sinning no more in thefuture. Conversion touches the past
and the future, and is nourished by hope in Gods
mercy. 1491 The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting
in three actions of the penitent and the priests
absolution. The penitents acts are repentance,
confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the
intention to make reparation and do works of reparation. 1492 Repentance (also called contrition) must be
inspired by motives that arisefromfaith. If repentance
arises from love of charity for God, it is called
perfect contrition; if it is founded on
other motives, it is called imperfect. 1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with
God and with the Church must confess to a priest all the
unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully
examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults,
without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly
recommended by the Church. 1494 The confessor proposes the performance of
certain acts of satisfaction or
penance to be performed by the penitent in order
to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits
befitting a disciple of Christ. 1495 Only priests who have received thefaculty of
absolvingfrom the authority of the Church can forgive sins
in the name of Christ. 1496 The spiritual effects of the sacrament of
Penance are: reconciliation
with God by which the penitent recovers grace;
reconciliation with the Church;
remission of the eternal punishment incurred by
mortal sins; remission, at
least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin;
peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual
consolation; an increase of
spiritual strength for the Christian battle. 1497 Individual and integral confession of grave
sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means
of reconciliation with God and with the Church. 1498 Through indulgences the faithful can obtain
the remission of temporal punishment resulting from sin for
themselves and also for the souls in Purgatory. 1499 By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of |
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