Use the Pray event (found above) to pray as a family sometime during the week.
Use the Live event (found above) to live out a work of mercy as a family sometime during the week.
For the Learn do the following:
1. Watch Video at the top of the page. (if you want more resources, or are interested in learning more about the topic click on the Extra tab).
2. Click on the appropriate grade for your child.
3. Read the "relates to..." section at the beginning. This is helpful to understand what to convey to your child is important about this lesson. It will help make the lesson both an intellectual and a lived lesson.
4. Read through and familiarize yourself with the sample script.
5. Teach your child the lesson, either using your own words or the sample script.
6. Either discuss the questions with your child (best option), or have your child write out answers to the questions.
7. Have your child do the activities and/or do the activities with them.
8. If working with a parish return the appropriate material in the way they have requested.
All Content for "The Way", Learn, is original content and copyright of the Diocese of Kalamazoo and may not be copied, reproduced, or used without prior written consent of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. © 2020 Diocese of Kalamazoo
Relates to Jesus: Jesus is fully God and fully man, and so He knows that perfection is difficult to achieve. Our journey to live a holy life will be marked by virtue and failings. Jesus walks with us to bring us to fullness if we allow His help.
Relates to my Faith: The Catholic Church calls us to practice virtue and good works towards others, which aids in keeping us from falling into selfishness and sin.
Sample Script:
Can you remember a time when you made a choice? Did you choose the clothes you wore today, or what game you got to play during playtime? Everyone makes choices, and choices are good because they give us the opportunity to do the right thing! Sometimes we make choices that can be good or bad. When we choose to do what God asks of us, like listening to Mom and Dad when they tell us something or doing what our teacher has asked us to do we make a good choice! God asks us to do these things because He loves us and wants what is best for us. But sometimes we can also make bad choices, like when we disobey our parents or yell at a friend or our siblings when we are angry. Bad choices are called sins, and sins hurt our relationship with God because we turn away from His love.
God created each person in his own image and likeness, and so He created each person good! That never changes, even when a person sins, and it is called dignity. Every person has dignity because God created them, and whether they make good or bad choices it can never be taken away. For example, if your soccer ball broke a window, you wouldn’t say you had a bad soccer ball. The soccer ball was made for playing a fun game, not for the mess it caused. Similarly, when a person sins it does not mean that they are totally bad because they were made good by God.
Each person can still make good and bad choices, and each person is responsible for the choices they make. When a person eats all the cookies before his friends can have some, he has chosen to eat them, and he is the only one who can apologize to his friends. Similarly, when we sin we hurt our relationship with God and we are responsible for asking his forgiveness. When we are sorry and really want to love God better, God always forgives our sins. When God forgives us, He also asks us to forgive others. When we continue to forgive, to ask God for forgiveness and try to make good choices we grow in virtue! Can you think of someone virtuous, someone very good? We become more like them, more courageous, patient and loving when we do our best to make many good choices, and we also show God that we love him back!
Questions:
What is a good choice, and what is a bad choice? Can you think of an example?
What are bad choices called?
Is a person who sins totally bad? Why or why not?
When we make good choices, what do we grow in?
God forgives us but also expects us to do what?
Activities:
Make a chart, one side with good choices and one side with bad choices. Can you think of 3 examples of each? Draw or write them down, and pick one good choice that you can make today!
Make 3 vocabulary flash cards for dignity, sin and virtue.
Relates to Jesus: Jesus forgives our sins through the priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, restoring the grace that was lost and allowing us greater ease to turn away from temptation and sin and live the divine life of grace offered through Jesus Christ.
Relates to my Faith: The Catholic Church offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation as the means by which souls are freed from sin and the chains of vice.
Sample Script:
When we make choices, we know that we can make good ones and bad ones. The bad ones are called sins, and they hurt our relationship with God, so we need the sacrament that will heal our personal relationship with him--Reconciliation.
Reconciliation is a liturgical act, which means it is not something that we do at home but at church like when we receive all the other sacraments. We go to our church building to remind us that Reconciliation is a sacrament from the Church (big “C”). Jesus is the one who established that sins be forgiven through a priest who is “in persona Christi”, that means “in the person of Christ”. When we speak to the priest during Reconciliation, it is as if we are talking to Jesus himself, and we are asking healing and forgiveness from Jesus. WHen the priest says absolution (which is when our sins are forgiven), it is Jesus forgiving our sins by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Though it can be scary to tell our sins to the priest, he will only give us guidance to help us make the right choices, and he can never tell anyone else your sins. This is called the sacramental seal of Confession, that a priest who hears Confession must keep them absolutely secret with no exception. All we need to focus on when we go to Confession is that we are truly sorry for the sins we committed that have hurt our relationship with God, and to be excited to receive the healing power of the sacrament!
It is good to make a habit of going and receiving Reconciliation. Imagine what would happen if you didn’t shower for a month. You would be super dirty and stinky! When we sin over and over again a similar thing happens to our soul--it gets gunky and stinky. It is good to make a habit of going every month to receive Reconciliation to get a shower for your soul! You will leave with a clean slate, fresh and ready to tackle those choices!
Questions:
Which sacrament can we receive that will heal our relationship with God after we have sinned?
Is Reconciliation something we can do from home? Why or why not?
What is the sacramental seal of Confession?
What do we focus on when we go to receive Reconciliation?
How often should we go to Reconciliation?
Activities:
Plan a time with your parents to go and receive Reconciliation, and also plan something fun to do together afterwards to celebrate!
Think about a particular sin that seems more like a habit for you. What can you do to change so that you recognize in the moment that you have a choice to sin or not?
Relates to Jesus: Jesus came to heal the sick in a very real spiritual way so that you and I can be free to use are God given gifts and talents to the full.
Relates to my Faith: Freedom from sin as given through Reconciliation prevents us from falling into the bondage of vice, which constricts us and limits us in our quest to be whole.
Sample Script:
When we make bad choices, our sins are what hurt our relationship with God. Like a sickness that keeps us from doing all of our favorite things that we are able to do when we are healthy, sin keeps us from being free.
When we receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, we are forgiven of all our sins, healed from them and our relationship with God is restored, and we are given the graces that help us better tackle future temptations to sin. With our goal as Christians to imitate Christ, Reconciliation is like medicine and a boost of energy! For this reason it is good to make a habit of going--once a month is a healthy goal to strive for.
Receiving Reconciliation is also important as preparation for receiving other sacraments, such as the Eucharist, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Confirmation. If we receive Reconciliation right before one of these sacraments, we are in a state of grace and able to more fully receive the new graces that come with the sacraments! If we are in a state of mortal (grave) sin when we receive them, we won’t have the capacity to fruitfully receive the new graces.
Once we receive this awesome sacrament, we should practice forgiving and praying for people who have hurt us. When we pray for someone, or make sacrifices for the sake of another person, God hears us and grants us that what we do is of great help to that person! This sacrifice could be completing your chores without complaint, giving up dessert for a night, or doing something helpful for one of your family members. This is one big way that the sacrament of Reconciliation helps us choose to better imitate Jesus!
Questions:
What are our sins comparable to?
What do they keep us from?
What are the effects of Reconciliation? Because of this what is a good habit of how often to receive the sacrament?
How is Reconciliation a good preparation for receiving the other sacraments?
When we are forgiven at Reconciliation, what does God expect of us?
Activities:
Who is a person you can think of in need of prayers? Choose a specific prayer to pray for that person, and one sacrifice that you can make today on their behalf. When you make a little prayer to God that you are going to do this sacrifice for that person, he will grant that it helps that person!
Sometimes it can be easy to feel afraid to go to Confession. If you are nervous, talk with your parents about it, or even to your parish priest! He will help you relax and remember that God is excited for us to receive this sacrament!
Relates to Jesus: Jesus, in His teachings and parables, shows us what is needed to form our conscience well and thus how to navigate this life as a child of God.
Relates to my Faith: A life rooted in worship, prayer, study, and almsgiving is the blueprint given by the Church for us to be disciples of Jesus Christ.
Sample Script:
For those times that we are faced with a difficult choice, or even when we take action throughout our day, God has given each person a conscience. “Conscience is the inner voice in a person that moves him to do good under any circumstances, and to avoid evil by all means. At the same time it is the ability to distinguish the one from the other” (Youcat 295). In our conscience, it is God speaking to us and leading us to good choices.
Conscience is a gift from God, and he has given us the responsibility to form our conscience well. Some don’t, and it is confusing and difficult for them to know what is good. That is why it is important that we do things that will form our conscience, so that we have little difficulty in recognizing what is good from bad and can choose it! We form our conscience by taking a little time each day to pray, by studying the faith (like in catechism lessons), and making habits of virtue so that we can hear God better! Once we have a solidly formed conscience, we can trust it and must be sure to follow it.
There are many situations in which you may be faced with a difficult decision. For example, say your friends all agree that doing something would be fun, but you get the feeling that it isn’t a good choice. Something you can do is stop for a minute and think: why do you have a bad feeling about this? It may be from your conscience, and in thinking you can realize the consequences of that decision and voice them! Or, say someone at school or sports practice asks you to do something you don’t understand. Ask someone older than you, especially someone you trust for help as to what you should do and whether it is a good choice or not. If you’re ever in a situation where you have a little time, say a prayer asking God what to do. He may lead you to an answer or help resolve the situation! Always remember that you have the gift of your conscience for aid!
Questions:
What is a conscience? Why does each person have one?
What must we do to form our conscience well? What is the case if we do not form our conscience?
Name a method you can use when faced with a difficult decision.
If someone tells you to do something and you know it is a sin, is it their fault because they told you to do it?
What do we do to receive forgiveness for our sins?
Activities:
Have you ever been in a situation like one of the ones described? Talk about that time, or a time you could have used one of these methods to make a good choice.
Interview various family members asking them a time when they were faced with a difficult decision, and what method they used to make a good decision.
Relates to Jesus: Jesus gives comfort to the sick and suffering, sometimes physically healing but always spiritually guiding to help us find meaning and comfort in our time of trial.
Relates to my Faith: The Sacraments of Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation can be and should be received as often as appropriate so as to help encounter the grace of God and to grow closer to the Lord.
Sample Script:
Do you remember a time when you were injured and needed some time to heal from it? Just like our body needs healing, our soul needs healing when our relationship with God is strained. When we sin, we deliberately act against the true order of things that God has arranged out of love. A mortal sin is a serious sin that destroys the divine power of love in a person’s heart, while venial sins which are less serious sins still strain our relationship with him. This is why our soul and our relationship with God is in need of healing when we sin.
There are two sacraments of healing available to us, the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation. These sacraments repair our relationship with God, bring us back into grace and right relationship with him, and strengthens our journey of faith that began at Baptism. Anointing of the Sick is received by a Catholic who is especially sick in their body and at risk of dying, because the sacrament gives a person what they need in the face of death: consolation, peace, strength of spiritual battle and also the forgiveness of sins so that they can meet God with a clean soul.
Receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation is more common, and it’s important to make a consistent habit of going to receive the sacrament. When we receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, we are forgiven of all our sins, healed from them and our relationship with God is restored, and we are given the graces that help us better tackle future temptations to sin. With our goal as Christians to imitate Christ, Reconciliation is like medicine and a boost of energy! For this reason it is good to make a habit of going--once a month is a healthy goal to strive for. It is the sure way of having a fruitful prayer life too. Once everything in the way of our relationship with God is removed, it is easier to be still, to listen, and to share with God what is on our heart and mind.
Questions:
What is the effect of mortal sins on our relationship with God?
What is the effect of venial sins?
What two healing sacraments are available to us?
What do each do to heal our relationship with God?
Why would we want to make a habit of going to Confession? How often is a good benchmark to strive for?
Activities:
Make a plan with your family to go and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation together, and be sure to plan at least some small way to celebrate afterwards!
Tonight, perhaps right before you go to bed practice this method of prayer:
Relates to Jesus: Jesus loves us so much, that there is nothing that can separate us from Him. In fact, His love continually seeks us out, calling our name so that we meet turn and return to Him.
Relates to my Faith: The Sacraments of Healing are available to any of the faithful at anytime. The Church makes available these Sacraments through the priest alone as He stands in the place of Jesus Christ Himself when administering these gifts so that the soul is speaking directly to Jesus.
Sample Script:
Forgiveness is one of the most important elements of the Christian life. God is the model of forgiveness, as we see over and over again in Scripture. Many times God made a covenant with the whole world, meaning he wanted all people to be a part of his family. It began with Adam and Eve: he made a covenant with them, yet they turned their back on him and broke their end of the covenant. God nevertheless loved humanity, so he made a covenant with men through Noah, and the visible sign of this covenant was the rainbow. But Noah and his family also sinned against God. Yet, God still kept his promise never to flood the world again, and he still wanted to make everyone in the world his family.
He made covenants through Moses and King David too, and can you guess what happened? Man broke his end of the covenant, God kept the promises he made, and still loved man. So much that he sent his Son to become man, to heal man’s broken covenant--only a man could represent humanity, and only God could fix man’s brokenness. So he healed man’s relationship with God through forgiveness. Throughout his public ministry Jesus forgave the sins of people he encountered, and finally in taking all the sins of humanity onto himself and paying the price for them in dying on the Cross, he restored our relationship with God.
God wants to forgive us even now, which is why he established to forgive sins through a priest. The sacrament of Reconciliation is available to us so that we can ask God for forgiveness and make our relationship right with him. We never need to be afraid because there is no sin that God won’t forgive if we are truly sorry for it. Afterwards we have the awesome chance to show others the love that God has shown us by forgiving our family members, friends and classmates.
Questions:
What is a covenant?
Why does God want to make a covenant with all people?
What happened in each covenant that God made with man? What was God’s reaction?
Ultimately why did God the Father send his Son into the world?
Which sacrament did God make available to us so that we could receive his forgiveness now?
Activities:
Make a habit of praying the Our Father each day. In the Our Father, we are reminded to forgive as God has already forgiven us.
Think if there is any person in your life that you need to forgive. How can you react as God has?
Relates to Jesus: Jesus reminds us that every moment of our life is a gift, so nothing in our life is wasted. When we are hurt and suffering, we need to offer this pain to Jesus, who wraps His arm around our shoulders and helps us to bear this burden, much like He did for us on the Cross.
Relates to my Faith: The Church rightly teaches about redemptive suffering, which is that understanding that our sufferings have eternal consequences when offered for another merit life giving grace both now and in the life to come.
Sample Script:
We all know someone who has suffered, it might be what we have experienced in the past or present. Everyone suffers at one time or another, and some suffer more than others and some less. God did not create a suffering, nor did he ever want man to suffer. He created man, Adam and Eve, in Paradise in the Garden of Eden. With the sin of Adam and Eve came disharmony, death, temptation and suffering. Sin brought suffering into the world.
God is not the cause of sin but he allowed it to be brought into the world because he wanted people to have free will where we could decide to love God or turn from him. In the same way God does not cause suffering but he allows it. Why would God allow suffering?
God would never allow an evil such as suffering if he could not bring about an even greater good from it. An example is that suffering can sometimes be a teaching tool to us, a reminder that we cannot rely on ourselves but that we have God to rely on. Experiencing suffering has been an opportunity for many people to open their heart to God, to trust him or even to begin believing in him. God wants heaven for all people, so he brings them closer to himself so that he can lead them there and the disruption of suffering can be a person's first step in his direction.
Beyond that Jesus made it possible that we might have a kind of power in suffering. Jesus suffered and died for the sake of others taking the sins of everyone onto himself. When we suffer, if we choose to accept it, not to fight it or ignore it but bear it patiently, we can unite our suffering to Jesus suffering on the cross. We say," Jesus, I know you understand suffering because you did it for me, so now I choose to offer mine to you." This is incredibly powerful and it gives meaning to our suffering because we can merit the grace Jesus earned for us. We can offer our suffering to Jesus for ourselves or even for another person's sake to help them reach heaven.
For this reason Pope Saint John the Great said. "Don't waste your suffering!" It can be a gift that unites us to Christ and helps others, if we let it. This can be very hard sometimes, but Jesus accepts even the littlest offerings that we can make. And they can still make a big difference.
Questions:
Is God the cause of suffering?
What does God do in regards to suffering?
Why would God allow suffering?
What did Jesus make possible for us when it comes to suffering that we experience?
How can suffering be a gift?
Activities:
Suffering can be a difficult thing to talk about, but I encourage you to talk with your parents, or to journal if you have experienced any kind of suffering. If you have experienced it in the past, tell God about how it affected you, and pray that you can soon see the good that will come from it. If you are suffering now, tell him what you would want to offer it up for. If you cannot give it all to him now, begin by offering to him what you can.
Think if there is someone you know, a friend or family member who is suffering now. God grants that our prayers or little sacrifices can be of help to those we offer them for. Think if there is a prayer, perhaps the rosary or a chaplet that you would want to pray for that person, or a little sacrifice like giving up your favorite dessert this week as an offering to God on their behalf.
Relates to Jesus: Jesus' gift of the Holy Spirit as the Advocate constantly intercedes on our behalf to bring us away from sin and death and towards holiness and life. As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit's mission is the exact same as that of God the Father and Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Relates to my Faith: Jesus desires mercy over sacrifice and the Church is right in teaching us that we are called to reflect God's love and mercy in our own life and in our relationships with others. Love, mercy, and forgiveness are some of the greatest gifts that we can give to others and to ourselves.
Sample Script:
The Holy Spirit has a larger role in our lives than we may realize. Through the sacraments Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to the members of the Church. The same Spirit in Jesus is the Spirit that lives in us!
During Jesus' public ministry, he forgave the sins of people he encountered by the power of the Holy Spirit. He established that priests would have the same power so that we may encounter his forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation! Through all the sacraments, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to the members of the Church, so the Holy Spirit lives in us! Saint Paul spoke about this when he said, "the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit helps us in our daily lives, and especially in preparation for Reconciliation. Saint Paul also says that," the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes" (Rom. 8:26). The Holy Spirit meets us in our weakness and guides us to rooting out sin and seeking God's forgiveness and mercy. He gives us the strength to do so.
He helps us to express the love of God that has been poured into our hearts to others as well, in the powerful way of forgiving others and showing mercy to them. The Holy Spirit plays a big role in our lives and we can always pray for his aid when we are weak with the simple prayer, "Come Holy Spirit!"
Questions:
By whose power did Jesus forgive sins in his public ministry?
By whose power does the priest forgive sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation?
Through which sacraments do we receive the Holy Spirit, poured into our hearts?
How does the Holy Spirit come to our aid as we prepare for the sacrament of Reconciliation?
How does the Holy Spirit aid us in forgiving others?
Activities:
The Holy Spirit can seem more difficult for us to get to know. Here is a 4 minute video that shows how the Holy Spirit has worked in people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNNZO9i1Gjc
Knowing that the Holy Spirit lives in you, write down the times when you feel weakest; whether it is with your friends or encountering someone who is not kind to you, and write a prayer to the Holy Spirit that you can pray now, and in the next encounter you face.
The Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation & Anointing of the Sick
Scripture References: Mt 9:2-8; 16:18- 19; 18:15-18; Mark 6:13; John 20:22-23; James 5:14-16; cf. Is 22:22
Catechetical References: Reconciliation: CCC nos. 1420-1498; Anointing of the Sick: CCC nos. 1499-1532
Videos: Reconciliation: Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest? Fr. Mike Schmitz explains why Our Lord desires we confess our sins to a priest. 8 m 43 s.Confession is a Place of Victory Fr. Mike Schmitz witnesses to the joy that confession brings people (8 m 1 s)
Mortal vs. Venial Sin Fr. Mike Schmitz explains Mortal vs. Venial Sin (6 m 40 s)
How to Make a Good Confession Fr. Mike Schmitz explains how to make a good confession (7 min 10 secs)
Videos: Anointing of the Sick: The Bible and the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick Dr. Brant Pitre explains where in the bible is found the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.(6 min 33 sec)
The Most Misunderstood Sacrament: Catholicism in Focus: Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, gives an excellent explanation of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and explains the difference between The Last Rites and the Sacrament itself. (11 m 19 s).
Extra Narrative
Having completed the lessons of the three Sacraments of Initiation, which are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist, we now turn our attntion to the two Sacraments of Healing. The first of these sacraments is known traditionally as Penance, though its preferred term since the Second Vatican Council is Reconciliation, or, as it is popularly known, Confession. The second of these sacraments is called Anointing of the Sick, formerly called Extreme Unction. We will look at these sacraments one at a time here, first with Reconciliation.
I. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
Definition of Reconciliation: The sacrament in which sins committed after baptism (post-baptismal sins) are confessed to a sacramentally ordained priest acting in the person of Christ (in persona Christi) and who administers absolution (forgiveness) through the ministry of the Church, and a suitable penance. In this way, the priest-confessor (i.e. the priest hearing the confession) acts publicly on behalf of the Church, though the priest is strictly charged by Church law--and by pain of excommunication--never to reveal sins heard in the sacramental forum of Reconciliation.
Theology of the Sacrament
The primary reason Christ came to earth was not to be a model of justice or to heal the sick, release prisoners, expel demons, or even to teach doctrinal truths for mankind's enlightment. The primary reason Christ came to earth was to restore fallen and exiled humanity to unity and relationship with the Triune God. What do we mean by this? Going back to our very first lessons on sin, we recall that due to the original disobedience (Original Sin) of Adam and Eve, all humanity was denied the original union with God that God desired for us when He created us. In addition to the many tragic consequences that Original Sin brought into the world, that is, death, sickness, the loss of our integrated nature (where our intellect, desires, and will are all operating in harmony with each other). disharmony in nature and in the universe, our tendency to commit evil over good, etc. etc., the most tragic consequence of all was our separation from God, not only in this life, but at life's end. Heaven was closed to all of humanity by this Original Sin. All were separated from God. As Jesus said, "No one is good, but God alone," Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19. In Isaiah 53:6b we read, "The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." This was a reference to Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, spoken by the prophet Isaiah, who foresaw the coming of the Messiah, approximately 586 years before Christ was born of Mary. Jesus' death on the cross, brought us redemption, the possibility of eternal life with God.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "I came that they might have life and have it in abundance" (Jn10:10), and in his testimony before Pontius Pilate, Jesus proclaims his purpose, "To testify to the Truth" (Jn 18:37). When we read these passages in light of his words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no ones comes to the Father but through me," (Jn 14:6) his mission of reconciling his human creation to the Father becomes clear. Likewise, we read in the letters of St. Paul, most especially in his Letter to the Hebrews, in which he outlines his theology of Christ and Christ's purpose as the eternal High Priest and Victim, that offers himself once for the atonement of our sins (Heb 10:14).
However, Jesus said that we must be born again of water and Spirit to be saved, (cf. John 3:5). Complementing this statement, Jesus commanded the apostles and disciples to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:19) and taught us that baptism opens for us the pathway to salvation and is the sacramental means of salvation. Finally, in John 20:22-23, Jesus appears to his apostles (again) a week after his resurrection giving them his authority to forgive sins or to hold them bound. It was by this means that Jesus intended that the apostles continue his work of the forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. We see that the early Church understood this in the epistle of St. James when he states, "Confess your sins to one another," (Jas 5:16).
Another way to look at the relationship between baptism and reconciliation is this way, if baptism is a bath, confession is a shower. (cf. Jn 13:10 where Jesus tells his apostles at the Last Supper, “One who has bathed has no need to wash, except for his feet.” This is a Johannine reference to the sacraments of baptism and penance).
The Two-Parts of the Forgiveness of Sins
When someone commits a sin against us, even if we forgive them verbally from the heart, a part of us may still feel that something is missing. That something is the restoration or repairing (i.e., "reparation") for the damage caused by the offense. For example, suppose someone steals something from us, and we forgive them. Does our forgiveness restore the stolen thing? Obviously not. There is a justice that requires the replacement of the stolen material thing, but what if the thief sold the item and cannot replace it? What if it had sentimental value? What if the thing stolen wasn't a material item but your good reputation? How is that replaced? Justice still calls for reparation. In such cases, justice is accomplished by some other acceptable means--acceptable or agreed upon terms of replacement or reparation by the two parties.
The same thing is true when we sin against God. How is it ever possible to repair an offense against God? Well, the answer is that it isn't. Because God is infinite in his being, only another infinite being can possibly repair the sin. Jesus, being the Second Person of the Trinity, and therefore, also infinite in his divine nature, can repair that damage, and did exactly that on the cross. But since he is also human, he could take on our sin in our place, which, again, he did on the cross. Nonetheless, Jesus said that we, too, must pick up our cross daily and follow him. St. Paul, likewise, taught that we must "work out our salvation in in fear and trembling" (Philp 2:12), implying that we must unite our prayers, sufferings and hardships as spiritual sacrifices to Christ after his example on the cross as expiation (atonement) for our sins. It is by uniting our spiritual sacrifices to Christ's one-time offering at Calvary that it is even possible that they can become efficacious for the atonement of our own sins. So, then, in a nutshell, the reparation due to God because of our sins is called, "Penance", and it is very necessary spiritual work if we expect not to spend a very long time in Purgatory repaying that debt (cf. Mt. 5:26; 18:34; Lk 12:59) . (See sections on Penance and Purgatory below)
Why must I confess my sins to a priest?
This is a common question, but actually the obligation only applies to baptized Catholics that have reached the age of discretion (i.e., reason) (CIC Canon 989). Apart from the obligation imposed by the Church on properly-disposed, baptized Catholics of "the age of discretion", theologically, we must understand that no sin is privately committed. Rather, every sin committed, even those committed "in private", affects the entire Body of Christ, and in fact all of humanity. We need look no further than the fall of Adam and Eve to see the obvious effect it had not only on every human born thereafter, but on all of God's creation. Since, all sin is a public offense, it is the priest acting on behalf of the public of the Church that absolves sins. The priest hears our confessions and grants absolution on behalf of the public entity of the Church. By Canon Law, every baptized Catholic, properly disposed and of the age of discretion is obligated to confess mortal sins in number and kind at least once a year (CIC Canon 988 and 989). From the Bible itself, as we stated above, it is implied in John 20:22-23 and seen that this was the understanding and practice of the early Church in James' epistle, that confession directly to God was not Jesus' intent. Still, it is wise to pray an Act of Contrition as soon as possible with a true attitude of repentance when we sin grievously even before going to confession, for who knows if we will even make it to the confessional before losing our life. The sin of presumption is a sin many Catholics do not relaize they commit when they play the game of "I'll commit this sin now. God will forgive me". The gift of salvation comes at the expense of Christ's blood, the grace of repentance from the Father, and there is no guarantee it will be granted to us, or the confessional itself. Certainly, Jesus greatly desires we come to him in the "Tribunal of Mercy" (Jesus' term for the confessional in his visions to St. Maria Faustina), but we must never presume upon his grace by sinning grievously with the presumption of his forgiveness. To do so is itself a grave sin.
Names by which the Sacrament is Called
1. Reconciliation—This has become the preferred name for the Sacrament since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). The theological emphasis of the sacrament for this name takes its biblical roots from Jesus’ action of reconciliation with Peter in Jn 21:15-19, and the idea that the primary purpose of the sacrament is our reconciliation with God, which both taps into and reminds us that the grace of reconciliation is made possible first by Jesus' obedient death on the cross. Sacramentally, the gateway of this reconciliation opens to us through baptism and is sustained by this sacrament.
2. Penance—This has been the primary name for the sacrament for most of the history of the Church until the Second Vatican Council. The theological emphasis of this term is the spiritual action of offering sacrificial works as the means of showing God we are serious about being reconciled to him and “to make up for” (i.e. atone) for the offense(s) we have caused God. The offering of these personal sacrifices can take many forms but are generally in the form of prayers or corporal or spiritual works. It must be remembered that Christ’s one offering on the cross (1 Peter 3:18) is what makes our offerings acceptable as “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pt 2:5b). The fact they must be done to atone for our sin is corroborated in Col 1:24, where St. Paul states, “I fill up in my flesh the sufferings that are lacking in Christ for his body, the Church,” wherein it is clear that with Christ, we have a priestly mission of offering spiritual sacrifices of atonement to join to the power of Christ’s eternal saving sacrifice on the cross. It is the power of the cross that gives our spiritual sacrifices efficacy (power) in the ability to atone for sins as “priests”.
3. Confession—This is the colloquial (laymen’s) expression for the sacrament as it is how the sacrament is carried out by the penitent. However, the name also has biblical roots in James 5:19.
Matter, Form and Minister of Penance
Matter: The sins of the penitent and the acts of the penitent (i.e., confession of those sins, act of contrition, and penance).
Form: The words of absolution of the priest.
Ordinary Minister: Bishop or Priest by virtue of the powers of the sacrament of Holy Orders and the “faculties” (i.e., permission) granted the priest by his Bishop. A deacon or lay person is not permitted to grant absolution. Additionally, an individual bishop or priest may not delegate to or grant authority for a deacon or layperson to hear the confession of anyone and then refer them to a priest for absolution. Such a practice destroys the integrity of the Sacrament. More pertinently, Christ reserved the power of the forgiveness of sins in John 20:22-23 to the apostles and their successors, and through them, all priests, who have that power by virtue of their ordination. This power does not extend to deacons.
How often must I go to Confession?
1. According to the precepts of the Church, each baptized Catholic must avail themselves of the sacrament of Penance at least once per year to confess mortal sins (CIC Canon 989). Mortal sins must be confessed in number (how often since your last confession) and kind (the specific sin committed) (CIC Canon 988). If a penitent has no mortal sins, the obligation does not apply, but it is still highly recommended for the sake of spiritual growth and strength (CIC Canon 988 SS 2). If you don't shower regularly, you become pretty stinky. Allowing venial sins to accumulate does the same thing to your soul. Moreoever, it is spiritually dangerous to not receive Reconciliation on a regular basis. Venial sins weaken our ability to resist more serious sin, and they dull our conscious against being able to recognize serious sin when the temptation to commit them confronts us. Sacramental reconciliation, on the other hand, when accomplished with a soul that humbly asks God to help them see their sins, not only provides the light to do just that, he gives us the power through the sacrament to resist them.
2. Therefore, if you are not in the habit of committing mortal sin, it is recommended to go as often as you need it, but the Church encourages at least monthly confession. Many Catholics go to confession once a week. Saint Pope John Paul II went daily!
Can a priest tell our sins to someone else?
bsolutely not! If a priest were to reveal the sins of a penitent, he is automatically excommunicated. His excommunication comes ipso facto, that is, by the fact he does so. There is no formal process of ex communication in such a case. The Bishop or the Pope doesn't even have to get involved. It comes immediately and automatically (CIC 1388.1). A priest is taught this while he is still a seminarian studying in the seminary.
Chief Effects of the Sacrament of Penance:
Terms associated with this Sacrament:
absoution: The forgiveness of our sins done by the priest hearing the confession which he does on behalf of the whole Church since no sin is ever a private matter but is always committed against both God and the Church. It is done in the form of the prayer of absolution.
actual grace: impulses of the Holy Spirit that move us to do good.
atonement: Satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury. Can be broken down into “at-one-ment” if that helps.
contrition: Sorrow, specifically for sin(s) committed against God. When it is used theologically, sorrow is always properly in relation to God or his just authority over us as our Creator.
examination of conscience: a reflection upon one’s own relationship with God that, for purposes of receiving the sacrament. It should incorporate a categorization and numbering of all mortal sins and a reflection with intent to confess all venial sins that can be remembered. All sins remembered should be confessed.
firm purpose of amendment: Having not only the sincere desire to turn away from one’s sin, but firmly resolving oneself to sin no more, notwithstanding the personal fear of returning to that sin.
general absolution: This is absolution that is given by a priest to a group of people at one time when there is no time to hear the individual confessions of everyone in a life-threatening situation. It may only be done under those circumstances or, with permission from the local bishop, when there are not enough confessors to hear a large number of confessions such that the faithful would be deprived of the sacrament for a long period of time (CCC 1483). The absolution is conditional upon imminent death only or in certain situations where there are not enough priests to hear all confessions. Therefore, if the danger passes, or if the occasion is not one of death but one of too many penitents and not enough confessors, those absolved must have the intention of and go to individual confession in a reasonable time for the absolution to be valid.
near occasion of sin: Tempting oneself or deliberately placing oneself close to the source of that which causes one to sin, even if this is out of a misplaced idea to test one’s own resolve or as a means to draw oneself into sin. (A good visual on this is to picture oneself walking right up to the limit of the chain on a vicious dog and making sport of it, or think of an alcoholic who walks into a liquor store “just to look”.)
satisfaction for sins: the action of making just reparation in order to make up for the injustice caused by our sin. (e.g., If I stole $20 from someone, it is the repayment of the $20 to that person). Atonement and penance are synonyms.
penance: same as atonement or satisfaction.
penance service: (See CCC no. 1482) a liturgical service usually done during the seasons of Advent or Lent where one or more priests gather with their parishioners to hear confessions. The service has much flexibility in how it may be structured, but a typical penance service will consist of a reading of one or more of the penitential psalms, or a Liturgy of the Word focused on the sacrament, hymns, a period of examination of conscience either on one's own or led by a lector or the priest, and a public recitation of the Act of Contrition, though the sacramental texts recommend that the Act of Contrition be said individually in the confessional.
penitent: a baptized Catholic desiring the sacrament of Penance.
proper disposition: With respect to the reception of the sacraments, it is having the right state of mind and being morally prepared to receive a sacrament. In the case of this sacrament, proper disposition specifically means: 1. Having contrition for one’s sins (either perfect or imperfect—see below) 2. Having a firm purpose of amendment 3. Resolving to do the priest’s assigned penance.
Purgatory: One of three places or states of reality that we may merit upon our final judgment after our physical death, the other two being Heaven or Hell. Unlike Heaven or Hell which are eternal, Purgatory is temporary only. Nor is it a second chance to be saved. Rather, it is a sort of stop on the way to Heaven by those who have been saved, but who died without having made just atonement for their sins and/or who still have imperfections of character such that they must still be made perfect ("Nothing imperfect shall enter Heaven," -Rev 21:27). Thus, the inhabitants in purgatory are saved, but are in a state of being perfected. As its root word (to purge) implies, purgatory is a place of cleansing for those imperfections that remained with us at the time of our physical death.
Any satisfaction for sin that is still lacking at the time of our death is done there. However, because the soul in Purgatory has seen God, there is no merit in one’s atoning actions therein. Thus, the fullness of atonement must be accomplished. However one’s just punishments therein may still be commuted by our prayers. Thus, the souls in purgatory can only be helped by the prayers and atoning actions applied to them by the Church. This is why we must pray for them: “It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.” – 2 Maccabees 12:46.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states it thus:
“All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1030).
sanctifying grace: The life of grace that begins to flow in us once we are baptized. It is a sharing or participation in God’s divine life. The Scriptures use many images to describe it, vine and branches (Jn 15:5), Trees planted near running water (Ps 1:3), Jn 7:38, Ezekiel 47:1-12.
temporal punishment: See purgatory above. It is the just punishment due to our sins. The sins for which human beings are judged can only be committed in time. The atonement for those sins can be accomplished in time or in the state of purgatory (which is outside human time, but has a sort of time). In either case, we cannot attain Heaven without having, in some way, fully atoned for our sins. This is different from forgiveness. Forgiveness of sins is a restoration of friendship with God, but the restoration of relationship does not atone for offenses. Penance atones for the offense. It is called “temporal” because in God’s divine mercy, he applies or allows us to apply our acts of atonement for those sins in time (i.e., while we are still on earth) because in doing so, there is merit—through the blood of Christ—that reduces the just punishment due to our sins. (Ponder, how can any offense against the infinite and perfect love of God atone for the injustice of the rejection of that love? This is why it takes the human united to the divine—i.e., the person of Jesus Christ who is both fully human and fully divine and us united to Christ to gain any merit whatsoever. Only in Christ is any justice in our atonement even possible).
Perfect Contrition is sorrow for our sins because we have offended God who is all good and deserving of all our love because he loves us infinitely and perfectly.
Imperfect Contrition is sorrow for our sins because we fear the just punishment of God. Thus, imperfect contrition is still contrition that is acceptable to God. Note that in both perfect and imperfect contrition, our sorrow is in reference to God, either by our awareness of his love for us or by our awareness of his authority over us as our Creator. Contrition is different from mere regret which is essentially self-focused. It is a merely human emotion not rooted in a recognition of God, either his love or his justice. It is possible to be sorry about something we have done because of the consequences it has for us without reference to God. This is why Judas Iscariot—who, the Gospels tell us, regretted what he had done, yet Christ said of him, “It is better that he had not been born at all”. In Judas’ case, the regret he felt was not because he loved Jesus or recognized God’s punishment (if the latter had been true, he would not have committed suicide, which is grave offense in the Mosaic law), but because he could not live with himself when he realized everything he lived for was not what he thought.
Mortal vs. Venial Sin: Catholic moral teaching distinguishes between mortal (i.e. deadly, grave or serious) sin and venial sin (i.e. lesser offenses that are morally wrong and displease God, but do not cut off the life of grace).
Mortal sin is called “deadly” because in committing it, we are literally spiritually dead. It destroys our life of grace (sanctifying grace) such that if we were die in that moment, we would merit the eternity of Hell. In committing mortal sin, we have gravely offended God and cut off our relationship with him. This does not mean that God cannot or will not continue to offer actual grace to draw us back into reconciliation with him, but it means we have made the choice to no longer remain in friendship with him.
The 3 Conditions Necessary to Commit a Mortal Sin
1. The sin must be objectively mortal (i.e. grave matter)
2. You must know that the sin is mortal (i.e., knowledge)
3. You must actually commit the sin of your own free will, that is, without force or fear (e.g., addiction can be a mitigating circumstance). (i.e., Free will)
Objectivity vs. Subjectivity of Guilt in Mortal Sin
Moral theology distinguishes between the objectivity of a mortal sin and the subjectivity of one's guilt in committing a mortal sin. These terms tie into the three conditions listed above. Though a sin may be objectively mortal in nature, whether a person is actually guilty of the sin mortally depends on the above three factors. Additionally, the same sin can be mortal or venial depending upon the circumstances in which it is committed and the gravity of the effect on others. For instance, many sins committed against human dignity, including those of a sexual nature, are always mortal in nature, while other sins, such as thievery, though it is directly against the seventh commandment, may vary in its objective nature depending on various circumstances. As a spiritual rule, it is not for us to attempt to judge the subjective nature of our own guilt when we have committed a sin that is either objectively or potentially mortal in nature. We should confess those sins in number and kind (as we would confess any mortal sin) and let the confessor make that determination for us. Any circumstances relating to the nature of the sin should be discussed as one's conscience moves us to,
Venial Sin is a lesser offense against God which does not cut off our friendship or our life of grace with him, but nonetheless displeases him and still must be atoned for either in this life or in purgatory.
5 Steps to a Good Confession
1. Examination of Conscience
2. Be properly disposed (i.e., desire to reconcile with God, be truly contrite)
3. Confess your sins (All mortal sins in number and kind, any venial sins remembered)
4. Make an act of contrition with firm purpose of amendment (resolution to sin no more)
5. Do the assigned penance.
Necessary Elements for Valid Reception of the Sacrament
1. Be truly sorrow (have contrition, either perfect of imperfect) for one’s sins
2. Have a firm purpose of amendment
3. Confess one’s mortal sins in number and kind (i.e. the penitent must specify to the confessor the kind of mortal sin committed, e.g. fornication, adultery, the serious detraction of someone’s good name (like through gossip or spreading personal information others don’t need to know such that they can no longer find a job), or theft causing harm to a business or person’s or family’s well-being, etc. and the number of times one has committed each kind of mortal sin.
4. Do the penance assigned by the priest/confessor.
II. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
Definition: The sacrament by which through the anointing of oil and prescribed prayers for the sick, the Church, through the power of her priests, commends to the suffering and glorified Lord the faithful who are dangerously sick so that he may relieve and save them (cf, CIC Can. 998, and CCC no. 1499).
Theology of the Sacrament
In the Gospel of Mark, we read that the apostles anointing the sick with oil as a means of spiritual and physical healing (Mk 16:13). In the Letter of St. James 5:13-15, we read, that the sick are to be prayed over and anointed with oil. These passages point to the sacramental nature of this type of anointing that Jesus intended and the early Church acted upon and continued to use since. Also, throughout his public ministry, Jesus spent much of his time healing those who were ill. Accompanying that healing was spiritual healing and the forgiveness of sins. In several cases, especially in the story of the Healing of the Paralytic (Mk 2:1-12), we read that Jesus healed specifically to show those who questioned him that he had the power to forgive sins---something that only belonged to God. Jesus never separates physical healing from spiritual healing. By doing this, Jesus shows us the original plan of the Father for humanity when he first created us, and as well, by giving witness to himself as the Redeemer and Messiah who, himself, would be the "Balm of Gilead" (cf. Jer 46:11).
Olive oil is the tradition oil used in this sacrament. It is one of the three oils blessed at the Chrism Mass, which is traditionally offered by the diocesan Bishop together with all his priests on the morning of Holy Thursday, (however, most dioceses offer this Mass at some point before Holy Thursday for a variety of practical reasons, such as distance between some parishes and the diocesan Caethdral, Easter preparations, scheduling conflicts, etc.). The oil use for anointing of the sick is called, oleum infirmorum, which literally means, "oil of the sick" in Latin. Typically, this oil is stored in the parish church and is marked, O.I, or Oil of the Sick, or in its long form, Oleum Infirmorum.
The older traditional name used for this sacrament has been "extreme unction" (unction means "anointing"). The name of the sacrament was changed at the Second Vatican Council in order to dispel the erroneous notions that the sacrament was only to be used in case of death. In fact, Catechism of the Council of Trent, written in the late 16th century, specifically argues against waiting until the moment of death to use the sacrament because the person receiving it should be in a state of awareness and consciousness such that they understand the sacrament they are receiving as part of their proper disposition. So, the Church did not change its teaching on the sacrament, but rather corrected mistaken notions about it and reinforced what the Church had always taught about it. The Church continues to teach that the sacrament should only be used in serious or grave circumstances, but the Church's use of the sacrament has been broadened to include spiritual, psychological or mental injuries, any or all of which can have a crippling effect on the life of a person.
Anointing of the Sick vs. Last Rites
People often confuse "the Last Rites" with the Anointing of the Sick. The "Last Rites" is an informal term (really, a colloquial term, like "confession") that refers to a group of three individual sacraments: Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Communion (called Viaticum when received the final time in a person's life). The Last Rites are conferred upon a person who requests them when death is nearing, but they are still conscious of their situation. It is a solemn duty of caretakers and family members to be attentive to the spiritual needs of their Catholic patients and loved ones. Care must be taken to coordinate with the local Catholic priest(s) or the pastor of their parish well in advance so that pastors can make all necessary arrangements to administer Last Rites while the ill recipient is still in a good state of mental awareness that enables them to properly dispose themselves to receive the Last Rites, especially in regards to making a good examination of their conscience.
Matter, Form and Minister of Anointing of the Sick
Matter: Oil of the sick and the imposition (laying on) of hands
Form: The liturgical prayers of the sick the priest uses to pray as he anoints the sick person.
Ordinary Minister: Bishop or Priest. As in the sacrament of Reconciliation, neither a deacon nor a layperson have the sacramental power or authority to administer this sacrament, nor may it be delegated to them by a bishop or priest.
Who may receive this sacrament? Any baptized Catholic who has reached the age of reason and is properly disposed (prepared) and begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age (CIC Can 1004 SS 1). Discretion may be applied to those who are between the age of reason and age seven (seven being the age at which children are considered to have reached the age of reason. The actual age of reason may be before that in many children). The sacrament may be administered if there is a doubt about the use of reason, dangerous illness, or even if there is doubt about whether the eprson has actually died (CIC Can 1005).
The sacrament may be repeated whenever the sick person again falls into serious sickness, even for the same illness, if the crisis worsens. (CIC Can 1004, SS. 2). Likewise, it is to be administered to sick persons who requested it even if only implicitly when they were in control of their mental faculties (CIC Can 1006). However, it may not be administered to those who obstinately persist in serious sin of whatever nature (meaning a refusal to repent of that sin).