Saturday, May 24
Liturgical Color: Green
Today is the Feast of the Dedication of
the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.
This church built in 1228, in honor of St.
Francis, was heavily damaged in an
earthquake in 1997, but has since been
restored. (Franciscan Calendar)
What are the two basic elements required for the forgiveness of a Christian's sins to occur in the sacrament of Penance?
What is required for the forgiveness of sins is the person who undergoes conversion and the priest who in God's name gives him absolution from his sins.
What must I bring to a confession?
Essential elements of every confession are an examination of conscience, contrition, a purpose of amendment, confession, and penance.
The examination of conscience should be done thoroughly, but it can never be exhaustive. No one can be absolved from his sin without real contrition, merely on the basis of "lip-service". Equally indispensable is the purpose of amendment, the resolution not to commit that sin again in the future. The sinner absolutely must declare the sin to the confessor and, thus, confess to it. The final essential element of confession is the atonement or penance that the confessor imposes on the sinner to make restitution for the harm done.(YOUCAT questions 231 & 232)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (1450-1460) and other references here.