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punishments voluntarily undertaken by ourselves to atone for sins

Reading that part sent chills down my spine. How much like Satan is the religion that teaches this nonsense! On the one hand they say "Christ alone paid for every sin" but on the other hand they say our sufferings, whether inflicted by a priest, by God or even by our own hand, atone (pay) for our sins. What that proves to me even more is that the organization that claims the mantle of the "one, true church" is nothing but a sham operating in full cooperation with the deceiver and the father of lies. To make it even worse, as if that were possible, they convince the "faithful" that they should suffer for their sins thereby rejecting the sacrifice Christ made for them substituting their own sacrifice and, in that rejection, they not only suffer wrongly but give up any hope of eternal life with God in heaven. Trusting in our own righteousness is rejection of Christ's righteousness. How evil and sinister is the enemy of man's soul???!!!

Matthew 5: 1 1 When he saw the crowds, 2 he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He began to teach them, saying: 3 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, 4 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 5 Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 6 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. 6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 7 for they will be satisfied. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 8 Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 9 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. 12 10 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

These are the words of Jesus.

Matthew 10: 32 14 Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. 34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. 35 For I have come to set a man 'against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one's enemies will be those of his household.' 37 "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up his cross 15 and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 16 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Christians take up their cross and suffer for Christ. Those who declare themselves saved do not. Are they Christians according to Jesus?

On the one hand they say "Christ alone paid for every sin" but on the other hand they say our sufferings, whether inflicted by a priest, by God or even by our own hand, atone (pay) for our sins

The apparent contradiction did not bother St. Paul:

[I] now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church (Col 1:24)
if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live (Romans 8:13)

Of course there is no contradictions because the Catholic Church is His body also in suffering.

[26]...if one member suffer any thing, all the members suffer with it; or if one member glory, all the members rejoice with it. [27] Now you are the body of Christ, and members of member (1 Cor. 12)

Learn from the scripture and you will leave the shackles of Protestantism and become Catholic as God intended you to be.