On Confession
school Baltimore Catechism No. 1
What is Confession?
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Confession is the telling of our sins to a duly authorized priest, for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness.
What sins are we bound to confess?
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We are bound to confess all our mortal sins, but it is well also to confess our venial sins.
What should we do if we cannot remember the number of our sins?
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If we cannot remember the number of our sins, we should tell the number as nearly as possible.
Is it a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession?
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It is a grievous offense wilfully to conceal a mortal sin in Confession, because we thereby tell a lie to the Holy Ghost, and make our Confession worthless.
What must he do who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession?
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He who has wilfully concealed a mortal sin in Confession must not only confess it, but must also repeat all the sins he has committed since his last worthy Confession.
Why does the priest give us a penance after Confession?
- The priest gives us a penance after Confession that we may satisfy God for the temporal punishment due to our sins.
