--- John 20: 19, 22-23
The forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism is conferred by a particular
sacrament called the sacrament of conversion, confession, penance, or reconciliation.
To the eyes of faith no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequence for sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world.
To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men. One must ask for the precious gift for one self and for others.
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 the future. Conversion touches the past and the future and is nourished by hope and God's mercy.
The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest's absolution. The penitent's acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.
Repentance (also called contrition) must be inspired by motives that arise from faith. 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.
One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and 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.
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.
Only priests who have received the faculty of absolving from the authority of the Church can forgive sins in the name of Christ.
Individual and intergeral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the ordinary means of reconciliation with God and the Church.