Religion Grade 5 / Chapter 16 Name______________________________ Definitions / Key Concepts Definitions: 1. conscience – our ability to know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong 2. Act of Contrition – a prayer that allows us to express our sorrow and promise to try not to sin again 3. contrition – true, heartfelt sorrow for the sins we have committed and the intention to sin no more 4. confession – naming and telling our sins to the priest 5. penance – an action or prayer that helps us to show sorrow for our sins 6. absolution – our sins are forgiven in the name of Christ and the Church and through the power of the Holy Spirit 7. retreat -- a time when we leave our ordinary way of life for a short time so we can pray and think about our lives as Christians; we learn and plan ways to follow Christ; the Sacrament of Penance is an important part of a retreat Key Concepts 1. Different names for Sacrament of Penance: a. Reconciliation b. Confession c. Conversion d. Forgiveness 2. The four major parts of the sacrament of Reconciliation are: 1) contrition, 2) confession, 3) penance, 4) absolution. 3. An examination of conscience helps us to know what we need to confess. When we examine our conscience, we determine whether the choices we have made showed love for God, ourselves, and others. 4. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us judge the goodness of our thoughts, words, and actions. 5. The priest can never, for any reason, tell anyone what we have confessed. He is bound by the secrecy of the sacrament. This is called the seal of confession. 6. Someone seeking God’s forgiveness is known as a penitent. 7. By God’s gift of grace, we can turn to God and open our hearts to him. 8. Only a priest can hear our confession and forgive our sins. 9. The Church requires us to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year if we have committed serious sin. 10. The Church has two usual ways to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation: a. Rite of Reconciliation of Individual Penitents b. Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents (Communal Reconciliation) 11. The words of absolution remind us that our reconciliation comes about by the mercy of the Father, the saving action of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. 12. At every Mass, we have the opportunity to ask forgiveness of our sins as a community when we pray, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” We also ask forgiveness when we pray “I confess to Almighty God…” 13. The words of absolution said by the priest to forgive sins: “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” .