Confession
Confession is necessary for the forgiveness of post-baptismal sins because Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance for this purpose (John 20:22-23). Church Canon Law states: “All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.” Catholics who confess their sins have the assurance of Christ Himself that their sins are forgiven (Matt 18:18; John 20:23).
Confession is one of the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church in which sins are forgiven. It involves three elements: confession, penance, and reconciliation. In confession, the penitent makes a verbal admission of his/her sins.
Afterwards, the priest absolves the penitent’s sins and asks him/her to perform an act of reparation or penance for the sin committed. Finally, the penitent is reconciled with God and the church.
Why is Confession important?
It’s no exaggeration to say that we are all sinners. At its core, sin damages our relationship with God, with others, and with ourselves. With a good confession, this damage can be repaired by God’s infinite love and forgiveness. Not only that, but through this Sacrament, we receive the grace to resist sin and we learn humility by having to confess our mistakes to another person. In addition, confession better prepares us to receive the Holy Eucharist!