The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the first of two sacraments of healing, and in The Catechism of the Catholic Church it is called by words such as the sacrament of conversion, penance, confession, forgiveness and reconciliation. It is the sacrament of spiritual healing of a person who has been distanced from God resulting from sins committed.

The sacrament involves four parts:

• Conversion (the penitent’s sincere remorse for wrongdoing or sin, repentance, without which the rite has no effect);
• Confession to a priest who has the faculty to hear confessions (While it may be helpful to confess to another, only a priest has the power to administer the sacrament.);
• Absolution by the priest; and
• Satisfaction or penance.