In the sacrament of repentance, or penance, the church forgives the sins committed by believers after baptism by the authority of Christ. By committing a serious sin, we lose our connection with God, i.e. the state of grace, and we wound the church. In his mercy, God is ready to forgive us our sins and restore our lost connection.
A believer prepares for the sacrament of repentance by examining his conscience. In the sacrament of penance, he repents of his sins, confesses at least all his slightly more serious sins to the priest and firmly decides not to commit them again in the future. The priest gives the penitent absolution and orders penitential work, which the penitent performs later. In this way, the Christian can be reconciled with God and the church and be forgiven of the eternal punishment caused by mortal sin. His conscience is at peace and his strength in the struggle of the Christian life increases.
The spirit of penitence can be expressed through prayer, abstaining from certain food or pleasures and using the funds thus saved to help the poor and suffering, through acts of charity. These still do not replace the sacrament of penance. The believer has the obligation to confess his sins and receive absolution in the sacrament of repentance, i.e. penance, at least once a year during Lent and whenever he knows he has committed a serious sin.
Even if there are only minor sins to be confessed, it is beneficial for the spiritual life to receive this sacrament more regularly and thus place oneself under God’s forgiving grace. Priests have an absolute duty of silence regarding what they hear.