What is penance, and why do you need to do it? The Sacrament of Penance, also called reconciliation or confession, is the means through which God grants pardon for sins. In the sacrament, the contrite penitent discloses his or her sins to a Catholic priest who grants sacramental absolution. The penitent resolves to not sin again and performs an act of satisfaction, usually called a penance, and which could take the form of three Hail Marys, for example.* . Through the priest, God grants his pard

THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God; but being signs, they also have a teaching function. The sacraments impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of