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`scarament of penance
The sacrament of Penance (confession) is a sacrament of healing and reconciliation. It is
a moment when we can experience salvation because it restores the unity -- the right
relationships, the peace -- which sin destroys. In the celebration of Penance peace is
restored in this sense: the unifying power of God’s gracious presence brings the sinner
back to spiritual health, communion with God, communion with the Church, and in a
sense with all humanity. -
Period: to
Penance
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History of the sacraments
The historical evolution of the sacrament is long and complex. The following is a brief
outline of some of this process. The history of the sacrament of Penance can be divided
into four parts: 1) Old Testament roots 2) New Testament sources, 3) ancient “public”
Penance and 4) “private” Penance.