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You could only be forgiven once by God, no second chances were given not even to preists.
About 250 C.E. the church resolved that every sin was forgivable as long as the person repented. Canonical Penance was introduced, whereby the person had to publicly confess the sin, enrol in an Order of Penitents, followed by a period doing penance (wearing sackcloth and ashes) and readmission to the Eucharist by the Bishop (usually on Holy Thursday). -
To question God at this time would of been crazy.
A serous sinner was faced with God at thier death -
Reconcilation was often given more than once.
Main focus at the time was to help people connect with God, and to preach the Gods word Irish monks first started the private confessions. Monks were the first poeple to do this. The trend then became normal practise across the world. The reconcialtion period lasted longer at this time -
13th Century Penance/Reconcilation become 4 out of 7 Healing sacrements that had to be done.
It Became maditory for priest to to hace screened partition and penitent.
Excommunication was aquitted to those priest that spoke of peoples confessions
Private conffessions became normal practise as well as open conffesion with a preist.The punishment is still quite severe -
Baptism was used to bring childeren into the catholic church
Excommunication became a more used punishment -
Baptism was used to forgive old sins that were committed as a child
Serous sin was delt by God himself