Reconciliation

The sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance, Confession) was instituted by Christ after His Resurrection when he appeared to his Apostles, breathed on them, and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall retain, they are retained" John 20:22-23. With these words the Apostles and their successors were ordained by Christ to continue His mission of Reconciliation. Sins would have to be confessed to the ordained priest to determine if repentance was sincere and the penitent understood the gravity of the sins and what the appropriate penance would be.