📖Overview

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, The forgiveness of sins is one of the articles of the Creed and a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ gave the Apostles the power to forgive sins, and this power continues in the Church through the sacraments, especially Baptism and Penance (Reconciliation). In Baptism, all sins are forgiven: original sin, all personal sins, and all punishment due to sin. The baptized person is made a new creation, and no sin, however grave, can prevent God's grace from being offered in Baptism. After Baptism, the faithful may still fall into sin, but Christ instituted the Sacrament of Penance for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. Through this sacrament, the baptized who have fallen into sin can be restored to the grace of God. There is no sin so grave that it cannot be forgiven through the Church's sacraments, provided the penitent is truly contrite and confesses with the intention of amendment. The Church has received the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, so that the forgiveness of sins through the Blood of Christ and the action of the Holy Spirit may be granted to every repentant sinner. The Church believes firmly that the Lord truly has the power to forgive all sins without exception.

💡Key Points