Punishment for the Catholic Christian is?

Answer 1

Three Hail Mary's and an Our Father!

I believe you are speaking about penance, which is imposed or prescribed, by the confessor, to a person during the Sacrament of Confession.

This "punishment" is really self-punishment or some act of devotion that is to be performed to show sorrow for having committed a sin/sins.

To Non-Catholics, this nonsense about having to confess to a man…is *&*(^. However, to a faithful Catholic, who prays before an examination of conscience and then goes to confession - this is serious business!

It is humbling. It brings you to tears to know that you have offended The Lord God Almighty! Yes, it does make you a better person as it brings to recognize what you are doing and the impact it is having on you and those around you…it will, if approached earnestly, make you a better person!

Now, here is the Church's stance on Penance:

· 1491 The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest's absolution. The penitent's acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.

· 1492 Repentance (also called contrition) must be inspired by motives that arise from faith. If repentance arises from love of charity for God, it is called "perfect" contrition; if it is founded on other motives, it is called "imperfect."

· 1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

· 1494 The confessor proposes the performance of certain acts of "satisfaction" or "penance" to be performed by the penitent in order to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits befitting a disciple of Christ.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 2nd Edition 1994