The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - XXXIX. OF THE PART OF THE PENITENT IN THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; OF CONTRITION, CONFESSION, AND SATISFACTION (E)

(E)
After the confession what must the penitent do?

He must with the greatest care perform the Penance imposed upon him by the priest in the name of God (XII. 1, 3).

What are the different kinds of Penances one may perform in satisfaction for sin?

They all come under these three good works: almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. Indeed, for satisfaction's sake, we should deprive ourselves of something in order to offer it to God in His honour. Now there are three sorts of goods which we can thus offer to God: the goods of our fortune; the goods of the body; and the goods of the soul. The offerings of the first come under the name of almsgiving; of the second under the general name of fasting; and of the third under the general name of prayer (XV. 3).

If one does not perform the Penance imposed by the priest, does one lose the grace of the sacrament?


No, unless one voluntarily omits it through contempt; but if it come about by forgetfulness or by negligence, the grace of remission in the sacrament endures; but always, in justice to God, the penalty due to the sin must be paid either in this or in the next world; moreover, the grace of the sacrament does not receive that increase attaching to the performance of the sacramental Penance (Third Part, XC. 2, Obj. 2).

Next - The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - XL. OF THE MINISTER OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE, AND OF THE POWER OF THE KEYS: OF ABSOLUTION; OF INDULGENCES; OF THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS; AND OF EXCOMMUNICATION (A)