Hhours: whenever the Church San Juan de el Hospital is open there are confessors at disposal of who wants it.
The sacrament of penance
On the afternoon of Easter, the Lord Jesus showed to his Apostles and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. To those who forgive sins, they are forgiven; to those who may possess them, they are retained” (Jn 20, 22-23).
The forgiveness of sins committed after baptism is granted by an own sacrament called the sacrament of conversion, confession, penance or reconciliation.
It is called sacrament of “conversion” because you make sacramentally the Jesus call to conversion (MC 1,15), the return to the father (LC 15,18) that man had moved away by sin.
Is called a sacrament of the “penance” because it establishes a personal and ecclesial conversion process, repentance and restitution from the Christian sinner.
It is called sacrament of the “confession” because the statement or demonstration, the confession of sins to the priest, It is an essential element of this sacrament. In a deeper sense this sacrament is also one “confession”, recognition and praise of the holiness of God and his mercy to the sinner man.
It is called sacrament of the “forgiveness” because, by the sacramental absolution of the priest, God grants to the penitent forgiveness and peace.
It is called sacrament of “reconciliation” because it gives the sinner love of God who reconciles: “Leave you to reconcile with God” (2 Co 5,20). The living of the merciful love of God is ready to answer the call of the Lord: “Go first to be reconciled to your brother” (Mt 5,24).
The sacrament of penance consists of the set of three acts performed by the penitent, and by the absolution of the priest. The acts of the penitent: the repentance, the 
manifestation of sins to the priest, and the purpose of performing the service and the works of penance or confession.
The repentance (also called contrition) It must be inspired by motives that spring from faith. If repentance is conceived for the sake of charity towards God, It is called “perfect”; If it is founded on other grounds it is called “imperfect”.
Who wants to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church must confess to the priest all serious sins has not yet confessed and that remembereth having carefully examined his conscience. Without being necessary, of yours, the confession of venial faults is recommended highly by the Church.
The Confessor imposed to the penitent the fulfillment of certain acts of “satisfaction” or “penance”, to repair the damage caused by sin and restore the disciple of Christ's own habits.
Confession individual e integrates of serious sins followed by acquittal is the only ordinary way of reconciliation with God and with the Church.
Who Sin are injured the honor of God and his love, his own dignity of man named to be son of God and the spiritual good of the Church, that every Christian should be a living stone.
Answers to frequently asked questions
- What is the confession?
- It is the humble and sincere demonstration of the sins.
- When is recommended make the first confession?
- When it comes to the use of reason.
- What is required to make a good confession?
- Make a careful examination of conscience, have the sins committed fraud and the firm intention of not committing them more, tell the priest the sins, and fulfill the penance.
- What is the examination of conscience?
- It is the diligent search for the sins committed after the last confession.
- What are the effects of the sacrament of penance?
- Reconciliation with God and with the Church, the recovery of sanctifying grace, the rise of spiritual forces walking towards perfection, peace and serenity.
