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9. The Quality of Confession

1. Confession of sins is to be made with true supernaturalsorrow and sincerity of heart. Otherwise, the absolution of thepriest cannotbe effective. Nor does the effect of absolutiontake place in a penitent who confesses without sorrow andafterwards repents.

2. Confession is to be entire; that is, all mortal sins inkind and number, according as they are remembered by the penitent,are to be confessed. Otherwise, the confession would savor ofhypocrisy. And even one remembered mortal sin left unconfessedwould keep the soul from union with God, and it would render theconfession sacrilegious.

3. Confession is made by the penitent sinner in person,not by sending another as agent or proxy, or by mailing a letter.The penitent is to confess his own sins, manifesting them to thepriest in some intelligible manner.

4. The requisite qualities of confession, therefore, arethat it should be humble, sincere, and entire.

"God commands not impossibilities, but by commanding he suggests to you to do what you can, to ask for what is beyond your strength; and he helps you, that you may be able."
St Augustine

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"Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts."
St Philip Neri

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"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori

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