Penance
in Roman theology and ritual: 1. The virtue which inclines the soul to detest sin for its own sake-that is, because it is an offense against God. 2. The outward acts by which sorrow for sin is evinced. 3. The satisfaction which a priest imposes on the penitent before giving absolution, often called sacramental penance. 4. A sacrament of the New Law, whereby sins, whether mortal or venial, committed after baptism, are forgiven. The Council of Trent defines that the form of the sacrament consists in the words, "Ego te absolvo," etc., the "quasi materia" in the acts of the penitent-contrition, confession and satisfaction. The minister of the sacrament is a priest with ordinary or delegated power to absolve, and the subjects those who have received baptism. It is not of obligation to confess venial sins, but mortal sins committed after baptism must be confessed. or