Aquinas 101 - The Truth About Indulgences and the Catholic Church

The Sacrament of Penance

Course ContentThe Sacrament of Penance

Lesson 1: Why Confess Your Sins to a Priest?

Lesson 2: How the Sacrament of Confession Works

Lesson 3: Can You Go to Confession If You're Not Sorry? Explaining Contrition

Lesson 4: How to Make a Good Confession

Lesson 5: Why Do I Need to Do Penance? On Satisfaction

Lesson 6: The Seal of Confession: Why Your Confession is Really a Secret

Lesson 7: Mortal vs. Venial Sins: What's the Difference?

Lesson 8: The Truth About Indulgences and the Catholic Church

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The Sacrament of Penance

Introduction

Indulgences have proven to be a contentious practice throughout their history in the Catholic Church. Common misunderstandings and abuses have led to confusion and disdain for the custom. The practice of indulgences, in reality, is ordered toward a deeper union with Christ through the remission of temporal punishments that arise from sin. In this lesson, you will learn about the practice of indulgences and how this practice is deeply connected with the Church’s sacramental life.

Supplemental Listening

Supplemental Reading

About the instructor

Fr. Thomas Petri, O.P. is the President and Assistant Professor of Moral Theology and Pastoral Studies at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, where he formerly served as Vice President and Dean. Fr. Petri entered the Dominican Order in 2004 and was ordained a priest in 2009. He earned his S.T.L. from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception and his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from The Catholic University of America. Fr. Petri is a member of the Academy of Catholic Theology. He is the author of Aquinas and the Theology of the Body: The Thomistic Foundations of John Paul II’s Anthropology (CUA Press, 2016).

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