The Church desires that every Catholic, from the “age of discretion” (about seven years old), should be instructed on how to receive and best profit from the regular use of the Sacrament of Penance.

The Church encourages the faithful to confess their sins to a priest with a contrite heart in the Sacrament of Penance. She makes it very clear that she wishes the faithful to frequently use the sacraments to help them grow in the Christian life. After the Holy Eucharist, Penance is the sacrament that can be received the most frequently. It prepares us to receive the Holy Eucharist more worthily.