How does the Roman Catholic sacrament of reconciliation involve confession, penance, and absolution?

In the Roman Catholic Church, the sacrament of reconciliation—also known as penance—is a process through which a person is restored to the community of the faithful and obtains pardon from God.12

The sacrament involves three essential components:

• Confession: The penitent must confess all serious, or mortal, sins committed after baptism to a priest. This act of "auricular confession" is considered necessary to receive the sacrament.12
• Contrition and Purpose: To receive absolution, the penitent must manifest genuine "contrition," which is sincere sorrow for their sins, along with a reasonably firm purpose to make amends and correct their life.12
• Absolution and Penance: The priest, acting as a healer in the process, pronounces absolution, which the Church claims is an act of divine forgiveness. Following Vatican II, the Church has emphasized penance as a broader process of reconciliation with the Church and a means of obtaining God's pardon, rather than merely a set of rigorous disciplinary exercises.12