“Our Redeemer,” who suffered so much for us.

202 Q. How many kinds of contrition are there?  A. There are two kinds of contrition:  perfect contrition and imperfect contrition.

203 Q. What is perfect contrition?  A. Perfect contrition is that which fills us with sorrow and hatred for sin because it offends God, who is infinitely good in Himself and worthy of all love.

It can be a very hard thing to have perfect contrition, but we should always try to have it, so that our contrition may be as perfect as possible.  This perfect contrition is the kind of contrition we must have if our mortal sins are to be forgiven if we are in danger of death and cannot go to confession.  Imperfect contrition with the priest’s absolution will blot out our mortal sins.

204 Q. What is imperfect contrition?  A. Imperfect contrition is that by which we hate what offends God because by it we lose Heaven and deserve Hell; or because sin is so hateful in itself.

205 Q. Is imperfect contrition sufficient for a worthy confession?  A. Imperfect contrition is sufficient for a worthy confession, but we should endeavor to have perfect contrition.

206 Q. What do you mean by a firm purpose of sinning no more?  A. By a firm purpose of sinning no more I mean a fixed resolve not only to avoid all mortal sin, but also its near occasions.

“Fixed.”  Not for a certain time, but for all the future.

207 Q. What do you mean by the near occasions of sin?  A. By the near occasions of sin I mean all the persons, places and things that may easily lead us into sin.

“Occasions.”  There are many kinds of occasions of sin.  First, we have voluntary and necessary occasions, or those we can avoid and those we cannot avoid.  For example:  if a companion uses immodest conversation we can avoid that occasion, because we can keep away from him; but if the one who sins is a member of our own family, always living with us, we cannot so easily avoid that occasion.  Second, near and remote occasions.  An occasion is said to be “near” when we usually fall into sin by it.  For instance, if a man gets intoxicated almost every time he visits a certain place, then that place is a “near occasion” of sin for him; but if he gets intoxicated only once out of every fifty times or so that he goes there, then it is said to be a “remote occasion.”  Now, it is not enough to avoid the sins:  we must also avoid the occasions.  If we have a firm purpose of amendment, if we desire to do better, we must be resolved to avoid everything that will lead us to sin.  It is not enough to say, I will go to that place or with that person, but I will never again commit the same sins.  No matter what you think now, if you go into the occasion, you will fall again; because Our Lord, who cannot speak falsely, says:  “He who loves the danger will perish in it.”  Now the occasion of sin is always “the danger”;