penance
Voluntary suffering, remorse
Penance is an act of self-punishment or devotion performed to show repentance for wrongdoing.
In Catholic practice, penance is assigned by a priest after confession—prayers, fasting, or good works to atone for sins.
More broadly, any voluntary suffering undertaken to make amends: He did penance for his neglect by visiting her grave every week.
To do penance is the standard phrase.
Formal clearing of guilt
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- expiationRedress for offense
recompense · reconciliation · forgiveness · apology · confession · mea culpa · compensation · rectification
Admission of wrongdoing
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- rosaryBeaded prayer counter
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
- novenaNine-day prayer practice
Lent · flagellation · scourging · mortification · hair shirt · sackcloth · ashes · genuflection
Guilt for wrongdoing
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
sorrow · self-reproach · compunction · humility · self-blame · conscience · anguish · self-condemnation
Admission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- priestOne who performs sacraments
- confessionalBooth for admitting sins
seal of confession · confessor · venial sin · mortal sin · sacramental
Restraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- asceticismSevere self-denial practice
- self-punishmentHurting oneself for wrongdoing
mortification · self-discipline · temperance · renunciation · self-abnegation · self-sacrifice · self-chastisement · restraint
Deliverance from harm
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
deliverance · clemency · spiritual renewal · rebirth · restoration · liberation · reprieve · second chance
absolution
Formal clearing of guilt
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
expiation · recompense · reconciliation · forgiveness · apology · confession · mea culpa · compensation · rectification · indemnity
confession
Admission of wrongdoing
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- rosaryBeaded prayer counter
- pilgrimageReligious journey to shrine
novena · Lent · flagellation · scourging · mortification · hair shirt · sackcloth · ashes · genuflection · prostration
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
contrition · sorrow · self-reproach · compunction · humility · self-blame · conscience · anguish · self-condemnation · scruples
confession
Admission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- reconciliationRestoration of friendly relations
- priestOne who performs sacraments
confessional · seal of confession · confessor · venial sin · mortal sin · sacramental
self-denial
Restraining one's own desires
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
- abstinenceVoluntary forgoing of indulgences
- asceticismSevere self-denial practice
self-punishment · mortification · self-discipline · temperance · renunciation · self-abnegation · self-sacrifice · self-chastisement · restraint · privation
salvation
Deliverance from harm
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- mercyCompassion toward offenders
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
pardon · deliverance · clemency · spiritual renewal · rebirth · restoration · liberation · reprieve · second chance · divine mercy
- forgivenessforgiveness of sins, redemption, absolve, mercy, grace
- Making amendsamends, apology, atonement, compensation, reconciliation
- taking responsibilityowning up, admitting fault, confessing, apologizing, accountability
- confessionconfession, absolution, admission, acknowledgment, declaration
- self-imposed limitsvow, oath, fast, diet, abstinence
- moral valuesduty, responsibility, honor, integrity, loyalty
penancereward
Payment for service
prize · commendation · blessing · honor · accolade
penanceimpenitence
Lack of contrition
unrepentance · reward · shamelessness · hardheartedness · remorselessness
penanceindulgence
Yielding to desire
self-indulgence · shamelessness · joy · celebration · revelry
- public penance
- doing penance
- sacrament of penanceReligious rite absolving sins