penances
Self-inflicted spiritual corrections
Penances is the plural of penance—acts of self-punishment or devotion undertaken to show remorse for wrongdoing.
In Catholic practice, penances are assigned by a priest after confession: prayers, fasting, or charitable works.
More broadly, any suffering accepted as atonement qualifies: She did her penances for years of neglect by caring for him daily.
Admission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- rosaryBeaded prayer counter
prayers · fasting · pilgrimage · flagellation · mortification · indulgence · sacrament · reconciliation
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- cold showersBathing without heated water
- giving upChoosing to stop trying
- renunciationFormal surrender of claim
deprivation · self-punishment · denial · discipline · hardship · discomfort · suffering · endurance
Statement acknowledging wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- reparationCompensation for injury done
punishment · self-denial · sacrifice · consequence · discipline · accountability · remorse · guilt
confession
Admission of wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
rosary · prayers · fasting · pilgrimage · flagellation · mortification · indulgence · sacrament · reconciliation · purgatory
abstinence
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
- fastingDeliberate food avoidance
- cold showersBathing without heated water
- giving upChoosing to stop trying
renunciation · deprivation · self-punishment · denial · discipline · hardship · discomfort · suffering · endurance · sacrifice
apology
Statement acknowledging wrongdoing
- restitutionRestoring what was lost
- compensationPayment for services rendered
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
reparation · punishment · self-denial · sacrifice · consequence · discipline · accountability · remorse · guilt · redemption
- confessionconfession, absolution, admission, acknowledgment, declaration
- Inquisitioninquisition, heretic, inquisitors, heretics, heresy trial
- church offensesheresy, apostasy, schism, blasphemy, sacrilege
penancesrewards
Benefits given for merit
prizes · blessings · accolades · commendations · gifts
penancesabsolutions
Formal releases from blame
forgiveness · pardons · grace · remissions · exonerations
penancesexonerations
Clearances from accusation
acquittals · clearances · vindications · releases · liberations
- public penance
- doing penance
- sacrament of penanceReligious rite absolving sins