What are some instruments of penance? (Catholic church) Opus Dei?

Question

In an interview I have heard an Opus Dei member state there are aprox 15.

Answer 1

I know nothing of Opus Dei.

Here is some of the official teaching of the Catholic Church on Reconciliation and Penance:

Catholics believe that a penitent person asking God for forgiveness:

+ Is contrite of heart. Contrition is sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.

+ Confesses his or her sins. Through such an admission the penitent person looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.

+ Practices complete humility and fruitful satisfaction. God takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused.
+ One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm against your neighbor (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries).
+ Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his own full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."

Penance can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

I couldn't find instruments of penance (and I'm Catholic and have never heard of such a thing), but here are some links on the Opus Dei.

http://www.opusdei.org/
Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá. Its mission is to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.

http://www.opusdei.org/art.php?w=32&p=7017
response from the Opus Dei about the De Vinci Code

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opus_Dei
Founded in 1928 by a Catholic priest, Saint Josemaría Escrivá, Opus Dei was established as a personal prelature by Pope John Paul II in 1982. The first, and so far the only one, this prelature now coexists with episcopal dioceses as an official part of the Church's institutional structures. According to the Vatican Yearbook of 2004, Opus Dei has more than 85,000 members.

Hope these help.

Answer 3

Opus Dei is a decide on sect in the Roman Catholic Church based via a Spanish Cleric. it particularly is been acknowledged via Pope Paul II and given specific status. followers of Opus Dei have faith themselves to be extra organic and Christian than people who're no longer individuals.

Answer 4

I can only think of three actual INSTRUMENTS of penance as opposed to a dozen or so means of doing penance.

1) The cilice - a spiked bracelet favoured by numerary members of Opus Dei which is worn on the upper arm or upper leg. It is designed to be uncomfortable but doesn't draw blood for obvious reasons.

2) The hair shirt - a bit like a several sizes too small waistcoat, worn under one's clothes on the upper body. It irritates the skin but again not to the point of breaking the skin or causing infection. Carthusian priests still wear this but I don't know of any other habitual current users.

3) The discipline - a kind of cord whip, like thick string with knotted ends, used for whipping your own back or legs. Use of this is discouraged by anyone I know on account of its misuse by people wrongly disposed to use it, and who go overboard doing themselves damage.

Doing yourself damage in any bodily penance is forbidden by religious superiors and anyone inclined to do this would be sent for psychiatric assessment pronto! The idea is to not be as comfortable as you would like so you don't become too contented with earthly life, to do penance for your own sins and for those who don't do enough for their own, and never to do anything which would harm yourself or anyone else. If such penances make a person miserable or interfere with your daily life and work, you should also stop immediately.