Paenitentiam agere

The encyclical Paenitentiam agere (Latin: repent ) was on July 1, 1962 by Pope John XXIII. published. Your subtitle is: About the needs of internal and external penance. " The penance for his sins is the first step to forgiveness ... " With these words he begins his encyclical, it also serves as an indication and preparation for the upcoming Second Vatican Council.

With " Paenitentiam transient " means John XXIII. a change in thinking and a change of mentality, he wants to sharpen the judgment capacity and enhance the self-concept to repentance, so that undoes what was done. The Pope emphasizes that it is not about him to abandon the old ways of thinking, but it is his intention to adopt the mindset of God. Thus he writes: "Repentance means to take heart in God and begin to see the world, the church and their own lives as it sees God ". In assessing this encyclical can go so far that it comes to the Pope to prepare the participants at the next council, and he gives them on the way that the church must find new repentance and remorse for their actions in the past, even.

John XXIII. discusses the importance of repentance in the Bible and is reminiscent of repentance according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Repentance is to be found in prayer their value and with regret, he says, the company certain steps be brought in line. Of major importance, as John XXIII. , Is not only the outer or external repentance, but with the inner repentance the way to eternal salvation is being prepared.