Early Years: 
Christians were simply encouraged to remain faithful to their baptismal promises.

2nd-6th Centuries: 
Canonical penance for adultery, murder, and abandoning Christ. A seven-year period of public penance before absolution - only once in a lifetime.

6th-9th Centuries: 
Practice of seeking private spiritual help from monks or spiritual directors developed.

9th Century: 
Private confession called Penance. Confessors consulted "penitential books" that listed the proper "penalty" for each sin.

16th Century: 
Penance was declared a sacrament of the Church (Council of Trent, 1545-1563. Annual confession was made compulsory.

20th Century: 
Vatican II emphasized the reconciliatory aspect of the sacrament rather than juridical (judgment-centered) aspect. Communal celebrations of reconciliation became popular.

Excerpted from Worship and Sacraments: We Celebrate, We Praise by Mary Kathleen Glavich, S.N.D. and Loretta Pastva, S.N.D. Copyright © 1992,  Benziger Publishing Company, P.O. Box 544, Blacklick, OH, 43004-0544. Used with permission of the publisher.