__**matter:**__ The acts of the penitent, which is divided into 3 parts: contrition of heart (grief over sin + resolve to not sin again), confession of all the sins one can remember committing, satisfaction for sins; that is, one performs the act of penance that the priest gives
__**form:**__ “I absolve you from your sins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”
__**intention:**__ For the priest: to forgive the penitent. For the penitent: to receive forgiveness
__**minister:**__ The priest or bishop who has jurisdiction over the penitent.
__**recipient:**__ (a.k.a., the Penitent) Any baptized person who, after his baptism, has committed a sin.
__**effect:**__ to take away the guilt of sin, to restore or increase sanctifying grace, peace of soul (usually), to give grace to be strong in time of temptation, the revival of merit – meaning that everything one merited prior to committing a mortal sin (which, of course, rendered those merits null) is revived (reinstated/recredited).