Satisfaction

Satisfaction is something done to make up for the evil of an offence, even when the offence is already forgiven. It is an act of the virtue of penance.

Satisfaction is also an act of the virtue of justice,for justice demands an equality in things, an order and balance;such order and balance, satisfaction seeks to restore.

St. Augustine says (De Eccl. Dogm. 54) that satisfaction is to root out the causes of sin and to give no opportunity for its recurrence.