The Sacrament of Confession offers the opportunity for a Catholic person to receive forgiveness for sins they have committed and are reconciled with the Catholic Church.
"Everyone says to himself: ‘When was the last time I went to confession?’ And if it has been a long time, don’t lose another day! Go, the priest will be good. And Jesus [will be] there… Jesus receives you. He will receive you with so much love! Be courageous, and go to confession." ~Pope Francis' Weekly Address
What is the Sacrament of Confession?
The Sacrament of Confession is an experience of God’s love and mercy, through which healing and forgiveness are offered. We prepare by reflecting on our relationship with God and with others.
The introduction to the sacrament begins with an examination of conscience. Have we been faithful to God, to others and to ourselves? We come to the sacrament to first “confess our sins” – confession is the first and critical part of the sacrament.
Once we have confessed our sins, we seek God’s forgiveness. We say we are sorry (you may bring the Act of Contrition on paper or on your phone) and the priest offers absolution (when the priest absolves us, our sins are forgiven.) The sacrament is completed when we do our “penance,” as a sign of our desire to change. This takes several forms – we could be asked to offer prayers, to do something that shows those we have offended that we are truly sorry, and finally, this sacrament calls us change – to be renewed…this is perhaps the most difficult part of the Sacrament.
God's forgiveness has been offered thorough Jesus Christ and extended to His Church by priests asking the forgiveness of God upon a Catholic person. Jesus Christ began this Sacrament of Healing for all sinful members of his Church. While we may feel anxious or hesitant to take the step to participate, once we do we often feel filled with God’s grace, willing to try to start anew, and contented with the peace of God’s mercy.
Confession is offered every Saturday from 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm, by appointment by calling the rectory, or at additional times during Christmas and Easter. Check the bulletin and web site for more details.