Reconciliation

"Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."  (Matthew 9:2)



Reconciliation is for everyone, and a child's First Confession is typically prepared for during the first half of their second grade year and celebrated in early January.

Only participation in the St. Joseph school or religious education program or other pre-approved sacramental preparation program (pre-approved by the director of religious education and pastor) meets the requirements of a First Reconciliation preparation. 

►Find Resources for Examination of Conscience

We have Baptism, which reconciles us with God. Why, then, do we need a special Sacrament of Reconciliation?

Baptism snatches us from the power of sin and death and brings us into the new life of the children of God, but it does not free us from human weakness and the inclination to sin. This reason is why we need a place where we can be reconciled with God again and again. This place is Confession.

It does not seem like a modern thing to go to Confession; it can be difficult and may cost a great deal of effort at first. The beauty is it is one of the greatest graces that we can receive again and again in our life. It truly renews the soul and completely unburdens it, leaving it without the debts of the past, accepted in love and equipped with new strength. God is merciful, and He desires nothing more earnestly than for us, too, to lay claim to His mercy. Someone who has gone to Confession turns a clean, new page in the book of his life. (YOUCAT question 226)

God alone can forgive sins. Jesus could say, "Your sins are forgiven" (Mk 2:5) only because He is the Son of God. Priests can forgive sins in Jesus' place only because Jesus has given them that authority.

Many people say, "I can go directly to God; why do I need a priest?" God, though, wants it otherwise. We rationalize our sins away and like to sweep things under the rug. God wants us to share our sins and acknowledge them in a personal encounter. Therefore, the following words from the Gospel are true of priests: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (YOUCAT question 228)

Watch the video below for more on this...

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The basic requirement for a good confession is to have the intention of returning to God like the "prodigal son" and to acknowledge our sins with true sorrow before the priest.

Sin in my Life
Modern society has lost a sense of sin. As a Catholic follower of Christ, I must make an effort to recognize sin in my daily actions, words and omissions. The Gospels show how important the forgiveness of our sins is. Lives of saints prove that the person who grows in holiness has a stronger sense of sin and sorrow for sins and a need for the Sacrament of Penance or Confession.

The Differences in Sins
As a result of Original Sin, human nature is weakened. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, takes away Original Sin and turns us back toward God. The consequences of this weakness and the inclination to evil persist, and we often commit personal or actual sin. Actual sin is sin which people commit. There are two kinds of actual sin: mortal and venial.

Mortal sin is a deadly offense against God. It is so horrible that it destroys the life of grace in the soul. Three simultaneous conditions must be fulfilled for a mortal sin: 1) the act must be something very serious; 2) the person must have sufficient understanding of what is being done; and 3) the person must have sufficient freedom of the will.

Reminder
If you need help -- especially if you have been away for some time -- simply ask the priest, and he will help you by "walking" you through the steps to make a good confession.

Before Confession
Be truly sorry for your sins. The essential act of Penance, on the part of the penitent, is contrition. Contrition is a clear and decisive rejection of the sin committed, with a resolution to not commit the sin again because of the love one has for God and which is reborn with repentance. The resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future (amendment) is a sure sign that your sorrow is genuine and authentic. A promise never to fall again into sin is not necessary. A resolution to try to avoid the near occasions of sin suffices for true repentance. God's grace in cooperation with the intention to rectify your life will give you the strength to resist and overcome temptation in the future.

Examination of Conscience
Before going to Confession, you should make a review of mortal and venial sins since your last sacramental confession, and you should express sorrow for sins, hatred for sins and a firm resolution not to sin again. A helpful pattern for examination of conscience is to review the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church:

• Have God and the pursuit of sanctity in Christ been the goal of my life? Have I denied my faith? Have I placed my trust in false teachings or substitutes for God? Did I despair of God's mercy?

• Have I avoided the profane use of God's name in my speech? Have I broken a solemn vow or promise?

• Have I honored every Sunday by avoiding unnecessary work and celebrating the Mass (also holy days)? Was I inattentive at Mass, unnecessarily late for Mass or did I leave early? Have I neglected prayer for a long time?

• Have I shown Christ-like respect to parents, spouse and family members? Have I been attentive to the religious education and formation of my children?

• Have I cared for the bodily health and safety of myself and all others? Did I abuse drugs or alcohol? Have I supported in any way abortion, "mercy killing" or suicide?

• Was I impatient, angry, envious, proud, jealous, revengeful or lazy? Have I forgiven others?

• Have I been just in my responsibilities to employer and employees? Have I discriminated against others because of race or other reasons?

• Have I been chaste in thought and word? Have I used sex only within marriage and while open to procreating life? Did I deliberately look at impure TV, pictures or reading?

• Have I stolen anything from another -- from my employer or from government? If so, am I ready to repay it? Did I fulfill my contracts? Did I rashly gamble, depriving my family of necessities?

• Have I spoken ill of any other person? Have I always told the truth? Have I kept secrets and confidences?  
• Have I desired what belongs to other people? Have I wished ill on another?

• Have I been faithful to sacramental living (Holy Communion and Penance)?

• Have I helped make my parish community stronger and holier? Have I contributed to the support of the Church?

• Have I done penance by abstaining and fasting on obligatory days? Have I fasted before receiving Communion?

• Have I been mindful of the poor? Do I accept God's will for me?

During Confession
After examining your conscience and telling God of your sorrow, go into the confessional. You may kneel at the screen or sit to talk face-to-face with the priest. Begin your Confession with the sign of the cross, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was ____ weeks/months/years ago."

The priest may read a passage from holy Scripture.

Say the sins that you remember. Start with the one(s) that is most difficult to say. (In order to make a good Confession, the faithful must confess all mortal sins, according to kind and number.) After confessing all the sins you remember since your last good confession, you may conclude by saying, "I am sorry for these and all the sins of my past life."

Listen to the words of the priest. He will assign you some penance. Doing the penance will diminish the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. When invited, express some prayer of sorrow or Act of Contrition such as the following:
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

At the End of Confession
Listen to the words of absolution, the sacramental forgiveness of the Church through the ordained priest. As you listen to the words of forgiveness, you should make the sign of the cross with the priest. If he closes by saying, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good," you should answer, "For His mercy endures forever."

After Confession
Give thanks to God for forgiving you, again. If you recall some serious sin you forgot to tell, rest assured that it has been forgiven with the others, but be sure to confess it in your next Confession. Do your assigned penance.

Resolve to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. We Catholics are fortunate to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is the ordinary way for us to have our sins forgiven. This sacrament is a powerful help to get rid of our weaknesses, grow in holiness and lead a balanced and virtuous life.