Penance & Reconciliation (Confession), frees us from our sins but it also challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. The Sacrament of Penance is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. There are four parts for the sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation…
- Contrition, the penitent must have a sincere sorrow for having offended God.
- Confession is the act of confronting our sins, in a profound way to God by speaking about them, aloud, to the priest.
- Penance is an important part of our healing, this is the “punishment” imposed on the penitent by the priest.
- Absolution is the process by which “God, the Father of Mercies” reconciles a sinner to himself through the merits of the cross.
If you would like to participate in the sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation, please contact the office to schedule confession or for the schedule for confession.
“Lastly, there is the [priest’s] power of forgiveness. The Sacrament of Penance is one of the Church’s precious treasures, since authentic world renewal is accomplished only through forgiveness. Nothing can improve the world if evil is not overcome. Evil can be overcome only by forgiveness. Certainly, it must be an effective forgiveness; but only the Lord can give us this forgiveness, a forgiveness that drives away evil not only with words but truly destroys it. Only suffering can bring this about and it has truly taken place with the suffering love of Christ, from whom we draw the power to forgive.”
– Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at Pentecost Mass for Priestly Ordination, May 15, 2005.