RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION)
Confession is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for offenses committed against God. At the same time, sinners reconcile with the Church, because it is also wounded by our sins. Also known as Confession or Penance, the sacrament of Reconciliation is seen as an opportunity for renewal and can be done as often as needed. Some Catholics participate weekly before receiving the Eucharist, whereas others may seek the sacrament only during the penitential seasons of Lent or Advent.
Reconciliation is a means of obtaining pardon from God for sins for which the sinner is truly remorseful and brings the sinner back into communion with God and the Church. The sacrament is an opportunity for self-reflection and requires that the person take full responsibility for his or her sins, both those in thought and in action. During the rite, sins are recounted privately to a priest, who is seen as a healer aiding the process, and the priest commonly assigns acts of penance, such as specific prayers or acts of restitution, to complete in the following days. A prayer of contrition is offered at the end of the confession, and the newly absolved Catholic is urged to refrain from repeating those sins.
HOW TO MAKE CONFESSION
BY FR. VINCENT BARBOZA
BEFORE GOING TO CONFESSION:
1. Pray. Ask God to give you the grace to make a good confession.
2. Examine your conscience. Reflect on your life, trying to recall all the times you sinned against God since your last confession. Use an Examination of Conscience to help you.
3. Be truly sorry for your sins.
4. Make the resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future.
DURING THE CONFESSION:
Confession begins with the
(1) Sign of the Cross and the penitent greeting the priest with the words
(2) “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was ….” (weeks, months, years).
(3) The penitent confesses sins to the priest, who stands in the name of Christ and the Church. The priest will help you make a good confession. If you are unsure or uneasy, ask the priest to help. Place your trust in God, a merciful Father who wants to forgive you. Following the confession of sins, say
(4) “This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins.”
(5) The priest will assign you a penance. The penance takes into account your personal situation and supports your spiritual good. It may be a prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service, or sacrifice; whatever the penance, the individual is joined in some way to Christ and the cross.
(6) The penitent will then pray an Act of Contrition prayer. This prayer expresses true sorrow for the sins confessed. This prayer may be expressed in one’s own words or one may use one of the formal prayers of sorrow.
The priest, acting in the person of Christ, will absolve you from your sins by saying the prayer of
(7) Absolution. As the prayer is ending, the penitent makes the
(8) Sign of the Cross and responds, “Amen.”
(9) The priest will express some words of praise and blessing.
(10) The penitent leaves, completing the assigned penance.
An Act of Contrition Prayer
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.
AFTER CONFESSION
1. Say a prayer of thanksgiving. Give thanks to God for the gift of his infinite mercy and for the sacrament you have just received.
2. Do your penance. It is advisable that you do your penance as soon as possible so that you will not forget to do it.
Benefits of Confessing sins to a Priest
by Fr. Vincent Barboza
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The Catholic are seeking forgiveness the way Christ intended it to be sought.
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By confessing to a priest, the Catholic learns a lesson in humility which is conveniently avoided when one confesses only through private prayer. Don’t we all desire to escape humbling experiences?
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The Catholic receives sacramental graces that the non-Catholic does not get; through the sacrament of penance, not only are sins forgiven, but graces are obtained.
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The Catholic is assured that his sins are forgiven; he doesn’t have to rely on a subjective “feeling.”
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The Catholic can obtain sound and objective advice in analyzing his sins and avoiding sin in the future.
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The Catholic, by going to a recognized and trained confessor, is protected against the subjective dangers of such psychological tricks of the personality such as projection, rationalization, etc.