“(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."  (John 20:21-23)

Because of human weakness, the new life in Christ, which we received in the Sacrament of Baptism, is often threatened by sin.  God constantly reaches out to us to reconcile ourselves to God.

(Photo of stained glass window in our Reconcilation Room)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation confers the forgiveness of sins committed after our Baptism.  It is also called the sacrament of conversion, confession, or penance. God is rich in mercy, and reception of this sacrament returns us to communion with God after having lost it through sin.

Sin harms our relationship with God, and damages our communion within the Church.  Conversion of heart is the beginning of our journey back to God.

The Sacrament is available:

Saturdays:  3:30 - 4:30 PM
Sundays after the 9 AM  Mass
Or anytime by appointment.  Call the rectory for appointment, 689-5010

When do I need this Sacrament?
Peter wept bitterly over his triple denial of Christ, but received the grace of conversion and expressed it with a three-fold confession for his love of Jesus.  Sin is rightly evaluated according to their gravity (1 John 5:16-17).  Mortal sin (deadly sin) destroys charity in our heart by a grave violation of God's law; it turns us away from God by preferring an inferior "good" to God.  Venial sin (sin that is "not deadly") allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and weakens it.  A continued practice of venial sin is likened to a virus in the body that continues to grow until it causes irreversible damage.  Reconciliation is required to receive forgiveness and to return to communion with God and the Church when in the state of mortal sin.  This sacrament is the only way Jesus gave us for forgivenss of sins (see John 20).  A precept of the Church is to receive the Sacrament at least once per year. Frequent reception of the sacrament provides grace and strength to help form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, and let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.

Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?
Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the Church. Confession liberates us from sins that trouble our hearts.  We are asked to look into our souls and honestly identify our sins. In naming our sins to the priest, who represents Christ, we face our failings more honestly and accept responsibility for our sins.  Together, the priest and penitent can work to find the direction needed for the penitent to grow spiritually and avoid sin in the future.  Using the power received from Christ, the priest sets us free for our sins.  The priest is bound to an inviolable trust and can never reveal what he has heard in the confessional.

Special Dates for 2nd Grade Parents