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SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 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: 23
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​Jesus tells us in the scriptures that he went to prepare a dwelling place in heaven to be living God’s presence for all eternity. The catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that we are still in our “earthly place", subject to suffering, illness, and death. The gifts of God’s Spirit and His graces that we have received the day of our baptism can be taking away from us or weakened and even lost by the power of sin..
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For this reason, for Catholics to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion must be in state of grace and if not, should confess the sins and receive the absolution by the priest. God loves us so much that gave us His only Son Jesus Christ who suffered, died and rose from the death to free us from sin let us know approach this sacrament of healing of the body and soul and be released from oppression of the evil one.
We invite all our parishioners to approach this sacrament often, let us receive God’s mercy and forgiveness and be at peace.

Spiritual effects of the Sacrament of Penance:

  • Reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace.

  • Reconciliation with the Church.

  • Remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins.

  • Remission, a least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin.

  • Peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation.

  • An increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.

Preparation to reconcile with God

In confession we encounter Jesus Christ, who after rising from the dead breathed the Holy Spirit on his Apostles (first priests) and gave them the power to forgive sins in his name as it is in the gospel of John 20:23. When we confess our sins we recognize our human weaknesses and increase our desire for holiness and to love God more.​
 
We all sin, but we do not all acknowledge our sins. 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.
 
Contemporary society is often blind to the reality of sin and even presents sinful behaviors or lifestyles as positive goods to be sought and desired. As a faithful Catholic and follower of Christ, I must make an effort to recognize sin in my daily actions, words and omissions.
 
The Gospels show how important is the forgiveness of our sins. Lives of saints prove that the person who grows in holiness has a stronger sense of sin, sorrow for sins, and a need for the Sacrament of Penance or Confession.
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Theology of Sin

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, 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.
3. The person must have sufficient freedom of the will.

THE SIX STEPS OF CONFESSION:

  1. Examine your conscience really well

  2. Be sorry for your sins, try to have the perfect sorrow of love for offending God (not just fear)

  3. Make a firm resolution not to improve and to avoid sin.

  4. Tell all your sins. Don't hold anything back, be totally honest and free. The Devil loves secret sins and half truths.

  5. Say your penance promptly and thank God.

  6. Examination of Conscience

    How is my daily struggle to be a saint going?​

Act of Contrition

(The Shorter Act of Contrition):
Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, that I am a sinner, I am sorry for my sins. Amen.
 
-or-
 
(The Longer one):
O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you.I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pain of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

Confessions are held in church and celebrated every Saturday from
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm or by appointment with any of the priest at any time
201-863-4840.

  1. (The Shorter Act of Contrition):
  2. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, that I am a sinner, I am sorry for my sins. Amen.
     
  3. -or-
     
  4. (The Longer one):
O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you.I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pain of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
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