Reconciliation

God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because they offend thee, my God, who is all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.

Amen.

Reconciliation/Penance is the sacrament by which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven through the absolution of a Priest.  The Priest has the power to forgive sins from Jesus Christ, who said to His apostles and to their successors in the priesthood.

At the request of a Penitent, Confessions can be heard at any reasonable time. If the Penitent is homebound, a Priest will visit the home. Please, call the Rectory, or speak with a Priest after Mass.

Confessions are regularly scheduled on Saturdays from 3 to 3:45 PM at OLPH Church and from 4:30 to 5:15 PM at St. Matthew Church.

Special hours for Confession are also offered during Advent and Lent. Check the bulletin for specific dates.

Everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this sacrament. The confessionals in the church give the Penitent an option of confessing anonymously from behind a screen, or face-to-face.

(From usccb.org)

Confession is not difficult, but it does require preparation.

We should begin with prayer, placing ourselves in the presence of God, our loving Father. We seek healing and forgiveness through repentance and a resolve to sin no more.

Then we review our lives since our last confession, searching our thoughts, words, and actions for that which did not conform to God’s command to love him and one another through his laws and the laws of his Church.

This is called an examination of conscience.

To make an examination of conscience:

• Begin with a prayer asking for God’s help.
• Review your life with the help of the Examination of Conscience questions at the end of this post, which are based on the Ten Commandments.
• Tell God how truly sorry you are for your sins.
• Make a firm resolution not to sin again.

Reconciliation may be face-to-face or anonymous, with a screen between you and the priest. Choose the option that is the most comfortable for you.

1. The priest gives you a blessing or greeting. He may share a brief Scripture passage.
2. Make the Sign of the Cross and say, “Bless me, father, for I have sinned. My last confession was [give the number of weeks, months, or years].”
3. Confess all of your sins to the priest. The priest will help you to make a good confession. If you are unsure about how to confess or you feel uneasy, just ask him to help you. Answer his questions without hiding anything out of fear or shame. Place your trust in God, a merciful Father who wants to forgive you.
4. Following your confession of sins, say, “I am sorry for these and all of my sins.”
5. The priest assigns you a penance and offers advice to help you be a better Catholic.
6. Say an Act of Contrition expressing your sorrow for your sins. The priest, acting in the person of Christ, then absolves you from your sins.