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."
1 JOHN 20:21-23
“Why can’t I just confess my sins to God?” One of the strangest truths about God is that He shares what is properly His with human beings. He worked through Moses to liberate Israel from slavery, He used the prophets to proclaim His word, and in Confession, He works through priests to forgive our sins. Saint Paul considers himself to be a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1), and even goes so far as to say that God gave to him and others the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). In other words, God works through people, He reaches us through others, and He gives authority to certain ministers in the church – namely priests. Jesus gave the apostles (the first priests) the authority to forgive sins (John 20:21-23), and that gift has been alive in the Church ever since.
Confessing our sins out loud to another human being is good for us. The chief sin of mankind is pride, and confession is humbling – which is a good thing. There is also such a grace and joy to hearing a priest pray the words of mercy: “May God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Preparing Children for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Here at St. Michael's, First Reconciliation preparation is done by parents at home, with support and resources provided by our Parish. Parents attend a series of sessions throughout the year including the Parent/Child retreat. Candidates should be:
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At least in Second Grade and Baptized Catholic
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Receiving Religious formation through R.E. classes, Catholic School, or Home Schooling
Confession at Our Parish
Every Saturday, 10:00 – 11:30 am
Or by appointment directly with the Priests
Reconciliation Resources
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
Before going to confession, it's important to take a good look at your heart, recognizing where you have hurt the Lord or his people. Prayerfully ask yourself what you have done with full knowledge and full consent against God’s and the Church’s commandments, and sincerely ask God to help you in discernment. Here are some resources that can assist:
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The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from our sins and challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of St. Francis: “It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.”
The Sacrament of Penance is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins, especially mortal sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God. “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). – from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults