Reconciliation

On the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus showed Himself to his apostles.  "He breathed on them, and said to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (John 20:19-23).

The forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism is conferred by a particular Sacrament called the Sacrament of Confession, Penance, or Reconciliation.

The sinner wounds God's honor and love, his own human dignity as a man called to be a son of God, and the spiritual well-being of the Church, of which each Christian ought to be a living stone.  To the eyes of faith, no evil is graver than sin and nothing has worse consequences for sinners themselves, for the Church, and for the whole world.

To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God, who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men.  One must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others.

The Sacrament of Penance consists of three actions by the penitent along with the priest's absolution.  The penitent's acts are repentance, confession of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation.  One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after carefully examining his conscience.  The confession of venial sins, though not necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.  

The confessor proposes certain acts of penance to be performed by the penitent in order to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits befitting a disciple of Christ.

The spiritual effects of the Sacrament of Penance are:  reconciliation with God, by which the penitent recovers grace; reconciliation with the Church; remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; remission (at least in part) of the temporal punishments resulting from sin; peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation; and an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.

To learn more, see the Gospel of John 20:19-23, the First Letter of John 1:8, and The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1420-1498.

Children preparing to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist for the first time must attend religious education classes at the parish on a regular basis one year prior to the year in which the Sacraments will be received.  Sacramental preparation is a collaboration of parents (as primary teachers of their child), catechists, and the faith community as experienced in the Sunday liturgies. 

Please contact the parish office for enrollment information, 985-839-4040, or email:  [email protected]rch-no.org.