The Sacrament of Reconciliation

A gift from God, given through the Church

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the greatest gifts the Church offers. Often referred to as Confession or Penance, it gives the believer the opportunity to say to God, in the presence of the priest, this is what I have struggled with, this is where I have not being the best version of myself, this is where I lacked love, for myself or towards others. These can generically be described as ‘sins’. God can then forgive the sins, through the ministry of the priest. This gives us the chance to start again. The ministry is rooted in the Gospels when Jesus said on Easter evening:

“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 20:22-23).

Seal of the Confessional

What a priest hears in confession, cannot be spoken about afterwards. The seal of the confessional (no 309 in the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church) means that nothing mentioned during the sacrament of confession can be spoke about outside of that moment.

Where does it happen?

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available in most parishes and times are usually advertised in the weekly newsletter. You can however always ask your local priest to administer the sacrament at a time that works for you both. It can take in a confessional - a place where you talk to the priest through a screen, or in some places you can meet the priest and talk face to face.

What is in need of god’s healing?

To make a good confession, it is important to take time to reflect on the way you have been living your life. The purpose of this reflection is not to highlight how bad you are but to recognise how much you need the love and mercy of God.

A simple way to prepare could be to look at the way you relate to different aspects of your life:

How have I related to God?

Have I prayed and helped keep my relationship to God alive? Have I gone to Mass to be supported in my faith by the community and strengthened by receive Holy Communion, if I can? Have I being the most loving person I can be? Have I followed the example of Jesus in my daily life?

How have I been in relation to my family/friends?

Have I helped spread love to those nearest to me or have I sometimes been unloving to myself and others? Have I treated others in the way I would like to be treated?

How have I related to those I study/work with?

Have I acted in a loving way to the people around me? Do I do my best in whatever I am doing? Have I treated others in the way I would like to be treated?

How have I related to the wider world?

Have I put my faith into practice and cared for creation? Have I noticed people in need and taken time to help them, whether in presence, word or deed? Have I treated others and all of creation in the way I would like to be treated?

However, there are many other ways to reflect on your life, so don’t worry about how to do it. If you feel drawn to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Holy Spirit is already at work in you, drawing you back to God. Therefore come as you are, let the priest help you, and let God do the rest.

What happens in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

The priest will welcome you and help you feel at ease.

Remember as the Gospel tells, us, God rejoices for every single person who returns to God, so whilst it’s never easy to recognise our weakness and failures, particularly when then come round again and again, even though we have confessed them before, going to the sacrament of reconciliation is a moment when God rejoices in our desire to live a more loving life, more focused on him.

Sign of the Cross

You begins with the sign of the cross, reminding us that we are gathered in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and therefore God is present.

Confession

You then state simply how long it is since their last confession.

‘Father, forgive me for I have sinned, it is …(days/weeks/months/years) since my last confession.

If it’s a long time, don’t worry, everyone has to start somewhere.

You then mention your sins (whether they be in thoughts, words or deeds, things you have done, or things you have failed to do). Keep this as simple as possible. God already knows and the purpose of confessing them is for you to hear yourself reach out to God, present in the priest, and ask for help. The priest does not need to know all the details, he is there in the person of Christ, to administer the sacrament.

Spiritual guidance and PENANCE

The priest having heard the confession, will respond to what you have said, not with judgement, but with spiritual guidance that will help you live out your desire to change. He will then ask you to complete a suitable penance (maybe some prayers, or some actions) to show that you are wanting to try and live a life more centred on God.

Act of contrition

To show you are sorry for your sins and your desire to not sin again (though even though we try hard, most of us do), the priest invites you to pray an Act of Contrition. One example of such a prayer is:

O my God, because you are so good,

I am very sorry that I have sinned against you,

and by the help of your grace, I will not sin again.

Absolution

The priest then prays the Prayer of Absolution over you:

“God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

You then respond ‘Amen’ (yes, I believe it, in other words, I am forgiven, God has made me free).

Dismissal

You then leave the confessional, giving thanks to God for this chance to start again. If you can, thank the priest.