"So many people see the confessional as a place of defeat, but confession is a place of victory every single time."
     --Father Mike Schmitz

"The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness."
     --Pope Francis

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, commonly known as Penance or Confession, is a part of Catholicism that people commonly have questions about. It can also make us very nervous to talk about our private (or not so private) sins with a priest, but ask almost any Catholic, and they will tell you that the relief, peace, and healing that comes from receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation far, far exceeds any anxiety they had previously!

Sin first and foremost disrupts our relathionship with God. It also hurts our relationships between us and our family members, our friends, and our Christian brothers and sisters. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God offers us the grace we need to repair all these imporant relationships, working to become holier men and women who actively work to avoid sin.

Why do Catholics Confess their sins to a Priest?

"Well, the quick answer is because that’s the way God wants us to do it. In James 5:16, God, through Sacred Scripture, commands us to “confess our sins to one another.” Notice, Scripture does not say confess your sins straight to God and only to God…it says confess your sins to one another.

In Matthew, chapter 9, verse 6, Jesus tells us that He was given authority on earth to forgive sins. And then Scripture proceeds to tell us, in verse 8, that this authority was given to “men”…plural.

In John 20, verses 21-23, what is the 1st thing Jesus says to the gathered disciples on the night of His resurrection? “Jesus said to them, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.'” How did the Father send Jesus? Well, we just saw in Mt 9 that the Father sent Jesus with the authority on earth to forgive sins. Now, Jesus sends out His disciples as the Father has sent Him…so, what authority must Jesus be sending His disciples out with? The authority on earth to forgive sins. And, just in case they didn’t get it, verses 22-23 say this, “And when He had said this, 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.'”

Why would Jesus give the Apostles the power to forgive or to retain sins if He wasn’t expecting folks to confess their sins to them? And how could they forgive or retain sins if no one was confessing their sins to them?

The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. It also tells us that God gave men the authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus sends out His disciples with the authority on earth to forgive sins. When Catholics confess our sins to a priest, we are simply following the plan laid down by Jesus Christ. He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest."

Can't God forgive my sins directly?

"In response to this question, the first remark I often make is, "Why do we not object to having a mediator, another man, at the sacrament of baptism? Why don’t we just baptize ourselves?" Baptism, among other things, cleanses us of sin. The sacrament of reconciliation is like a second baptism; it cleanses us of post-baptismal sin. If we have no objections to another man’s mediating to us God’s grace in the sacrament of baptism, why should we object to another man’s mediating God’s grace in the sacrament of reconciliation?

The primary reason, however, why the Catholic Church asks her members to confess their sins to a priest is simply because the Church has always believed that sin, however private, is a community affair. Every sin, however small, wounds the Body of Christ, the members of the Church. . . . When any of its members sin, they all suffer. Moreover, because my sins wound the community and diminish its effectiveness, reconciliation must include the community and not just God. In the confessional, the priest is the representative of God and of the community. In the confessional, the priest represents the whole Christ, the Head (Jesus) and the members (the Church)."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Guide to Confession:

1) Prepare: Prayerfully examine your conscience.
2) Greeting: the priest will welcome you into the confessional
3) Make the Sign of the Cross with the priest
4) Begin: say, "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was [days, weeks, months, years ago, never]."
5) Confess your sins
6) Penance: the priest will offer you an act of penance. This is a prayer, act of charity, or work of mercy to allow you to demostrate your sincerity of heart.
7) Pray an Act of Contrition, expressing sorrow for your sins and resolving to sin no more
8) Through the power given to him by the Church, the priest will forgive you in the name of God
9) Praise God for His unbouned forgiveness
10) Dismissal: the priest will often say, "Go in peace."

Don't forget to perform your act of penance and actively work to avoid the sins you confessedI

In our efforts to remain sinless, it is helpful to regularly examine our conscience. Some men and women even do this nightly.

Examination of Conscience

Catholic youth at St. Elizabeth Church | St. Dominic Oratory typically make their First Confession during their 2nd-grade year of Faith Formation, prior to receiving their First Communion. Contact Heather Marsh with questions.

If you are a baptized adult seeking to make your First Confession if your child is beyond 2nd grade, or if you want your child to make their First Confession sooner, please contact Stacey Knepper and she will set up a special appointment with Fr. Dan for this First Confession.

Those who are not baptized should contact Heather Marsh and inquire about the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.