Reconciliation

“Jesus said to them (the apostles) 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.” John 20:21-23
 
God is merciful and throughout Jesus’s public ministry he offered repentant sinners the forgiveness of their sins.  The Church continues this ministry of forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession) which reconciles us with God and also with the Church, Christ’s Body, wounded by sin.  
 
Jesus gave priests the authority to forgive (absolve) sins. Of course, God himself absolves sins; however, God is ever mindful of our human nature that is healed through the concrete act of confessing our sins to another and hearing the words of absolution by the priest, in whom Christ is really present and working.  We can thus know and experience God’s forgiveness in a real and human way that frees us from the burden of our wrongdoings, washes us clean and allows us to start anew.  This Sacrament also gives us the grace to fight temptation and sin and to avoid the near occasion of sin.   Ultimately, confession brings us closer in relationship with God and grants peace, serenity of conscience and spiritual consolation.
 
Non Catholics or adult Catholics may prepare to receive this sacrament for the first time through the process of RCIA.  Our youth prepare to receive this sacrament in the fall of 2^nd grade. 

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishment, but most of all 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 occasions of sin. 

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