Reconciliation

"(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.’"(Jn 20:21-23)

"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1422)

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available on Saturdays from 7:45 to 8:15 am and from 6:45 to 7:45 pm. It is also available on Tuesdays from 8:00 to 8:30 pm.

Two years in our faith formation program are required prior to receiving this sacrament. Please consult Libby Wallace for more information.
Adults interested in this sacrament should contact Joann Reier regarding the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

"It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.
It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a ‘confession’ - acknowledgment and praise - of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.
It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the penitent ‘pardon and peace.’
It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: ‘Be reconciled to God.’ He who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: ‘Go; first be reconciled to your brother.’" (CCC 1423-1424)

To explore the sacrament of the Eucharist further, click on one of the links below:

"The Gravity of Sin" from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
"The Sunday Obligation" from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
A History of the Sacrament of Reconciliation with some primary sources
Thoughts about forgiveness from various authors

These links require Acrobat Reader to view. It can be downloaded by clicking on the following image: