Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)

The Sacrament of Penance involves a conversion of our hearts to God, a confession of sins to a priest, the forgiveness of our sins, a penance to make some amends for sin, and reconciliation with God and the Church. (Catholic Catechism for Adults)

  1. What are the times for Confession at Old St. Mary’s?

Confessions are currently heard at 4 p.m. on Saturday and at other times by appointment.

  1. It’s been a long time since my last confession and I’ve forgotten how. How much or what do I confess?

It is not important to come to the priest with a laundry list of all the sins one has committed. What is important is to let him know that it has been a long time and to present to him those sins that you feel are affecting your relationship with God.

An individual can prepare themselves with an examination of conscience. An examination of conscience is a “prayerful self-reflection on our words and deeds in the light of the Gospel to determine how we may have sinned against God”

Below is the Act of Contrition and links to materials you can use to perform and examination of conscience prior to meeting a priest for the Sacrament of Penance.

Act of Contrition:

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and worthy 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.  AMEN

 

Resources

 

If you have been away from the Church for some time and are considering a return to the Church, we welcome you! Take a moment and visit our Landings Page where you will find a community and support for your return.