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Reconciliation
Reconciliation Schedules 
 Personal
Communal
Polish Lenten Mission
Understanding the Need for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Lent is a time when we focus on the life to which God calls us, and that life is a life without sin. We are so much a part of the world that we sometimes think that sin is not sin. It is just the way things are done. We can measure if it is sin by whether it fits into Jesus’ “way of life.”
Once we identify sin in our lives (this often takes some time, since we are so enveloped in our culture), we need to change our way of life to live Jesus’s way of life and stop the way of life we have lived before.
As the Catholic Church, we believe that sin is personal, as well as communal. That means we don’t ever just have a relationship with God alone, but with all the rest of our fellow human beings and with the followers of Jesus—we call the Church. It is for that reason that forgiveness cannot just be a personal thing between God and us.
When we sin—we sin against God, the Church (we, Christians,) and humanity. Therefore we need to reconcile with God, with the Church, and with the human race, all of whom we have injured when we have sinned. That is why the Church understands the Sacrament of Reconciliation as not just a personal thing between God and ourselves. We know God always wants to forgive us, but to receive complete forgiveness — it needs to include God, the Church and the human race.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has made a change in the form (or the way we receive) forgiveness, but it has not changed the belief of why we need to receive this sacrament. The Church has changed this form several times before in its history. The early Church so much believed that sin was also against the “community of the church” that they required penitents to stand before the assembly in church and confess their sins publicly to the Church. We can be happy that practice has changed.
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With the present revision of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we have three forms of the rite: one individual, one communal and one combined form. People generally call these forms: Individual Confession, General Absolution, and the combined form; Communal Penance. These forms stress the concept of reconciliation (a rebuilding of relationship with God and the Community) rather than just the forgiveness of sins.
Private Form
Priest and penitent meet together privately. A screen may or may not be used. Confession and absolution is private. Here at Saint Margaret Mary, there is regular celebration of this form on Saturdays from 9:00 to 10:00 AM and 3 to 4 PM.
Communal Penance
A public service of hymns, scripture readings and prayer with private individual confessions and absolution following. This is celebrated at various times throughout the year, especially during the Church’s time of repentance— during Advent and Lent.
General Confession & Absolution
A celebration of the Lord’s forgiveness for those situations when there is a large number of penitents and not enough quality time for individual confessing. After the prayers and scripture readings, the congregation would be invited to silently confess their sins to God. Then the priest proclaims God’s forgiveness and pardon and absolution on all those present. Personal counseling and spiritual direction is done at another time. This form may only be used in the emergency circumstances, such as an attack of terrorism or danger of death. When the emergency is over, the penitent is required to mention those sins again in the next confession of sins in one of the other forms.
To find out more about the Sacrament of Reconciliation read paragraphs #1423 to #1498 in your Catechism of the Catholic Church (pages 357-374).
How to Confess
If you haven’t gone to confession for quite a while and you are not very clear on the steps, here is a help for you.
Penance is a sacrament granting God’s healing forgiveness for sins committed after Baptism. Because we are all members of Christ’s Body, our sin weakens the Body of Christ. Penance reconciles our lives to God and Church, thus we also call the sacrament: Reconciliation.
The traditional form of Penance begins with a blessing and a mention of how long it has been since the last visit. Sins are then confessed, any mortal (serious) sin must be revealed; share your most troublesome venial (minor failings) sins. A penance is then given. The penitent makes an Act of Sorrow, or Contrition, and receives absolution.
The revised Rite of Reconciliation, which is optional, is made up of these steps:
Father greets you.
You say and make the Sign of the Cross.
Father invites you to have confidence in God.
He may then read or recite a brief Bible selection.
You mention how long it has been since your last confession.
You tell your sins.
Father will give advice and answer your questions.
He will assign a penance
(prayers or actions through which you express your willingness to change and begin anew)
You express your Act of Sorrow.
The words to the traditional act of contrition are as follows:
O my God I am heartily sorry for offending you and I detest the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all for offending you, my God,
who is most worthy of my love,
I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace
to confess my sins,
do penance, and avoid the near occasion of sin.
Father then extends his right hand toward you (or places his hands on your head) and prays the words of forgiveness and absolution.
Father then dismisses you in these or similar words,
“The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.” Many parishes, especially during Lent, have Communal Penance Services. Parishioners come together for Prayer, Scripture, a Homily, an Examination of Conscience. Each one then has a chance for private confession.
How Often?
How often should should we go to this sacrament? The Church tells us that whenever we commit a serious or mortal sin, we must go to the sacrament as quickly as we can.
When we sin in the lesser or venial way, the receiving of Holy Communion (common union with the Lord) takes away our sins.
Frequent confession of our Sins is recommended. Try to think what you had for breakfast a year ago? If you have a difficulty remembering that, how are you going to remember all the sins you have committed a year ago. It is necessary to remember and confess each serious sin when we come to this sacrament. So come often and you will grow in the Lord.
Times of Lenten Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is normally celebrated every Saturday from 9 to 10 AM in English; 11-12 in Polish; and 3 to 4 PM in English; at 5:30 PM in Polish.
| Reconciliation During Lent (2008) |
Communal Penance Services
The Parishes in the local area also celebrate Communal Penance Services for our cluster of parishes. These will be celebrated from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM on the following Days:
Monday, March 3rd at 7:30 PM at Saints Peter and Paul
Tuesday, March 4th at 7:30 PM at Saint Margaret Mary, Algonquin
Monday, March 10th at 7 PM at Saint Thomas the Apostle
Tuesday, March 11th at 7:30 PM at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Thursday, March 13th at 7 PM at Saint Mary in Huntley
Polish Lenten Mission with Reconciliation (Confession) in Polish
The Polish speaking communition will have a Lenten Mission at Saint Margaret Mary, on the following days.
Friday, March 14th at 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 15th at 7:30 PM
Sunday, March 16th at 2 PM
The celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation should be celebrated before Holy Thursday. There will be no regularly scheduled times after that Wednesday. Please try to accommodate to the schedule. As always, you may call for a private appointment with one of the Fathers for this sacrament.
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Additional Resources
Below are additional Reconciliation references:
1. Beginning Again: The Sacrament of Penance.
2. Penitential Practices for Today's Catholic.
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