Penance

Children of the parish who are in second grade or up are invited to begin the formal preparation to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Confession (also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation) is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for offenses committed against God. At the same time sinners reconcile with the Church, because the Church also is wounded by sins. This is good news for all of us, because we will all sin and are in need of God's forgiveness.

In the sacrament of Reconciliation, we meet Christ in the person of the priest, ready and eager to absolve us and restore us to new life. We confess our sins to God through His minister, the priest, who absolves us in the name of Jesus. For forgiveness of sins, three acts are required from the penitent as parts of the sacrament. These are contrition, confession and satisfaction.

• Contrition or sincere sorrow for having offended God, is the most important act of the penitent. There can be no forgiveness of sin if we do not have sorrow and a firm resolve not to repeat our sin.
• Confession—confronting our sins in a profound way to God, by speaking them aloud to the priest.
• Satisfaction—an important part of our healing is the “penance” the priest imposes on the penitent in reparation for one’s sins.

Confession is not difficult, but it does require preparation. We should begin with prayer, placing ourselves in the presence of God, our loving Father. We seek healing and forgiveness through repentance and resolve to sin no more. Then we review our lives since our last confession, searching our thoughts, words and actions that did not conform to God’s love, or the laws of the Church. This is called an examination of conscience.

Reconciliation may be face-to-face or anonymous, with a screen between you and the priest. Choose the option that is the most comfortable for you. The priest gives you a blessing or greeting. He may share a brief Scripture passage.

• Make the Sign of the Cross and say “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was…” (give the number of weeks, months or years).
• Confess all of your sins to the priest. The priest will help you to make a good confession. If you are unsure about how to confess or you feel uneasy, just ask him to help you. Answer his questions without hiding anything out of fear or shame. Place your trust in God, a merciful Father who wants to forgive you.
• Following your confession of sins, say: “I am sorry for these and all of my sins.”
• The priest assigns you a penance and offers advice to help you be a better Catholic.
• Say an Act of Contrition, expressing your sorrow for your sins. The priest, acting in the person of Christ, then absolves you from your sins. (There are variation on the Act of Contrition.)

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen

Love God with Your Whole Heart, Soul and Mind

Do I really believe that God loves me and wants for my true happiness? Am I willing to listen to God? Do I recognize God’s authority over my life? Do I really want to be transformed by the will of God? Are there ways in which my life is controlled by my own ambitions and not God’s ambitions for me?

Do I reverence the name of God in my speech and actions?

To what extent do I follow my own agenda and only fit God in when it’s convenient? Do I set aside time during the Sabbath to worship the Lord and rest in God’s presence?

How much do my words and actions reflect honor and respect for other people? Do I listen to others (spouse, parents, children...)? Are there ways I may have hurt members of my family, spouse, children, close relatives, friends, co-workers or neighbors? When someone says something to me that I do not want to hear, do I “close down,” withdrawal or ignore them?

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Do I honor my parents by showing them proper respect and love? Have I been cynical or disrespectful in my approach to legitimate authority?

Am I growing in concern for the poor, the sick and the suffering? Does this concern translate into action?

Do I allow moods to control me? Do I give in to thoughts of anger, fear, or bitterness? Do I cope well with the problems that confront me and maintain my Christian hope in spite of hard times and difficulties?

Have I injured another through gossip, harsh words, insensitivity, or through indifference? Do I use my power of influence to uphold the dignity of others? Did I hate or quarrel with anyone, or desire revenge? Have I refused to forgive? Are there people who have hurt me whom I need to forgive? Do I multi-task giving only partial attention to people?

How do I reverence the temple of my body? How do I deal with my desires? Do I give my mind over to lustful thoughts? Are there instances of impurity for which I need to ask God’s forgiveness? Have I abused my body through the misuse of drugs, alcohol or food? Have I looked at materials (computers, magazines, movies, ...) that are sexually explicit?

Have I stolen or damaged another’s property (Physical and/or intellectual property, cheating…)? Have I been honest and just in my business/work relations

Do I appreciate my own qualities and gifts, or do I constantly compare myself to others possibly becoming resentful or bitter?

Are there areas in which the Holy Spirit is leading me toward repentance—past sins forgotten or deliberately covered over; troubling hurts that need healing; special areas of difficulty that I see?

I. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.

Do I give time every day to God in prayer?

Do I put my trust in superstitions, good luck charms, rather than God alone?

Have I rejected any Church teaching or denied that I was a Catholic?

II. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Have I used the words “God” or “Jesus” in anger or irreverently?

Have I used foul or ugly language? Have I wished evil on another?

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day.

Have I missed Mass on Sunday or any holy day of obligation?

Do I arrive at church late or leave early?

Do I try to be reverent and pay attention during Mass?

Do I avoid unnecessary work on Sunday?

Do I make Sunday a day of prayer or rest?

Honor your father and mother.

Do I respect and obey my parents?

Have I dishonored or mistreated them by word or deed?

Am I willing to help around the house or must I be nagged a hundred times?

Do I try to get along with my brothers and sisters?

Am I a tattletale or bully?

Do I give a good example, especially to younger siblings?

Do I respect others in authority: priests, nuns, police, old people, baby-sitters?

You shall not kill.

Do I beat up others or hurt their bodies?

Do I say cruel things, or make fun of others to hurt their feepngs?

Do I say mean things about others behind their backs?

Have I stopped speaking to anyone?

Do I encourage others to do bad things?

Do I try to love all people, born and unborn?

You shall not commit adultery.

Do I treat my body and other people’s bodies with purity and respect?

Do I look at television shows, movies, or pictures that are bad?

Am I modest in my speech and the clothes I wear?

You shall not steal.

Have I taken things that were not mine from a store or another person?

Have I destroyed or misused another person’s property for fun?

Do I return things that I borrow? In good condition?

You shall not commit false witness against your neighbor.

Am I honest in my school work?

Do I tell lies to make myself look good?

Do I tell lies to protect myself from punishment?

Do I tell lies that make another person look bad or get them in trouble?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

Do I allow my parents to spend time with one another, or do I get jealous and want them to pay attention only to me?

Do I get mad when I have to share my friends?

Are there kids I will not play with or be mean to because they look different?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Am I jealous or envious of the things or abilities that others have?

Am I thankful to God and my parents for what they have given me?

Do I share the things I have with my family, friends and poor people?