Many people, especially if they have not partaken of the Sacrament of Reconciliation for a long time, can feel apprehensive about ‘going to Confession’. Whilst this is understandable please be reassured that your apprehension is misplaced. The late Pope John Paul II touched on this in a homily he delivered at San Antonio, Texas on the 13^th of September 1987; “To those who have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation and forgiving love I make this appeal: come back to this source of grace; Do not be afraid! Christ himself is waiting for you. He will heal you, and you will be at peace with God!” There is nothing shameful about going into a confessional and closing the door behind you - in fact it does you credit for by going to Confession you are making a public statement that, although through human weakness you have separated yourself from God’s eternal love, you want to do whatever you can to heal that separation and to be reconciled - and God is always willing to welcome a repentant sinner. “In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.” Luke 15: 7, and, “ … it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18: 14.

At the Parish of the Immaculate Conception the Sacrament of Reconciliation is usually available on Saturday between 11.00 and 11.30 in the morning and 5.00 and 5.30 in the afternoon, or at call.

The celebration of the sacrament actually begins before you come face to face with your confessor with the self-examination of your conscience. Sit for a moment and quietly reflect on what you intend to bring to the Lord. There are many aide-mémoires available to assist you but a good place to begin are the Ten Commandments:

“You shall have no other gods to rival me.

You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth.

You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, an a jealous God and I punish a parent’s fault in the children, and the grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren among those who hate me; but I act with faithful love towards thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work on that day, neither you nor your son nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals nor the alien living with you. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens, earth and sea, and all that these contain, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why Yahweh has blessed the Sabbath day and made it sacred.

Honour you father and your mother so that you may live long in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

You shall not kill.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false evidence against your neighbour.

You shall not set your heart on your neighbour’s house. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour’s spouse, or servant, man or woman, or ox, or donkey, or any of your neighbour’s possessions.”

Exodus 20: 3-17.

Alternately, you can base your examination of conscience on Jesus’ response to the Pharisee who enquired which was the greatest commandment of the law. Jesus said to him, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, This is the first and greatest commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.”

Matthew 22: 37-38.

When you are ready enter the confessional. A practical tip - the green light lit above the door shows that the priest is in, the green and red lights lit show that he is busy. Inside the confessional you can either sit or kneel to make your confession - there are no rules about which you should do, only personal preference.

It is customary to begin with the sign of the cross and the priest may invite the penitent to have trust in God in these or similar words:

May God, who has enlightened every heart, help you to know your sins and trust in his mercy.

Although it is not compulsory, it may be useful to tell the priest how long it has been since you last went to confession - there is no shame if you have not been for a while, the priest is not there to judge you.

You then tell the priest your sins - Catholics are bound to confess all mortal sins of which they are conscious after the examination of their conscience even if these have been committed in the secret of one’s heart. Speak to the priest as you would to your doctor - both are healers, one of the body, the other of the soul. It cannot be stressed too strongly that whatever a priest hears in confession he is not allowed to disclose, by word or deed, to a third party no matter what the circumstances. He is not even allowed to discuss it with you unless you chose to raise the subject again. Whatever he hears he takes to his grave. The priest will not judge you - he sits in the person of Christ welcoming a repentant sinner.

Following this the priest normally gives some words of counsel or guidance at the end of which he will give you a penance - usually a prayer to say or some act of charity to perform - and then ask you to make an act of contrition. This is a short prayer formally asking for God’s forgiveness for the sins confessed and asking the grace to avoid the occasion of sin in the future.

The priest will then give you absolution in the following words:

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled to world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son Ê and of the Holy Spirit.

You are then free to go and to carry out whatever penance you have been given and, in Jesus’ words to the woman caught in the act of committing adultery, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8: 11) but, human nature being what it is the Sacrament of Reconciliation is always available to you.