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The Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are usually prepared for in second and third grades. The preparation for these sacraments is separated by six to twelve months to allow parents, teachers and children an unhurried time period. Sacramental preparation takes place in Religious Education classes and in Catholic School Religion lessons.
Parents, guardians, or sponsors of the candidates are expected to enlarge on classroom instruction with home preparation. The adult Catholic preparing the child is expected to give an example of regular reception of the sacraments. Children preparing for these sacraments are expected to attend Mass regularly. Special Children Liturgies are offered as a learning experience and an introduction to worship. Teaching materials are provided through the Religious Education Office. After the preparation is completed, readiness of the candidate to receive either sacrament is determined by the parents, teachers, school principal, coordinator, and priests.
Special consideration and preparation are given those who are older and wish to receive the Sacraments.
Anyone who is ill or homebound and wishes to receive the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation should call the rectory office at any time to arrange having Fr. Ted stop out to the home to hear their Confession.
As to Penance. If the Church is to fulfill in its entirely her task of saving mankind she needs the power to forgive sins. It is a power essentially different from her mission to preach the Gospel and baptize. In baptism, indeed all sins and the punishment due to them are remitted. Baptism is the first justification. But the first justification is also the first entry into the realm of the supernatural which works entirely by God's grace and which asks of the person baptized no more than that he turn away from sin and turn in faith to Christ. Penance is something different. A baptized person who sins again, sins against God to whom, since his baptism in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, he belongs. He also betrays the Church of which he is now a member. Thus, the new atonement assumes the character of a legal trial, with accusation, sentence and satisfaction. The practice of penance has varied considerably down the centuries. In very early days satisfaction, usually in the form of public penance, was very much to the fore. Re-acceptance into the Church community normally took place only after completion of the penance imposed. More and more, however, penance has withdrawn from the public domain and today only the private administration of the sacrament is still in use. The development of the system of confession shows that misunderstanding easily arises above the nature of penance. In the face of all attacks - by Wycliffe, the Reformers, liberal dogmatic historians and modernists - the Church has always maintained the judicial character of the sacrament of penance and drawn the necessary conclusion.
THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES: The Church has the power to forgive all sins. This forgiveness of sins is a true sacrament instituted by Christ, different from baptism, particularly on account of its judicial form. Sins are forgiven only by the sacrament of penance. Sins are forgiven by absolution which can only be given by an authorized priest. It is a real judicial pardon. The Church has the power to reserve certain cases. On the part of the sinner contrition, confession and satisfaction are required. Contrition is aversion to the sins committed. Perfect contrition remits sin even before confession if it is joined with the intention to confess. Imperfect contrition (attrition) is sufficient if there is confession, and is a good and salutary thing. Confession must cover all mortal sins committed since baptism and not previously confessed. Venial sins, and sins already confessed can validly be confessed. And satisfaction. The effect of the sacrament is reconciliation with God, that is, the remission of sins and the eternal punishment but not all the temporal punishment. (For more information on the remission of -temporal punishment- refer to the explanation and teaching of Mother Church in regards to INDULGENCES within this program.... )
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Did you know?
In the early Church, The Sacrament of Penance
could be received only once in a lifetime
The penances assign were often very long and severe, sometimes lasting
several years. During this time penitents usually had special places in the
Church, wore special cloths, and commonly left the Sunday liturgy after the
homily, just like the catechumens.
At one time the Church had a two-track
system of public Penance and private Penance
Public sins required public penance and private sins required private
penance.
For centuries penitents were required to do their assigned penance
and then return to receive absolution.
Practical difficulties with this became apparent when the confessor was a
wandering missionary and when the penances sometimes took the penitent on a
pilgrimage to foreign lands.
History of the Sacrament
A glance at the history of this sacrament makes it clear that Penance has had a lively and varied past. The primary sacrament of forgiveness in the early church was Baptism. To the first Christians it seemed unthinkable hat anyone who had been converted to Christ would return to sin after they had been baptized/ Nevertheless, the Church soon found that it had to deal with post-baptismal sin. Through the centuries the Church has continued to develop in its understanding of this sacrament so it can be more responsive to the needs of the people and more meaningful in their lives.
Reconciliation, like all sacraments, has a fundamental community dimension. This was most obvious in the early Church with the Order of Penitents. But even with the later development of private penance, the Church has always insisted on the importance of the priest in the experience of reconciliation. This is not because God will not forgive us directly (God always forgives those who repent), but because the priest is the representative of the Church community. Reconciliation with the Church community is the sacramental sign of reconciliation with the Lord. The priest is the representative of the community, as well as the representative of Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this sacrament called confession,
penance or reconciliation?
Yes! This sacrament involves all three elements and historically has been
called by all three names. Today the Church refers to it as the Sacrament
of Penance or the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Why do we need a sacrament
of Reconciliation?
"Sin before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion
with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason
conversion entails both God's forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church..."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] 1440) Only God forgives sins. Christ has
willed that in her prayer and life and action the whole Church should be a
sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation (CCC 1462). The priest
"is not the master of God's forgiveness, but its servant" (CCC1430).
What
happens in the Sacrament of Penance?
"Through the sacrament of penance, we, the faithful, acknowledge the sins we
have committed, express our sorrow for them, and, intending to reform our ways,
receive God's forgiveness and become reconciled with God and with the Church"
(USCCB Committee on Pastoral Practices). "Jesus' call to conversion and penance
. . . does not aim first at outward works . . . but at the
conversion of the heart, interior conversion" (CCC1430). Conversion is first of
all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him.
What
sins should be confessed?
The Church teaches that "all serious (mortal) sins of which penitents after
a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in
confession, even if they are most secret . . . for these sins sometimes
wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are
committed openly" (CC1456). At the same time, confession of everyday
faults (venial sins) "is strongly recommended . . . for it helps us to
form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies (patterns of weakness that
can lead us to sin), let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life
of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of
the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful;" (CCC1458).
What are the effects of this sacrament?
"The forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being . . .
He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounds.
He is reconciled with the Church. He is reconciled with all creation" (John Paul
II). "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to
God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship" (CCC1468), "for
those who receive the sacrament with contrite heart and religious disposition,
reconciliation is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with
strong spiritual consolation" (CCC1551).
Baptism: the First Sacrament of Forgiveness
The Church Fathers saw close connection between baptism and penance; in fact, penance was sometimes referred to as "the more difficult baptism." St. Ambrose said: "There are water and tears; the water of baptism, and the tears of repentance." Penance is a sacrament celebrating conversion, a basic dynamic of the Christian life. Adults and older children preparing for the sacrament of baptism enter an intense period of purification during the Lent season prior to baptism The Elect reflect upon the stories of the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. Then on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent the Elect celebrate the Scrutinies in the midst of the community. During these celebrations the Church prays the ancient prayers of exorcisms over the Elect, calling upon God to protect them from Satan and the power of evil and surrounding them with the love of God.
Text prepared by Helen Oesterle, Director of Religious Education, St. James Cathedral, Seattle, WA.
4/6/07