Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

John 20:23

Reconciliation / Confession

It has been a while?

If it has been a while since you have been to Confession, do not be afraid!  The Priest will guide you through this Sacrament of healing or find out.


How to go to Confession? on the botton of this page is a guide with Examination of Conscience for children and for adults.

also Visit our First Reconciliation Page

Reconciliation Times

We have scheduled two times a week for the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. No appointment is necessary:

Thursdays 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Saturdays 9:30am – 10:30am.

Call the office or your pastor if you need an appointment on different time.

Please observe the following procedures and guidelines.

As a reminder, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation is different from “spiritual direction.” Spiritual direction includes offering advice and counsel to an individual in a non-sacramental setting.

How to go to confession

Before You Go…
Examine your conscience, that is, reflect on what sins you have committed.  The next two toggles contain a document for examination of conscience 

1. 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 disobeyed any Church teaching or pretended I was not Catholic?

2. 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?

3. 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?

4. Honor your father and your mother.

Do I respect and obey my parents?

Have I dishonored or mistreated them by my words or actions?

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, the elderly and baby-sitters?

5. 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 feelings?

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, old and young, pretty and ugly?

6. You shall not commit adultery.

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

7. 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?

8. You shall not commit false witness against your neighbor.

Am I honest in my school work?

Do I tell lies or exaggerate to make myself look good?

Do I tell lies to protect myself from punishment?

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

9. 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 I am mean to because they look different or are different?

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

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

Do I beg my parents for things my friends or other children 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?

FIRST COMMANDMENT
I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before Me.” (Ex 20:2,3)
Did I doubt or deny that God exists? Did I refuse to believe what God as revealed to us?
Did I believe in fortune telling, horoscopes, the occult and good-luck charms?
Did I deny that I was Catholic? Did I leave the Catholic Faith?
Did I give time to God each day in prayer? Did I love God with my whole heart?
Did I have false gods in my life that I gave greater attention to then God, like money, profession, drugs, TV, fame, pleasure, property?
SECOND COMMANDMENT
You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Ex 20:7)
Did I blaspheme or insult God? Did I use God’s name carelessly or uselessly?
Did I curse, or break an oath or vow? Did I get angry with God?
THIRD COMMANDMENT
“Remember that you keep holy the Sabbath Day.” (Ex 20:8)
Did I miss Mass Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault?
Did I come to Mass on time? Leave early? Did I do work on Sunday that was not necessary?
Did I set aside Sunday as a day of rest and a family day? Did I show reverence in the presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament?
FOURTH COMMANDMENT
“Honor your father and your mother.” (Ex 20:12)
Did I disobey or disrespect my parents or legitimate superiors?
Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?
Did I neglect to give good religious example to my family?
Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?
Did I fail to educate myself on the true teachings of the Church?
Did I give scandal by what I said or did, especially to the young?
Did I cause anyone to leave the faith?
Did I cause tension and fights in my family? Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?
FIFTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not kill.” (Ex 20:13)
Did I physically injure anyone or cause someone’s death?
Did I have an abortion, or advise someone else to have an abortion?
Did I attempt suicide? Did I take part in or approve of “mercy killing” (euthanasia)?
Did I get angry, impatient, envious, unkind, proud, revengeful, jealous, hateful toward another, lazy?
Did I give bad example by drug abuse, drinking alcohol to excess, fighting, quarreling?
Did I abuse my children?

SIXTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not commit adultery.”(Ex 20:14) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” (Ex 20:17)
Did I willfully entertain impure thoughts or desires?
Did I use impure or suggestive words? Tell impure stories? Listen to them? Did I deliberately look at impure TV, videos, plays, pictures or movies? Or deliberately read impure materials?
Did I commit impure acts by myself?
Did I engage in sexual acts outside of the covenant of marriage?
Did I use practice artificial birth control or have sterilization done?
Did I engage in homosexual activity?
Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as objects?
SEVENTH & TENTH COMMANDMENTS
“You shall not steal.” (Ex 20:15)
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.” (Ex 20:17)
Did I steal, cheat, help or encourage others to steal or keep stolen goods? Have I made restitution for stolen goods?
Did I fulfill my contracts; give or accept bribes; pay my bills; rashly gamble or speculate; deprive my family of the necessities of life?
Did I waste time at work, school or at home?
Did I envy other people’s families or possessions?
Did I make material possessions the purpose of my life?
Did I give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay? Did I give a fair wage to my employees?
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Ex 20:16)
Did I lie? Did I deliberately deceive others, or injure others by lies? Did I commit perjury?
Did I gossip or reveal others’ faults or sins? Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?

OTHER SINS
Did I fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?
Did I eat meat on the Fridays of Lent or Ash Wednesday? Did I go to Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Did I fast for one hour from food and drink before receiving Holy Communion?
Did I fail to contribute to the support of the Church?
Am I a good Christian Steward of my prayer, ministry and finance?

It’s even alright to make a list to bring with you to confession if that helps.

1. Introduction
When you come before the priest, begin by making the Sign of the Cross (praying the words out loud), and continue by saying, “Bless me, Father, I have sinned. It has been (how long) since my last confession. These are my sins…

2. Confession
 List the sins you have committed that came to mind when doing your examination of conscience. Don’t be too general (like, “I haven’t been a good person”), but a lot of detail is not necessary either (you don’t need to tell the whole story of how a sin came about). If you’re not sure if something is a sin is, just ask the priest. This isn’t counseling, so unless you ask, the priest likely won’t give you advice. He’ll just move on to…

3. Penance
The priest will suggest something for you to do or pray as a response to God’s mercy. You’ll have to remember what this is and do it after the confession is over, so pay attention.

4. Contrition
The priest will then ask you to pray your “Act of Contrition,” demonstrating your sorrow for your sins. This needs to be prayed out loud for the priest to hear, but need not adhere exactly to one formula. Here is one example:

ACT OF CONTRITION

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against You whom I should love
above all things. I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance, to sin no more, and
to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.  Amen.

5. Absolution
Don’t get up to leave after that prayer, because the
best part is yet to come: the priest will extend his hands in your direction and he will pray the Prayer of Absolution: “God, the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church, may God grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

You respond: Amen.

6. Conclusion
The priest will then likely say something like, “God has freed you from your sin. Go in Peace.” To which you can respond: “Thanks be to God.”

 

After You Leave…
Don’t forget to do your penance. If it is saying certain prayers, it’s best to do it right away in the church before you forget.

(From BustedHalo.com)

It's never too late for forgiveness