Burdened by past sins? Remove yourself from that heavy burden for good in the confessional.
Churches worldwide will offer 24 straight hours of confession March 4-5 during #24HoursfortheLord. If it has been awhile since your last confession, here are some resources:
- Examination of conscience by age group
- Rediscover the sacrament
- How to go to confession from U.S. Bishops and from the Knights of Columbus
Here is what Eudist Father Benoit Drapeau at St. Jerome Parish had to say about confession in a recent letter to parishioners:[quote_box_center]
I would like to share with you an experience I had one Thursday evening. Most of you know that, in response to Pope Francis’ request, Fr. Gary and I have committed ourselves to be more available for confessions during the week. Fr. Gary is in his confessional every Tuesday evening from 6 to 7. I am in my confessional every Thursday evening from 6 to 7.
One Thursday evening, this person came and, before she made her confession, she said to me the number of years she had been away from the confessional and she added that the reason she was coming to confession that evening was because of Pope Francis. I was so glad to hear that. And, thanks be to God, she is not a unique case. For the past year or two, several people have returned to the church and have come to receive God’s forgiveness.
I remember one in particular who, after I shared with him God’s forgiveness, began to cry very loud and just could not stop crying. He was so happy to hear the priest say to him, “God has forgiven all your sins.”
I often have that experience at Lewis prison in Buckeye.
Most of you know that I go three times a month to that prison. I hear the prisoners’ confessions and, then we have a Liturgy of the Word. I preached and, then, I share Holy Communion with them. In general the prisoners have a hard time accepting that God can forgive them. Society does not forgive them. At times even their family does not forgive them. But I remind them that our God is a compassionate and merciful God.
During the month of January I visited all the classrooms at St. Jerome school and, in many of the classrooms, I had them look into the Bible for all the passages where God reveals Himself to be a merciful God. I’m so impressed with them. They enjoy using the Bible and they are already very familiar with the Old and the New Testament. I hope that they will always remember that, yes, our God is a God of mercy, a God who loves them no matter what.
I sure hope that many among you who, for whatever reason, may have stayed away from the confessional for a long time will hear Pope Francis’ invitation and allow our merciful God to share His forgiveness with you.
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