“Why can’t I just confess my sins to God?”  One of the strangest truths about God is that He shares what is properly His with human beings. He worked through Moses to liberate Israel from slavery, He used the prophets to proclaim His word, and in confession, He works through priests to forgive our sins. Saint Paul considers himself to be a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1); and even goes so far as to say that God gave to him and others the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). In other words, God works through people, He reaches us through others, and He gives authority to certain ministers in the church – namely priests. Jesus gave the apostles (the first priests) the authority to forgive sins (John 20:21-23) and that gift has been alive in the Church ever since.

Confessing our sins out loud to another human being is good for us.  The chief sin of mankind is pride, and confession is humbling – which is a good thing.  There is also such a grace and joy to hearing a priest pray the words of mercy: “May God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is often referred to as confession or penance.  Reconciliation is that special gift given to us by Jesus in which our sins may be absolved, or forgiven, through the sacramental action of the priest.  Jesus said to the apostles, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20:23)  We believe that this grace, to forgive sin, has been passed down through the centuries through our bishops, the successors of the apostles, to all priests.

All children preparing for their First Eucharist as well as all youth and adults who are going through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) or RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) process must participate first in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

All Catholics are encouraged to participate in frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Through this sacrament we are not only forgiven our sins but are given the grace to persevere in our fight against sin.

Traditionally, it was considered an obligation for Catholics to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a year, during the Easter season, any time between Ash Wednesday and Pentecost Sunday.  The Church teaches today that we must participate in the sacrament if we are in the state of serious sin.