This weekend, many churches in the area will be holding Advent Penance Services for our Catholic community.  The penance service in our cluster will be held on Saturday, December 14th beginning at 10:00 am at Our Lady Queen of Peace.  In addition, the priests at Saint Thomas More and Our Lady Queen of Peace regularly make the Sacrament of Reconciliation available on Saturdays from 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm, as well as by appointment.  The Diocese of Rochester also maintains a list of times offered by the parishes in our Diocese for Confession, which can be found here.

The Most Reverand Bishop Matano states in his Christmas Message in 2013 that "... the means for renewing ourselves in Christ are present and call for a rediscovery of them on our part.  It is almost impossible to speak of renewal without speaking of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Sacrament that sadly is forgotten by many in the community of the faithful.  Yet it is so very powerful in its effects as so beautifully taught by Blessed John Paul II in Reconciliatio et paenitentia: “It must be recalled that… this reconciliation with God leads, as it were, to other reconciliations, which repair the others breaches caused by sin.  The forgiven penitent is reconciled with himself in his inmost being, where he regains his innermost truth.  He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounded.  He is reconciled with the Church.  He is reconciled with all creation.” (31, 5)."

When was the last time that you received the gift of forgiveness from God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation?  

Maybe you regularly attend Confession.  Maybe you haven't been in a few years.  Or possibly in many years.  Maybe you don't know where to begin.  Or remember what the right words to say are.  Maybe you feel like there are too many transgressions to list.  Or that the sins are too far gone.  Too big.  Too painful.

The beauty of this sacrament is that God welcomes you back!  Even if you read the prayer off of a card, or weep openly, or are afraid, or forget what comes next.  Like the merciful father in the parable of the prodigal son, God is eager to forgive, adds Pope Francis: “Each time we go to confession, God embraces us. God rejoices!” (General Audience Feb. 2014).

Below is a list of some resources compiled by the Diocese of Rochester that you can use in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  

Examination of Conscience

Celebrating the Sacrament of Penance