THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE

 It is also called Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. It is a Sacrament of Healing, along with the Sacrament of the Sick. In this Sacrament sins committed after Baptism are forgiven.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that Jesus wants the Church to continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation. (CCC 1421). 

During his life on earth, Jesus did many acts which he commissioned his disciples to continue after he must have ascended into Heaven. Example he baptised, and he told them to continue doing that. He preached the good news - and that was why he chose them in the first place to join in his ministry. He healed, and he told them in Mark 16:17 'These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; (16:18) they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.' In the same way, his ministry of forgiveness of people's sin was not abandoned.  Recall the case of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1–11, the woman who anointed his feet in Luke 7:48 and the paralytic man in Matthew 9:6. And lest you forget, the good thief on the Cross (Luke 23:39-43). But he needed his disciples to continue this ministry after him. That was why he told them  ''As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'' (John 20:21–23). It is because of that the Bishops who represent the apostles - with the priests as their collaborators - in the Sacrament of  Reconciliation forgive, not in their own name but in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, through this ministry handed on to the Church.

 When Jesus was sending out or commissioning his Apostles, it was not on the condition that they were perfect. Of course that was desirable but he had to make use of what he had - as imperfect as they were. Remember that couple of months later one of them was to sell him - and that was a horrible thing to do after being with Jesus  for 3 years. Peter also denied him, and the rest - with the exception of John - deserted him when he needed them most. In spite of that he still forgave them and forgave everybody from the Cross - even those that brutally killed him. He even forgave the good thief on the Cross. This guy who must have committed lots of atrocities had all his sins wiped away in an instant! That is what he wishes to do for each one of us, but in our case making use of imperfect human beings to continue his forgiveness. We confess to God through the priest who is given the authority by Christ to forgive In Persona Christi. The graces received is independent of the instrument's holiness but is more dependent on the recipient's own faith.  Remember the Scripture passage above: '....those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven. Those whose sins you retain, they are retained'. Confession is like the washing machine of the soul. We don't need to deprive our souls of the graces in that Sacrament because we think the instrument (the priest) is unworthy or imperfect.

Confession times in St Chad's vary. It is available every Tuesday during the Adoration - 10am-12pm. Once the Blessed Sacrament is exposed the priest mostly heads to or near the confessional. Please notify him if he is praying near the confessional or simply go straight to the confessional if he has already gone there. Also Saturday 6pm -6:20pm (Just before Vigil Mass). Otherwise just hint him either before or immediately after morning Mass. Confession could also be had by arrangement - if you just call the parish number or mail the parish during office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday (10:30am-3pm).  

Someone may not be comfortable  because she/he thinks the priest will remember her/his sins. Actually the priest has to be a hyper-computer to do that. He has his own personal struggles to deal with, remember. Also somebody may feel that the priest may think badly of him/her. Of course the priest knows that not everybody is immaculately conceived! But those he sees approaching this sanctuary of grace - in spite of themselves - actually encourage and challenge him even to strive for perfection. Besides in the Catholic Church the 'Seal of Confession' punishes with automatic excommunication any priest who reveals anybody's sins.  Confidentiality here is sacrosanct. 

People have the option to use the confessional box or room depending on the parish and depending also on what  makes them more comfortable. 

 The first thing you need to do, as you prepare for your turn, is to examine your conscience to see where you have offended GOD, not THE PRIEST. Then you have to be sorry for your sins. Enter the confessional and you tell the priest your sins AGAINST GOD, according to the way you prepared it - some people use the exact order of the ten commandments or the commandment of Christ etc. 

Some people may also think that they can't confess because the priest doesn't understand their language. Well God understands all languages! Just try to be as sincere as possible and resolve, with the help of God, to avoid both sin and the 'occasions' of sin' - environments or associations that make you vulnerable to certain sins, example dangerous companies, gossiping environments etc. Finally, the priest will ask you to say the 'Act of Contrition' and certain prayers before giving you the 'Absolution' or forgiveness through the ministry of the Catholic Church.