Pope John Paul II, and now Saint John Paul II, celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation weekly.
Part of me says this pastor's column could have been the shortest I've ever written, since I want this column to be an encouragement to more frequent reception of this wonderful, powerful sacrament, especially during the seasons of Advent and Lent. But wait a minute Father, (some of you might say), just a few weeks ago, you spoke in a homily of the power of the celebration of Mass with the reception of Holy Communion to forgive venial sins. Do I really need to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation if I haven't committed any mortal sins? My answer is a big YES if you think about Pope John Paul II going to Confession as often as he did. In doing so, he was not only consciously humbling himself (which is what Jesus said time and time again everyone should do). He was also seeking a closer union with God and knew he (and we) could do so anytime and every time he received a sacrament. Recognizing, acknowledging, and confessing all our sins, especially those that we commit over and over again can, through God's grace and the counsel of the priest, lead us to overcome some of these sins and relegate them to our past life, which means a more Christ-like, peaceful life now and in the future. At the present we have have eight or nine priests planning to be here for our Advent Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 18, from 4:00 -6:00 p.m. Please join us and see this as the perfect time of the year for us to make more room (through God's forgiveness and that of his Church) for Christ to enter in (especially at Christmas) and dwell more deeply in our minds and hearts and in our parish family as a whole. It will bring the Peace (of Christ) that was so evident in the eartly life of Pope John Paul II and now in his eternal life with the Lord and all the holy ones in glory!
Part of me says this pastor's column could have been the shortest I've ever written, since I want this column to be an encouragement to more frequent reception of this wonderful, powerful sacrament, especially during the seasons of Advent and Lent. But wait a minute Father, (some of you might say), just a few weeks ago, you spoke in a homily of the power of the celebration of Mass with the reception of Holy Communion to forgive venial sins. Do I really need to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation if I haven't committed any mortal sins? My answer is a big YES if you think about Pope John Paul II going to Confession as often as he did. In doing so, he was not only consciously humbling himself (which is what Jesus said time and time again everyone should do). He was also seeking a closer union with God and knew he (and we) could do so anytime and every time he received a sacrament. Recognizing, acknowledging, and confessing all our sins, especially those that we commit over and over again can, through God's grace and the counsel of the priest, lead us to overcome some of these sins and relegate them to our past life, which means a more Christ-like, peaceful life now and in the future. At the present we have have eight or nine priests planning to be here for our Advent Reconciliation on Tuesday, December 18, from 4:00 -6:00 p.m. Please join us and see this as the perfect time of the year for us to make more room (through God's forgiveness and that of his Church) for Christ to enter in (especially at Christmas) and dwell more deeply in our minds and hearts and in our parish family as a whole. It will bring the Peace (of Christ) that was so evident in the eartly life of Pope John Paul II and now in his eternal life with the Lord and all the holy ones in glory!