LENTEN PENANCE CELEBRATION

 On the Solemn feast of Easter, all members of the Church will publicly renew the promises of our Baptism, rejecting sin and professing our belief in God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  During the holy season of Lent, the whole Church is called to return to the Lord, to repent, and turn away from sin so to embrace the life of Christ more completely. 

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance or Confession) is the gives us the opportunity to meet the merciful Christ and to walk together again with him on the path to holiness and eternal life.

Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to join us for our Lenten Penance Celebration on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 beginning at 7:00 p.m. We will prepare our hearts for our encounter with the Lord by listening to his word and acknowledging our sinfulness in the light of God’s mercy.  Our guest homilist will be Monsignor Cornelius (Con) O’Mahony, Pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Oakville.  There will be six priests on hand to hear confessions at the conclusion of our prayer.

See the following texts to assist you in your preparation for our celebration.

Preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation

1.     Begin with Thanksgiving

Find a quiet place and be mindful of God’s presence.

Recall with thanksgiving God’s love for you and what God has done for you.

Place your trust in God’s mercy.

2.     Call to mind your Sins

Call to mind the times that you have not been grateful to God and have failed to love God and neighbour.  Some of the following questions may be helpful to guide your reflection.

            ° Have I set aside some time each day to pray, seeking God’s help and thanking God for blessings?

° Have I been faithful to my promises to God – especially my baptismal promise to reject sin and every form of evil?

° Have I faithfully and actively participated at the Sunday Eucharist with a heart open to hear God’s Word and to receive the Body and Blood of Christ  in Communion?

            ° Have I genuinely tried to live the Gospel, or have I compromised it in some way?

            ° Have I allowed the things of this world to captivate my heart and mind?

            ° Have I made good use of my time, my talents and my treasure, or have I been selfish?

            ° Have I fulfilled my responsibilities to my family, my co-workers, my friends?

            ° Have I been half-hearted, lazy or cynical at work?

            ° Have I deceived others, or held grudges and resentments?

            ° Have I gossiped or spoken ill of others?

            ° Have I lied or cheated?

            ° Have I been jealous of others?

            ° Have I made an effort to take care of the environment for future generations?

            ° Have I been dishonest or unethical in my business dealings?

            ° Have I been prejudiced toward others because of race, colour, religious or social status?

3.     Express your sorrow for sin.

God, I am sorry for my sins:

For what I have done and for what I have failed to do.

I will sincerely try to do better.

Help me to walk by your light.  Amen.

4.     Resolve to be reconciled to God and the Church

Plan to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

Meeting the Merciful Christ

Step One

We prepare by examining our conscience and gathering with the community to hear the Word of God.  We pray for one another, that we might have the grace to repent and renew our relationship with the Lord and with one another.  Together we acknowledge or sins and proceed to meet the Merciful Christ in the person of the priest who, in the name of Christ and through the ministry of the Church, grants us forgiveness and peace. 

Step Two

The penitent approaches the priest who offers a warm welcome and together they sign themselves with the Cross.  The penitent may say: “Bless me father, for I have sinned”, and indicates the time since their last confession.

Step Three

The penitent names his/her sins and expresses their sorrow for sin.  The penitent may simply conclude by saying: “For these and all my sins, I am truly sorry.”

Step Four

The priest may offer some words of encouragement and offers a penance – a prayer or action designed to assist in expressing sorrow or help to change and be more like Christ.

Step Five

The penitent bows their head and the priest, with his hand(s) extended prays the words of absolution:

                        God, the Father of mercies,

through the death and resurrection of his Son

has reconciled the world to himself

and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins.

                        Through the ministry of the Church,

may God give you pardon and peace,

and I absolve you from all of your sins,

In the name of the Father, + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

                        Amen.

Step Six

The penitent is invited to go in peace and give thanks to the Lord for his mercy.