The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the least used and most misunderstood sacraments of the Catholic Church, yet it visibly demonstrates God’s mercy at work in the world.  What many view as a place of shame is actually a place of victory.  Coming to Confession shows that you haven’t given up on becoming the person Christ created you to be.

Reconciliation is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in His love and mercy to offer sinners forgiveness for offenses committed against God.  Every time we sin, we hurt ourselves, others, and God.  In Reconciliation, we acknowledge our sins before God and His Church (confession).  We express our sorrow in a meaningful way (contrition), receive the forgiveness of Christ and His Church (absolution), make reparation for what we have done, and resolve to do better in the future (penance).  It’s an opportunity to admit our sins and receive the grace to avoid them in the future.  This sacrament allows the Church to live out Christ’s command to forgive sins, and it is through His authority that the Priest gives us absolution.  Many find that this sacrament brings profound peace and renewal, deepening their relationship with God and the community.

To understand why Confession appears as it does today, a brief history is necessary.  In the early Church, penance was public; individuals confessed their sins before the congregation and performed public penance, sometimes lying at the Church entrance while people walked over and around them.  This could last for years, after which they might be readmitted to the community.  Due to its difficulty and the fact it was allowed only once in a lifetime, many postponed it until their deathbed.

“During the seventh century, Irish missionaries, inspired by the Eastern monastic tradition, took to continental Europe the ‘private’ practice of penance, which does not require public and prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the Church.  From that time on, the Sacrament has been performed in secret between penitent and priest” (CCC 1447).  This is how the Sacrament appears today, typically with a screen separating the priest and the penitent.

The Priest, configured to Christ by Holy Ordination, represents not only Christ but also the community.  It is he, instead of the entire congregation, who hears the Confession and offers absolution.  It is Jesus who hears Confession and, through the Priest, extends to you the forgiveness of sin.

Knowing what we believe about the Holy Sacrament of the Altar – that the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Christ – we should be in a state of grace to partake in it.  Therefore, one should go to Confession any time they are aware of having committed a mortal sin.  The Church teaches that one should go to Confession at least once a year during Easter, which is the bare minimum; however, frequent Confession is highly encouraged.