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This sacrament celebrates God’s love for us and communicates that even when we have sinned, God wants to embrace us, love us and forgive us. There are several stages to the sacrament.

The first, of course, is the preparation. The time when we reflect on our relationships, realize there is a need for reconciliation and prepare to celebrate the sacrament. In the past, we would call this our examination of conscience. Prepared and ready, we go to the sacrament. We have the option of going to the sacrament face to face or we can kneel and have to the screen between the priest and us. We begin by telling the last time we celebrated the sacrament.

The next part is the confession where we tell our sins. Following our confession, the priest gives us a penance. Penance is the opportunity to do something to show that we are sorry for our sins; it includes prayer and at times, opportunities to show those we have sinned against that we are sorry. This, in many ways, is the most difficult part of the sacrament; it invites us to change. The penitent says an act of contrition, an expression of sorrow, and a desire to do better. (These prayers are available in the confessional. If you do not remember an act of contrition, the priest can give you one that you can read.) We conclude the celebration with the priest saying the prayer of absolution. This is a most powerful and prayerful moment. God is telling us that we are forgiven for whatever sins we have committed. We are embraced by a loving God who has forgiven us.

Opportunities for individual celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are offered each Saturday from 4:00-4:45 pm, on the Thursday before first Friday from 4:30-5:00 pm and on the eve before a Holyday from 4:30-5:00 pm.

If you cannot make these times, all you need to do is call the priest at the Rectory (516-352-5904) and he is available to celebrate the sacrament.