Reconciliation

Through Reconciliation, Christians are freed from sins committed after Baptism. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is considered the normal way to be absolved from mortal sins which, it is believed, would otherwise condemn a person to Hell.

The Sacrament has four elements, three on the part of the penitent (contrition, confession and satisfaction) and one on the part of the minister of the Sacrament (absolution).

Catholics distinguish between two types of sin: Mortal sins are a grave violation of God's law that turns man away from God. Someone who is aware of having committed mortal sins must repent of having done so, and must confess them in order to benefit from the Sacrament. Venial sins, the kind that "does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God", can be remitted by contrition and reception of other Sacraments, but they too are rightly and usefully declared in confession.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation as described by Fr. Raphael Mary of the Catholic Newman Center at the University of Washington.

Busted Halo® walks us through the four steps of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 6:21 minutes.

Busted Halo® walks us through the four steps of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

CATHOLIC MINUTE: CATHOLIC CONFESSION – “FOUR REASONS TO CONFESS TO A PRIEST” Catholic Confession - "Four Reasons To Confess to a Priest" by Catholic Speaker Ken Yasinski. Why confess to a priest? Catholic beliefs explained Catholic Speaker and Evangelist Ken Yasinski. Why go to confession? Ken gives four reasons for the sacrament of reconciliation. Why do catholics confess to a priest? Many Catholics question why they should go to the sacrament of reconciliation. After all, doesn't God hear our prayers and forgive our sin when we ask His forgiveness in the silence of our hearts? The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the greatest gifts from Christ to His Church. The reasons for participating in this Sacrament are many, but here are only a few mentioned. First it is scriptural. This is the Jesus idea! John 20:21-23 "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you. . . . Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 "But all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Christ; and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their sins; and he hath placed in us the word of reconciliation" Secondly it is historical. The early Church practised the sacrament of reconciliation. This verifies that this is what Jesus intended. The apostles were faithful to Christ’s command to forgive sin, because we see the apostles’ successors exercising this authority. A third blessing of confession is practical. When the habit of regular confession to the same priest is developed, that priest is able to recognize patterns in our life that we might see ourselves and offer great spiritual direction. Sometimes we need an outsider’s opinion to help us with what is going on in the insid of our hearts. Lasting, there is a blessing in being able to hear the words of absolution, "I absolve you from your sins." When we hear those words, it confirms within us the action of God's grace in our lives. One of the most powerful ways to experience love, it to hear the words "I forgive you!" This is the tangible experience of those who confess their sin to a priest. Through hearing those words, love is being communicated to us. Published on May 12, 2014. 2:21 minutes. Themes: Catholic Minute series, Confession

CATHOLIC MINUTE: HOW TO START OVER WITH GOD: 3 STEPS How to Start Over with God: 3 Steps by parish mission speaker Ken Yasinski. Parish Mission Speaker shares how to start over and grow your Catholic faith. Dynamic Catholic Speaker Ken Yasinski covers 3 steps to renewing a relationship with God. Catholic Video Summary: We all have times in our lives when we stray away from Him. None of us is perfect, that is why we need a savior. Even great saints of the Church struggled to be faithful. Both saints and sinners fall into sin; the only difference is a saint acknowledges this and calls out for God’s mercy. Everyone falls, but not everyone gets up. Every setback can be a setup for sainthood. Every fall away from God can be an opportunity for a deeper union with Him. There is no place, no matter how dark, that cannot be touched by the Mercy of God. But we must act. So if you find yourself today in a place where you have fallen away from God, it’s time to get up. How? One: Pray today. Start by examining your conscience, ask God’s forgiveness for your sin. Perhaps say the chaplet of Divine Mercy. And commitment to praying every day. Why every day? We can’t have a relationship with God, unless we are willing to spend time with him. No communication, no relationship. It’s that simple. Two: Go confession. Call up your local Catholic parish and ask when the sacrament of reconciliation is available, then go. The only solution for sin is the forgiveness of God. This sacrament makes available the forgiveness of all serious sin. I’ve never known anybody who has regretted having an honest confession. Three: Go to mass every Sunday. There is no such thing as a lone ranger Christian. We need community and we need the Eucharist. Get involved with your parish and ask how you can serve. And receive Jesus in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus. It’s Him. So when you receive the Eucharist, you are becoming one with the person you’re trying to grow in a relationship with. To be Jesus-centered means to be Eucharistic-centered. How do we restart our relationship with God? One pray. Two, go to confession. Three, go to mass every Sunday. These decisions will open us up to grace, helping us on the way to realize our full potential in life: to be a saint. Published on May 4, 2016. 3:03 minutes.

Father Paul Farren, author of the Freedom of Forgiveness: A Fresh Look at the Sacrament of Reconciliation, talks about the beautiful image of God we encounter in the story of the Prodigal Son. This book is available through Paraclete Press 4:08 minutes.

How do I go to Confession? Whether this is a refresher or an introduction, this film creatively walks through the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a way that will stick with you. This short film was produced by Outside da Box https://www.outsidedabox.com in collaboration with the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. It is the 19th installment of the 48-film VCAT (video catechism) http://www.vcat.org series for teens. Films are being released monthly from October 2012 - September 2016.4:28 minutes.