Congratulations! You haven't committed any mortal sins in recent memory, received absolution for sins quite some time ago and your soul is spotless. You think you don't need to go to confession - after all, the Church only requires confession of mortal sins once a year and you certainly don't meet that requirement. Your soul is in great shape and you are obviously in Heaven. Please intercede on my behalf and for the rest of us who continue to struggle with concupiscence. Seeing that you already have your white robe and dwell with those who died marked with the sign of faith, I dedicate the remainder of this post to the rest of us.
Confession is not easy. Certainly, it is not complicated and the process is actually quite straightforward. Facing the state of your soul and uttering the words out loud is the hurdle so many allow to be a barrier to the Confessional. There is no 'easy button' when you enter the Confessional. In preparation, your conscience pains you as you go over what you have done and what you have failed to do. Parched, your soul longs for freedom from the bonds of sin. Millions of our brothers and sisters - perhaps you, Dear Reader - avoid the confessional because of excuses they place before themselves. Some believe that the hours are inconvenient. Perhaps others had a bad experience once and refuse to ever go again. Maybe they think that God will never forgive them or perhaps they believe the sins to be too embarrassing to mention. Others simply don't remember how to make a confession and are afraid to appear foolish. Believe it or not, there are anonymous online confession websites. Why? Because people cannot bear the weight of their actions - or inaction - any longer and cannot or do not avail themselves to the Sacrament.
Rest assured, God will forgive any sin confessed with a contrite heart. If the hours are inconvenient, schedule an appointment with a priest - they do that you know! If you had a bad experience, ask a friend about who is his or her confessor and about their own experiences. You don't want to go to hell just because Fr. O'Malley yelled at you in the third grade! If you are worried about being embarrassed - don't be. Priests have heard everything - and probably many sins you cannot even imagine. Don't remember how to confess your sins? There are many excellent guides to confession, including an examination of conscience. Here is one example online (a .pdf file) from the Knights of Columbus.
Fr. Larry Richards has assembled a simple yet thorough list of sins which must be confessed HERE. A sample from his list: rudeness, reckless driving, hatred, calumny, pride and despair.
Please go to confession. Just do it. Don't put it off. When you do, all of the angels and saints will celebrate along with you.
The US state of Oregon in the not-so-distant past violated the sacred seal of confession. In 1996, Fr. Timothy Mockaitis heard the confession of Conan Wayne Hale, an inmate who was eventually sentenced to death. Little did either of them know that the confession was being tape recorded. The state of Oregon went to great lengths to use the confession against Mr. Hale, obliterating both the first and fourth amendments. The tape was thrown out of court, but as a vivid reminder of the state of affairs in the United States, the tape and written transcript remain in tact.
In a similar move, the states of Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Nevada, Florida and New Hampshire attempted to attempted to pass 'anti-seal' legislation. Hiding behind the abuse scandal, elected legislators continue to take a battering ram to the doors of our Church and personal rights as promised by our Constitution.
"naked fascism, truly the end of the line." If it were allowed to stand it would rupture the "sacredly inviolate" relationship between priest and confessor and would "[yank] at the pillars of separation between church and state."--William F. Buckley, Catholic founder of National Review
Another confession made back in the fourteenth century Prague was taken to a watery grave. Fr. John Nepomucene, Vicar General, served as counselor and advocate of the poor in the court of King Wenceslaus IV. While serving as the confessor to the queen, the king grew furious. He insisted that the priest reveal what the queen had shared in her confession. The priest refused and was imprisoned. Much like St. Thomas More, he refused to cave to the commands of the king. The king ordered Fr. Nepomucene executed by being thrown into the river. It is said that in the 18th century when his grave was opened, only his tongue remained uncorrupted.
We cannot allow the state to take away what God has provided us. We are immersed in a war, a spiritual war, yet many remain asleep in the pews. As Fr. John Corapi has so passionately said,
"This is the real war to end all wars, the consequences of which are eternal. Most people today just ignore the battle or give up, surrendering their eternal future to chance or the Enemy himself. Surrender is not an option! Fight or die."
Indulgences attached to devotions in honour of Divine Mercy
"O God, your mercy knows no bounds and the treasure of your goodness is infinite..." (Prayer after the "Te Deum"Hymn) and "O God, you reveal your almighty power above all by showing mercy and forgiveness..." (Prayer for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time), in these prayers Holy Mother Church humbly and faithfully sings of Divine Mercy. Indeed, God's great patience with the human race in general and with each individual person shines out in a special way when sins and moral failures are forgiven by Almighty God Himself and the guilty are readmitted in a fatherlike way to his friendship, which they deservedly lost.
Duty of honouring Divine Mercy
The faithful with deep spiritual affection are drawn to commemorate the mysteries of divine pardon and to celebrate them devoutly. They clearly understand the supreme benefit, indeed the duty, that the People of God have to praise Divine Mercy with special prayers and, at the same time, they realize that by gratefully performing the works required and satisfying the necessary conditions, they can obtain spiritual benefits that derive from the Treasury of the Church. "The paschal mystery is the culmination of this revealing and effecting of mercy, which is able to justify man, to restore justice in the sense of that salvific order which God willed from the beginning in man, and through man, in the world" (Encyclical Letter Dives in misericordia, n. 7).
It is God's Mercy that grants supernatural sorrow and resolution to amend
Indeed, Divine Mercy knows how to pardon even the most serious sins, and in doing so it moves the faithful to perceive a supernatural, not merely psychological, sorrow for their sins so that, ever with the help of divine grace, they may make a firm resolution not to sin any more. Such spiritual dispositions undeniably follow upon the forgiveness of mortal sin when the faithful fruitfully receive the sacrament of Penance or repent of their sin with an act of perfect charity and perfect contrition, with the resolution to receive the Sacrament of Penance as soon as they can. Indeed, Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in the parable of the Prodigal Son that the sinner must confess his misery to God saying: "Father I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Lk 15,18-19), realizing that this is a work of God, "for [he] was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found" (Lk 15,32).
Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday
And so with provident pastoral sensitivity and in order to impress deeply on the souls of the faithful these precepts and teachings of the Christian faith, the Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, moved by the consideration of the Father of Mercy, has willed that the Second Sunday of Easter be dedicated to recalling with special devotion these gifts of grace and gave this Sunday the name, "Divine Mercy Sunday" (Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Decree Misericors et miserator, 5 May 2000).
The Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter narrates the wonderful things Christ the Lord accomplished on the day of the Resurrection during his first public appearance: "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you'. When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the discples were glad to see the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you'. And then he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (Jn 20,19-23).
Plenary Indulgence
To ensure that the faithful would observe this day with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence, as will be explained below, so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbour, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters.
Pardon of others who sin against us
Thus the faithful will more closely conform to the spirit of the Gospel, receiving in their hearts the renewal that the Second Vatican Council explained and introduced: "Mindful of the words of the Lord: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (Jn 13,35), Christians can yearn for nothing more ardently than to serve the men of this age with an ever growing generosity and success.... It is the Father's will that we should recognize Christ our brother in the persons of all men and love them with an effective love, in word and in deed (Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et spes, n. 93).
Three conditions for the plenary indulgence
And so the Supreme Pontiff, motivated by an ardent desire to foster in Christians this devotion to Divine Mercy as much as possible in the hope of offering great spiritual fruit to the faithful, in the Audience granted on 13 June 2002, to those Responsible for the Apostolic Penitentiary, granted the following Indulgences:
a plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!");
A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.
For those who cannot go to church or the seriously ill
In addition, sailors working on the vast expanse of the sea; the countless brothers and sisters, whom the disasters of war, political events, local violence and other such causes have been driven out of their homeland; the sick and those who nurse them, and all who for a just cause cannot leave their homes or who carry out an activity for the community which cannot be postponed, may obtain a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday, if totally detesting any sin, as has been said before, and with the intention of fulfilling as soon as possible the three usual conditions, will recite the Our Father and the Creed before a devout image of Our Merciful Lord Jesus and, in addition, pray a devout invocation to the Merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you).
If it is impossible that people do even this, on the same day they may obtain the Plenary Indulgence ifwith a spiritual intention they are united with those carrying out the prescribed practice for obtaining the Indulgence in the usual way and offer to the Merciful Lord a prayer and the sufferings of their illness and the difficulties of their lives, with the resolution to accomplish as soon as possible the three conditions prescribed to obtain the plenary indulgence.
Duty of priests: inform parishioners, hear confessions, lead prayers
Priests who exercise pastoral ministry, especially parish priests, should inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church's salutary provision. They should promptly and generously be willing to hear their confessions. On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating Mass or Vespers, or during devotions in honour of Divine Mercy, with the dignity that is in accord with the rite, they should lead the recitation of the prayers that have been given above. Finally, since "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5,7), when they instruct their people, priests should gently encourage the faithful to practise works of charity or mercy as often as they can, following the example of, and in obeying the commandment of Jesus Christ, as is listed for the second general concession of indulgence in the "Enchiridion Indulgentiarum".
This Decree has perpetual force, any provision to the contrary notwithstanding.
Archbishop Luigi De Magistris, Tit. Archbishop of Nova Major Pro-Penitentiary
19 For I through the law died to the law, that I might live in God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, the Christ died to no purpose.
-- Galatians 2:19
Brothers and sisters, we are saved by grace alone. It is by the grace of Jesus Christ we are saved. There is absolutely nothing we can do to 'earn our way to heaven'.
Did you go to confession over the past weekend? What are you doing to accept or reject God's forgiveness?
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For further study, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Salvation and Justification:
654The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life. This new life is above all justification that reinstates us in God's grace, "so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Justification consists in both victory over the death caused by sin and a new participation in grace. It brings about filial adoption so that men become Christ's brethren, as Jesus himself called his disciples after his Resurrection: "Go and tell my brethren." We are brethren not by nature, but by the gift of grace, because that adoptive filiation gains us a real share in the life of the only Son, which was fully revealed in his Resurrection.
In our most recent RCIA meeting, team member David shared about a recent episode of CBS News' "60 Minutes". He spoke about a rape victim who was certain the police arrested the right man who was sentenced to prison and served more than a decade. She was horribly mistaken and many years later, she meets with the man she hated for so long for a crime he did not commit. I'll let you watch the episode yourself embedded below in two parts. Please pardon the commercial at the beginning of the videos.
We must forgive others before God will forgive us. Sometimes the hardest 'other' to forgive is ourselves. When we partake of the Sacrament of Confession, God forgives our contrite heart fully. Do you freely accept His forgiveness and forgive yourself or do you tend to carry your past around with you in order to punish yourself? Is there someone who hurt you in the past and you just cannot let the anger and pain go? How would you feel if God was as unforgiving as you may be? Whatever your sins, do not despair. Remember that you are a child of God. A father helping a child learn to walk does not punish the toddler when he falls. To the contrary, he helps the child up and encourages him once again. God is such a father yet unlike human parents, He has an infinite amount of patience. Just a few things for you to ponder as you prepare for confession - no matter how long it has been since your last. Just go.
Self-Mortification. Are you beginning to sweat yet? A touch of nausea perhaps? No, I'm not talking about self-flagellation methods such as kneeling on marbles or beating yourself with a stick. I won't comment about those practices but I would like to help you focus on how mortification brings you closer to Christ AND what you can do without leaving physical wounds on yourself. First, you need to understand that this isn't about causing great suffering for yourself because you are just so darn sinfully rotten. It is about setting aside our human tendency to be selfish. For most of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we make some very narcissistic decisions throughout the day. For example, when the alarm clock goes off, many of us hit the snooze button. Sometimes many, many times. If we were truly into this whole mortification 'thing', we would simply turn off the alarm and rise. Think of making that doctor appointment you keep putting off or that medical test that is rather unpleasant; saying 'no thanks' to the cheese for our burger that we already know is plenty unhealthy; adding a few extra steps on our walk even though it means passing our destination and turning back again; you kept wanting to attend Mass or adoration during the week but just failed to carve out the time. Our will is much like a muscle which grows very flabby without exercise.
If you can set aside your own will, God's will can be done. Sounds like the makings of a great new life in Christ.
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The Importance of Regular Hospital Visits: Yes, we're supposed to visit the sick but what if you are the one who is sick? What if you have an illness that is obviously not going away with over-the-counter medication and treatment? You may not need the Emergency Room but certainly you need some further assistance than what you can get at home. Medical doctors have years of training and some amazing new gadgets to help diagnose most every physical ailment imaginable. The one thing that an M.D. cannot do is lead you to eternal life. This life may be pretty good, but when it ends - it ends.
A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints. -- L.L. Nash
If you take your child to the ER at the local hospital because he has a broken limb, do you allow the doctor to only pack the arm in cotton and wrap it but forbid the doctor to put on a cast? Of course not. You want that child to receive all of the treatment necessary for full healing of the affected limb.
You may attend Mass according to Church precepts and maybe even attend daily Mass. How often do you go to confession? Perhaps you usually attend Mass on Sundays but think you are generally a good person. How often do you go to confession? Does your soul look like a mirror image of your home? Your basement? Your garage? Under the seats in your car?
So many times I have people tell me that they really don't do anything sinful and that the Church requires we only confess once a year. Imagine only cleaning your floors once a year - even if you are never home and have no pets. Sounds kind of like sloppy housekeeping to me.
Know the difference and requirements for a sin to be mortal or venial. You cannot receive the Eucharist if you are guilty of mortal sin. Though venial sins do not need to be confessed to a priest as they are forgiven through prayer, the use of Sacramentals and receiving the Eucharist, why not do it anyway? I think of it this way: though God has forgiven me of my venial sins already, the thought of them - the clutter of them - lingers in my mind and in my actions. Mother Angelica once used the analogy of venial sin being like drops of water into a cup. One drop adds to more and eventually you have a cup running over. Just like the dust in your home. If you were to let it go for long, the dust would soon be a colony of dust bunnies.
I will post more on confession in an upcoming entry. I'll offer you some tips on preparing for confession, provide links to a good examination of conscience and hopefully inspire you to get rid of some dust bunnies.
God bless you. He loves you so very, very much. As always, your comments are always welcome and appreciated.
A typical example of a 19th century anti-Catholic flyer
At the risk of being redundant, I am drawn to share my own commentary in regard to what 'gets us to heaven' and the current state of souls all around us. I must confess, I am feeling a mix of emotions and anger tends to flash in my mind when thinking of the most recent findings as stated in the 'Pew Study'. I am working on myself with a great deal of help from the Lord, and am resisting the human tendency to be judgmental. Inside the confessional and out I have discerned when it is that I judge and when I am simply stating the facts. I will do my very best to stick to the facts in my commentary, as difficult as it may be.
I have encountered an immense amount of anti-Catholicism over the last few years while visiting 'Christian' online forums. In my personal life, I never really encountered disdain for my Faith before. Certainly, I had heard jokes (and often laughed right along with many of them) from time to time and heard comments shared in a jovial way by friends who were not Catholic. Much of what I ever encountered was by kind, well-intentioned people who honestly did not know much about Catholicism except for what they perhaps had seen on television or from watching "The Bells of St. Mary's". In the forums I speak of, there are many who just do not understand the faith, and for them I feel a great deal of compassion most of the time. I personally find that the people who are the most vicious and say the most hurtful things are those who refer to themselves as 'ex-Catholics'.
When discussing Catholicism and defending attacks from every conceivable angle, I found myself puzzled as to where the picture they had of Catholicism had come from. When posting one particular thread topic, I asked ex-Catholics to please share their faith history and particular points in their lives as Catholics. Some of the questions I sought answers for were:
Were you a priest or other religious?
Did you receive all of the Sacraments of Initiation?
Were you an altar server, Lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?
How often did you attend Mass?
How often did you frequent the confessional?
Did you believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist?
My memory fades and I don't recall all of the questions, but you get the idea. I gave up visiting the forum I speak of for Lent and will not visit it in order to lend more accuracy here. Sadly, propelled by their own agenda(s), the administration of the forum moved my post to another less frequently visited forum. Thankfully, some folks provided some very heartfelt answers prior to the move. Some of the comments which stood out to me were:
Some only went to confession as their 'Easter duty', others rarely and one gentleman said he only made his first confession as a child (was also an altar server) and never went again
Most attended Mass every week and sadly many said they 'felt' absolutely nothing
Many shared that they went through all of the 'motions' but did not know the reasons Catholics do what we do
Nearly all of them had these things in common: they had no biblical knowledge whatsoever, were poorly catechized and were 'bored' at Mass
A common thing shared was that the priests seemed to be distant and lacked the excitement and charisma they wished was present in the Catholic Church
Another observation I have made is that most of the people who identify themselves as 'ex-Catholics' on the non-Catholic forum fervently attack things that Catholic Doctrine is very clear on such as:
Marriage is forever
Jesus Christ is fully present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist
Artificial birth control is never acceptable
We must never profane our bodies, or treat them or that of another with disrespect
I have some very frank and pointed questions to pose to you, dear reader. Do you agree with ALL Church teachings? If you do not, does the fault lie with the Church or does it sit squarely within you? G. K. Chesterton very wisely said: "We do not really want a religion that is right where we are right. What we want is a religion that is right where we are wrong." I have noticed the following:
People who use artificial birth control never say that it is wrong.
People who are divorced don't say that it is wrong.
People who prefer to sleep in on Sunday and forgo Mass attendance rarely say that it is wrong.
People who co-habitate never say that it is wrong
One can apply the same principle above to any number of subjects. I myself was away from the Church for a period during my 20s. Making a long story short and saving my reversion story for another entry, I will state it plainly. I was not confirmed as a teen, my family no longer attended church, I went to Mass infrequently, I married outside of the Church yet I longed constantly for what I knew I missed. I felt that I was not worthy and that none of my sins could possibly be forgiven. I ached to receive Jesus in the Eucharist and yet knew that it was wrong to receive Him unworthily. I rationalized and convinced myself that it was not I that was in error, but my perceived stubbornness of the Church. People can rationalize all they want, but it does not make it the truth. I lied to myself. The ONLY truth is Jesus Christ. WE place hurdles in front of us and WE place barriers before us.
Imagine the Father watching so many of His children continuing to fall and never accepting the offering of His Holy hand! He knocks and yet we ignore the rap on the door of our hearts! Hindsight shows me that I believed I knew better than He and that I would carry my 'garbage' around with me like some sort of warped image of a trophy. That heap of 'trash' vanished in the confessional on one Saturday long ago. Honestly, the air seems to be a whole lot fresher around me now! :)
Why are people leaving the Church? What can we do about it? How can we instill a love for the Lord and the Church He began in the hearts of our children and grandchildren? Is this the responsibility of the clergy or does some of it lie with the laypersons to do something about it? Do we expect to be entertained at Mass or do we make a true personal sacrifice on the altar? Do we roll our eyes and think uncharitable thoughts about someone immersed in sin or do we pray for them fervently? Do we go beyond evangelizing by example or do we hope that our actions will spread the Gospel? Do we expect to be forgiven more quickly and completely than we afford the same generosity to others?
Show me your hands. Do they have scars from giving? Show me your feet. Are they wounded in service? Show me your heart. Have you left a place for divine love? Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Peace and Love of the Lord Jesus to each of you, dear readers. Pray for yourself, pray for those who are out of the fold, pray for one another.
Dominus vobiscum.
UPDATE: I just received this in my inbox from Catholic Culture and I don't believe in coincidence. ;)
Most of us are all too painfully aware that the Church has been suffering a grave illness for at least the past forty years. In the larger culture, there has been a revolution of increasing secularism and especially sexual license, and many priests and bishops have expressed considerable confusion (to put it mildly) about Catholic doctrine, moral teaching, and spirituality.
In some countries, including our own, there have also been widespread scandals, which have revealed to all who were not yet aware that something is wrong. Many of us have been in the Catholic trenches throughout this entire period of upheaval. Almost as many of us have experienced the reluctance of our bishops to act decisively for the good of souls.
All this and more is documented in Phil Lawler's riveting case study, The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston's Catholic Culture. As you probably know, Phil is the founder and director of Trinity Communications' Catholic World News Service. His remarkable and fascinating book was published a few weeks ago by Encounter. I highly recommend it in this week's column: Why the Faithful Departed, and How to Get Them Back.
*As a side note, if you think you may be interested in apologetics and would like to join other Catholics in an on-line ministry of sorts explaining and defending the Catholic faith, please contact me privately and I will direct you to the forum(s) discussed. I do not wish to link there directly from this blog. If you can read this print, you don't need glasses. :) God bless!
Confession is not easy. Certainly, it is not complicated and the process is actually quite straightforward. Facing the state of your soul and uttering the words out loud is the hurdle so many allow to be a barrier to the Confessional. There is no 'easy button' when you enter the Confessional. In preparation, your conscience pains you as you go over what you have done and what you have failed to do. Parched, your soul longs for freedom from the bonds of sin. Millions of our brothers and sisters - perhaps you, Dear Reader - avoid the confessional because of excuses they place before themselves. Some believe that the hours are inconvenient. Perhaps others had a bad experience once and refuse to ever go again. Maybe they think that God will never forgive them or perhaps they believe the sins to be too embarrassing to mention. Others simply don't remember how to make a confession and are afraid to appear foolish. Believe it or not, there are anonymous online confession websites. Why? Because people cannot bear the weight of their actions - or inaction - any longer and cannot or do not avail themselves to the Sacrament. 
