Straight Answers from Fr. William Saunders

Confession: What, Why and How

I have heard the priests of my parish encouraging us to go to confession during Lent. I admit I have not been to confession in years because I am not sure I know how to go to confession. With all the changes that occurred in the '60s, would you please review how to go to confession?

— A reader in Alexandria

The Second Vatican Council did decree that "the rite and formulas of penance are to be revised in such a way that they may more clearly express the nature and effects of this sacrament" (Sacrosanctum Concilium No.721). Accordingly, the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship issued "The Rite of Penance" in 1973. The new rite did add options for prayers, provide for a reading of Sacred Scripture, and introduce "penance services" with private confessions. Nevertheless the norms stipulated, "It is for priests, and especially parish priests in reconciling in individuals or the community, to adapt the rite to the concrete circumstances of the penitents" (No. 40). Therefore, on a Saturday afternoon with a line of penitents waiting for confession, the parish priest may follow a more "streamlined" version of the rite, which would include by custom the traditional format for confession.

With that in mind, a person begins with a good examination of conscience. We need to hold up our life to the pattern of life God has revealed for us to live. For instance, we take time to reflect on the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the precepts of the Church, and the virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice. (Several clear, simple pamphlets with an examination of conscience may be purchased at the Daughters of St. Paul Bookstore in Alexandria.)

The examination of our conscience is like stepping back and looking at the picture of our life in comparison to the masterpiece of life revealed by God. Remember when we were children, we used to trace pictures. Tracing helped us learn to draw. We would take a piece of plain paper, hold it over the original picture and then put it up to the window. The light would enable us to trace the original picture onto our blank sheet of paper.. Periodically, we had to stop and step back to see if our paper had slipped and was out of kilter with the original or if we had deviated from the lines.

In a similar way, as we live our lives, we are tracing them in accord with God's pattern of life. In examining our consciences, we step back and honestly assess how well we fit God's pattern and have stayed within His boundaries. At this time, we reflect on the progress we have made since our last confession in dealing with weaknesses, faults, temptations and past sins. Hopefully, we see improvement in our spiritual well-being. However, when we have gone out of kilter or gone out of bounds with God's masterpiece, we have sinned. We must recognize the venial sins — those lighter sins which weaken our relationship with the Lord, from the mortal sins — those sins which sever our relationship with the Lord and "kill" the presence of sanctifying Grace in our souls. Here we remember the words of Jesus, "Everyone who practices evil hates the light; he does not come near it for fear his deeds will be exposed. But he who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God" (John 3:20-21).

Given this examination of conscience, we have contrition for our sins. While we are sorry for sin because we do fear the fires of Hell and the loss of Heaven, and the just punishments of God, we are sorry most of all because our sins offend God, Whom we should love above all things. The love for God moves us to repent of sin and seek reconciliation. Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II go to confession once a week. One must ask, "Why? What sins do these two living saints possibly commit?'' They love the Lord so much that even the slightest omission or commission moves them to confession. They do not want even the slightest sin to separate them from the love of God. For love of God, we too are sorry for our sins.

Sorrow for sin moves us to have a firm amendment not to sin again. We probably will sin again, but we try not to do so. We do not plan on leaving the confessional and committing the same sins again.

We then confess our sins. In the parish setting, we stand in line, which is a humbling experience. Three weeks ago I was at St. Dominic's for confession, and I ran into two parishioners from St. John, one from our Lady of Lourdes, and one from Queen of Apostles — that is a humbling experience. Even so, we remember we are all sinners striving to do better and to get to heaven.

When we enter the confessional in most churches, we have the option of remaining anonymous or facing the priest. Whichever option a person chooses, always remember that whatever is said during the confession is held in secret by the priest.

Remember also that we confess to the priest for three reasons: First, the priest has the authority of the apostles by virtue of his ordination. On the night of the resurrection, Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men's sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound" (John 20:2223). The priest is the minister of the sacrament acting in the person of Christ.

Second, he is the spiritual father. Just as we see a doctor for healing when we are physically sick, we see a priest when our soul is sick and needs healing.

Third, the priest represents the Church and the people we have sinned against. In the early days of the Church, people publicly confessed sin at the beginning of Mass and were absolved. Much to our relief, for centuries now we have had private confession.

We proceed by making the sign of the cross and saying, "Bless me father for I have sinned." One could also simply begin, "In the name of the Father…" We should then state when we made our last confession; "It has been (so long) since my last confession."

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