The World of Grandpa Don

I heard another story about one of the big stumbling blocks to a person becoming Catholic or ... being one, practicing the faith. I understand because I was a victim of the misinformation and misunderstanding of Catholic Confession for many years. As grade school students we were marched off to the church each week for this ordeal of reciting the long list of our sins, fearing that an omission of just one would damn us to hell. Oops, I just said damn and hell ... that's two of them! The fact is that much of the misinformation was perpetuated by the priests and nuns, albeit in pious sincerity, and the rest was based in long traditions among the lay people. The Vatican II Council has done much to reform the sacrament but tradition is hard to buck.

Some still contend that one must go to confession prior to receiving Communion. The fact is that we are not to receive Communion if in a state of SERIOUS sin. For most of us, our daily foibles do not constitute really serious matters. Those things are absolved in the penitential rite near the beginning of mass. Others believe that we are required to go to confession at least once a year. This missbelief stems from the requirement that we are required to receive Communion at least once a year and that must be during the Easter season. (That rule stems from the belief during the middle ages that the average person was unworthy of receiving communion and people did not recieve at all.)

The fact is that other than the need to be reconciled to God if we have committed a sin which is serious enough to separate us from him, there is no rule or regulation demanding the reception of the sacrament. And so, we now name it the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Of course there is merit in availing ourselves of the opportunity to be come reconciled to God even if our transgressions are minor. Frequent minor offences need to be acknowledged and help sought to overcome bad habits. There is the therapeutic value of admitting our faults if nothing else.

After being away from the sacrament for longer than I care to admit, a great load was lifted from my mind when I finally did go and the priest, as commissioned by Jesus, told me that he "Absolved me of ALL my sins"  You can learn more about this grace giving sacrament on the St Julie web site. See Reconciliation.  On occasion I find the first form of the sacrament, visiting the priest face to face as the friend he is, as a great help if need to spend some time on a particular problem. However, I usually avail myself of the second form of Reconciliation when offered in the parish during Advent and Lent of each year.  But there is never a long list of sins. God and the priest know we all are imperfect and they are sick and tired of that list. We just discuss the thing that is causing the greatest problem for me and the rest is included by reference. And ... you would be surprised at how nice it is after being accused and corrected at work, play and home to have someone say, "I forgive you" ... and mean it!