Receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation
There are many steps involved in the process of receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation after all your preparation. They include:
- Take the time to think of all the sins you have committed since you can remember. Think about your love towards your parents, siblings, God, teachers, friends, family, others and yourself.
- Enter the reconciliation room, kneel or sit in front of the priest, or behind a screen if you wish.
- The priest then greats you and invites you to make the sign of the cross and have trust in God.
- The next step included admitting that you have done wrong by saying, “Bless me father for I have sinned. It has been about ______ since my last confession.”
- You then proceed to tell the priest your sins.
- The priest will then reply by asking you to perform a penance which can be an act of kindness, prayer or both.
- The priest will then ask you to express your sorrow and regret by saying the Act of Contrition, “O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.”
- You then receive absolution.Priest: “I absolve you from your sins in the name if the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Your response, “Amen”
- The Priest then dismisses you, “Go in peace.” You then thank Father and go to perform your penance.