Sacrament of Reconciliation
Interior repentance
is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a
conversion to God with all of our heart, an end of sin, a
turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions
we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and
resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and
trust in the help of his grace (Catechism of the Catholic
Church, #1431.).
This conversion of
heart is what Jesus Christ calls us to in our every day living.
It is he who forgives our sins and asks us to be faithful to
him. In this way, our priests have been given the grace by
Christ himself to assist him in forgiving the sins of the
people:
“On the evening of
that day, the first day of the week, Jesus Showed himself to his
apostles. 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,
22-23)
Since Christ
entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation,
bishops who are their successors, and priests, the bishops’
collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry. Indeed
bishops and priests, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders,
have the power to forgive all sins “in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Catechism of the
Catholic Church, #1461)They are Christ’s visible instrument
for the people in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
All are invited to
participate in the Sacrament; although, are not obligated.
Students are encouraged to participate in the Sacrament through
their Religion classes. However, students may request the
Sacrament at any given time during the academic year. Parents
are invited to partake in the Sacrament by contacting the Campus
Ministry office to schedule a time with our Chaplain.
The Sacrament is
scheduled on our Master Calendar two times during the academic
year:
-
December
8-12, 2008: Advent Season
-
March 16-19,
2009: Lenten Season
