The Sacrament Of Penance And Reconciliation
(Confession)
Dans la Profession de foi chrétienne, nous proclamons : « Je crois en un seul baptême pour le pardon des péchés. » De fait, le baptême nous libère du mal qu’on a pu faire, du mal qui se loge en nous, en nous plongeant dans l’amour de Dieu qui nous a été manifesté en Jésus-Christ.
Mais, même après le baptême, nous faisons l’expérience tant de notre faiblesse que de l’attraction de ce que nous reconnaissons comme étant mal. Lorsque cette attraction domine sur nous et que nous ne réussissons pas à y résister, alors nous développons des attitudes et posons des gestes qui, nous le savons, contredisent notre baptême. Que faire alors?
Dans sa grande miséricorde, le Christ a prévu un ministère de guérison pour son Église. Selon l’évangile de Jean, le matin de sa résurrection Jésus est apparu aux Apôtres. « Il souffla sur eux et leur dit : “Recevez l’Esprit Saint; ceux à qui vous remettrez les péchés, ils leur seront remis.” »
Le sacrement de réconciliation et de pénitence, communément appelé confession, permet de renouveler la grâce de son baptême. En effet, lors du baptême, j’ai rejeté le mal (ou quelqu’un l’a fait en mon nom) avant d’être baptisé « au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit ». Dans la confession, je rejette le mal que je reconnais avoir commis – le péché – et je suis pardonné « au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit ».
“Le sacrement de la Réconciliation est un sacrement de guérison. Lorsque je vais me confesser, c’est pour être guéri, pour guérir mon âme, guérir mon cœur et ce que j’ai fait et qui ne va pas”. (Pape François)
Dans l’archidiocèse de Gatineau, on peut célébrer ce sacrement sous deux formes.
La forme individuelle consiste en une rencontre personnelle avec un prêtre. Les prêtres se rendent souvent disponibles pour ces rencontres avant les messes la semaine, parfois le dimanche. Ou ils prévoient des heures régulières pour ce sacrement et les affichent dans le bulletin paroissial. Ou encore, ils se rendent disponibles sur demande. Consultez votre paroisse pour plus d’information à ce sujet.
La forme communautaire consiste en une Liturgie de la Parole célébrée en groupe, suivie d’un temps de réflexion et de prière commune. Une brève rencontre avec un prêtre permet de nommer les péchés que nous reconnaissons avoir commis et recevoir l’absolution. On prend ensuite le temps de louer le Seigneur pour sa miséricorde. Ces célébrations communautaires sont souvent organisées pour des régions durant le temps de l’avent ou du carême, ou durant des retraites paroissiales. Encore là, vous pouvez consulter votre paroisse pour plus d’information.
In the Christian Profession of Faith, we proclaim: « I believe in only one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. » In fact, baptism frees us from the evil that we may have done, the evil that is in us, by plunging us into the love of God that was manifested to us through Jesus-Christ.
But, even after baptism, we may experience weakness as well as attraction towards things that we know are not good. When this attraction dominates us, and we are not able to resist it, we develop attitudes and do things that we know contradicts our baptism. What do we do then?
In his great mercy, Christ has provided a ministry of healing for his Church. According to the Gospel of John, the morning of his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles. « He breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” »
The sacrament of reconciliation and penitence, commonly called confession, allows us to renew the grace of our baptism. Indeed, during the baptism, I rejected evil, (or someone did it in my name), before being baptized « in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ». In confession, I reject the evil that I admit having done – sin – and I am pardoned « in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ».
“The sacrament of reconciliation is a sacrament of healing. When I go to confess myself, it’s to be healed, To heal my soul, heal my heart And what I have done and what is going wrong in my life.”
(Pope Francis)
In the Archdiocese of Gatineau, we can celebrate this sacrament under two formats.
The individual format consists of a personal meeting with a priest. The priests often make themselves available for these meetings before Masses during the week, and sometimes on Sundays. Or they plan regular hours for this sacrament, and they announce them in the parish bulletin. Or even, they make themselves available on demand. Consult your parish for more information on this subject.
The community format consists of a Liturgy of the Word celebrated as a group, followed by a period of reflection and communal prayer. A brief meeting with a priest allows us to name the sins that we admit having committed, and then receive absolution. We then take the time to praise the Lord for his mercy. These community celebrations are often organized for regions during Advent or Lent, or during parish retreats. Again, you can consult your parish for more information.
Here is a series of questions and answers
It is known by many other names, such as the sacrament of conversion, the sacrament of confession, the sacrament of forgiveness; and for the young people who are following a training course on the Christian life before celebrating their 1st Communion, it is often called the 1st Pardon.
Theoretically, starting at around age 8; however, it is possible to do it at any age, following an adequate preparation.
Yes, since it’s generally at around that age that the child starts to have the capacity to understand that bad things create blockages and paralyses that can only be undone by going through a process of forgiveness. The preparation received under the responsibility of a catechist will gradually bring the child to understand what the celebration is all about: an opportunity to receive pardon for our sins from a God who loves us. The meeting with God in this sacrament creates a new relationship between God and the person who receives the sacrament with faith.
In the Christian Profession of Faith, we proclaim: « I believe in only one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. » In fact, baptism frees us from the evil that we may have done, the evil that is in us, by plunging us into the love of God that was manifested to us through Jesus-Christ.
But, even after baptism, we may experience weakness as well as attraction towards things that we know are not good. When this attraction dominates us, and we are not able to resist it, we develop attitudes and do things that we know contradicts our baptism. What do we do then?
In his great mercy, Christ has provided a ministry of healing for his Church. According to the Gospel of John, the morning of his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the Apostles. « He breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” »
The sacrament of reconciliation and penitence, commonly called confession, allows us to renew the grace of our baptism. Indeed, during the baptism, I rejected evil, (or someone did it in my name), before being baptized « in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ». In confession, I reject the evil that I admit having done – sin – and I am pardoned « in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ».
“The sacrament of reconciliation is a sacrament of healing. When I go to confess myself, it’s to be healed, To heal my soul, heal my heart And what I have done and what is going wrong in my life.”
(Pope Francis)
In the Archdiocese of Gatineau, we can celebrate this sacrament under two formats.
The individual format consists of a personal meeting with a priest. The priests often make themselves available for these meetings before Masses during the week, and sometimes on Sundays. Or they plan regular hours for this sacrament, and they announce them in the parish bulletin. Or even, they make themselves available on demand. Consult your parish for more information on this subject.
The community format consists of a Liturgy of the Word celebrated as a group, followed by a period of reflection and communal prayer. A brief meeting with a priest allows us to name the sins that we admit having committed, and then receive absolution. We then take the time to praise the Lord for his mercy. These community celebrations are often organized for regions during Advent or Lent, or during parish retreats. Again, you can consult your parish for more information.
Here is a series of questions and answers
What are other names for the sacrament of reconciliation and penitence?
At what age do we generally invite a young Catholic to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time?
Are there specific reasons why this sacrament is proposed to children starting at age 8?
Must we have been baptized before we can present ourselves for the sacrament of reconciliation?
Yes, because it’s baptism that instills in the faithful a vocation to live a relationship with God, and reconciliation upgrades our love relationship with God.
Yes, and it is preferable that the preparation and the celebration of these two sacraments, 1st Pardon and 1st Communion, not be done simultaneously.
1) A reading from the Word of God where we discover His merciful love for us, in spite of our iniquities;
2) an act of contrition (regret);
3) an admission to the priest, minister of reconciliation;
4) absolution from the priest;
5) an act of penitence;
6) the decision to change (convert) something in one’s life.
Yes, its frequency is often linked with periods where people are going through hard times, and they feel the need to seek help.
The sacrament of penance and reconciliation
- Comment est appelé ce sacrement ?
- Pourquoi un sacrement de la réconciliation après le Baptême ?
- La conversion des baptisés
- La pénitence intérieure
- Les multiples formes de la pénitence dans la vie chrétienne
- Le sacrement de la pénitence et de la réconciliation
- Les actes du pénitent
- Le ministre de ce sacrement
- Les effets de ce sacrement
- Les indulgences
- La célébration du sacrement de pénitence