Letter from the Pastor
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December 18, 2022Once in every seven years we get to celebrate the entire Advent Season. Today begins the last full week of Advent with all the final beautiful readings of Late Advent, the prayers of the Mass and final preparations before Christmas.One of the greatest ways of preparing for the coming of Christ is preparing our souls for Christmas. This Advent, as during last Lent, the priests of the Archdiocese of New York are going to be opening every church and chapel to welcome back Catholics to the sacrament of confession:
Tomorrow, Monday, December 19th,
from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and again from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
During the Season of Advent, the Church encourages us to prepare with joy to receive Christ on Christmas and also to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ. We are reminded that we don’t know the day or the hour when the Lord will come for us. We want to be prepared. Making a good confession regularly is one of the many steps we can take to try to be ready.
Please make plans to come and invite others to take advantage of this great opportunity to be reconciled with and begin anew a journey in faith before the Christmas Season. I encourage all of our parishioners to go to confession. Our children in our PREP program and our School have been receiving the Sacrament over the past few weeks.
When was the last time you were forgiven by God, the Church, yourself? It is only when we experience forgiveness, can we begin to forgive others. Only when we live a life of forgiveness can we have the strength to forgive others who have hurt our family or us.
Many people have avoided celebrating the Sacrament of Penance, sometimes for years at a time, because they "don't know what to do." Some are afraid of going “face-to-face”. You always have the opportunity to confess anonymously, and since COVID, with keeping a safe distance, we do not offer face-to face.Preparation
Before going to confession, examine your life since the last time of confession; begin by asking for God and the Holy Spirit’s help and prayerfully examining one’s actions in the light of Christ’s teaching and example. There are pamphlets to help you examine your conscience.
Going to Confession
The priest will welcome you and give you a blessing. You respond to that blessing by saying how long has it been since your last confession and indicate your state in life (single, married, widow).
Confession of Sins and the Act of Penance
Then confess your faults or sins. The sorrow a person feels for their sins is known as contrition and must include a resolve to sin no more and to avoid all future occasions of sin. The priest then offers advice to help the penitent then imposes an act of penance on the person. The penance may suitably take the form of prayer, self-denial, or service to one's neighbor and works of mercy. This action can serve to make up for the past, help the penitent begin a new life, and provide an antidote to the confessed weakness.
The Prayer of the Penitent
After this, the penitent prays the Act of Contrition. There is a card with the prayer written, in case you forgot the words.
Absolution by the Priest
Following this prayer, the priest extends his right hand, and pronounces the formula of absolution.
In this season that we prepare for the Child of Peace, it is our hope and prayer that all of our parishioners avail themselves to the beautiful sacrament of Confession. And let us pray for one another especially for those who have been away for some time. The good news is that a Catholic can always come home!
Don’t say to yourself on Christmas Day, “I should’ve been there.”
