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INTENTION : |
We pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
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Pope Benedict to Clergy: The New Evangelisation Begins in the Confessional
The new evangelisation begins in the confessional. The Sacraments and the proclamation of the Word must never be conceived as separate.
The celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is itself a proclamation and a path that must be travelled in the work of the new evangelisation.
First of all, the New Evangelisation draws its lifeblood from the holiness of the Church's children, from the daily journey of personal and community conversion to be ever more closely conformed to Christ.
Then there is a close connection between holiness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, witnessed by all the saints of history.
The real conversion of our hearts, which means opening ourselves to God's transforming and renewing action, is the "driving force" of every reform and is expressed in a real evangelising effort.
In Confession, through the freely bestowed action of Divine Mercy, repentant sinners are justified, pardoned and sanctified. They abandon their former selves to be reclothed in the new.
The consciousness of one's own sinful condition helps one realise the need for "openness of heart" to God who is close to the sinner. "In His mercy, He awaits the human person involved in sin, to heal his weakness with the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation which is always a ray of hope for the world.
The people who come to Confession do so precisely as sinners who realise their need to change and their need for God's mercy. And the priests who hear people's confessions and administer the Sacrament will be involved in as many 'new beginnings' as there are penitents.
For this reason the New Evangelisation begins in the confessional! In the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the faithful have a real experience of that Mercy which Jesus of Nazareth, Lord and Christ has given to us. The faithful themselves will become credible witnesses of that holiness which is the aim of New Evangelisation.
"This is my hope for each one of you, priests may the newness of Christ always be the centre and reason for your priestly existence, so that those who meet you through your ministry may exclaim as did Andrew and John' we have found the Messiah' (John 1:41).
In this way, every Confession, from which each Christian will emerge renewed, will be a step ahead in the New Evangelization.
May Mary, Mother of Mercy, Refuge for us sinners and Star of the New Evangelisation, accompany us on our way.
Pope Benedict XVI
L'Ossevatore Romano
(21 March 2012)
Pope Francis' memorable quotes about why Catholics should go to Confession:
There's been lots of anecdotal evidence of a boom in people going to Confession because of what Pope Francis has been saying about it.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation, said he repeatedly hears reports from priests that "a lot of people have been going to confession and many have said that while they hadn't gone in a long time, they felt touched by the words of Pope Francis."
Msgr Krzysztof Nykiel the regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary said that the four papal basilicas and churches around the Vatican are "full of people who are asking for confession and for dedicating time for prayer," particularly on a Wednesday general audience day and the day of the Sunday Angelus.
"They are coming to confession with greater confidence and a sincere spirit of repentance," the Msgr said.
The Pope has been emphasising the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation because "God's mercy is at the heart of the Gospel message," the Monsignor said.
"Jesus came to save those who are lost," and the Pope wants all men and women to know that conversion and salvation are always possible at any time in life.
Pope Francis' top ten reasons to go to Confession - The Sacrament of Reconciliation
- Confession helps people feel shame for the wrong they have done and embraces them with God's love so that they know they are forgiven and can go out strengthened in the battle to avoid sin in the future.
- But if a person, whether a layperson, priest or sister, goes to Confession and converts, the Lord forgives. And when the Lord forgives, he forgets. This is important.
- The confessional is not a dry cleaning place, a business of sorts that washes out the stain of sin.
- When the door of our hearts starts to close a bit because of our weakness and sins, confession reopens it.
- I can't be baptised two or three or four times, but I can go to confession, and when I go to confession, I renew that grace of baptism.
- The confessional is not a torture chamber where you'll be raked over the coals.
- Confession is an encounter with Jesus, whose 'mercy motivates us to do better.'
- It's not a psychiatric session that neglects the question of sin or a mental email to God that avoids the face-to-face encounter with the Lord through the priest.
- The open and humble admission of one's weaknesses, of having sinned shows that the power of salvation comes from God, not of oneself.
- Confession is my going to praise God because I - a sinner - has been saved by Him. God always waits, always forgives 'with tenderness'.
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