Reconciliation

Sin is a reality of life.  No one is without it. It may be the wrong that we have done, or it maybe the good that we failed to do.  Sin damages our relationships – with God, with others, and ourselves.  Fortunately, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, one of the two Sacraments of Healing, is available to us.  People have come to this sacrament bringing their burdens of sins, and have received the healing forgiveness of our God.  

To receive sacramental forgiveness, we must confess our sins to a priest and be absolved. The most difficult step is simply to begin. After that, all you need to do is be perfectly honest. If you are nervous, the easiest thing is to say, "Father, I am very nervous. It has been a long time. Can you help me?" If something has been on your mind for a long time, perhaps something that should have been mentioned in confession years ago, begin with that. If you have done something that is serious and seems unforgivable to you, mention it in confession and know it is forgiven. There is no sin that is unforgivable, and there is very little a priest has not already heard.

At the Newman Centre, there are formal times for Confession every Friday afternoon from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel. There are also two major Reconciliation services held each year, once in Advent, once in Lent, in which a number of priests are present.  Please note that confessions are also heard at any time in the Centre, but please do contact Fr. Chris Cauchi in advance using the contact form.

Teachings of Pope Benedict VXI on the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

• "In the Sacrament of Penance, the Crucified and Risen Christ purifies us through his ministers with his infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and with our brothers and sisters, and makes us a gift of his love, his joy, and his peace." (Feb. 15, 2009)
   
• "When one insists solely on the accusation of sins - which must nevertheless exist and it is necessary to help the faithful understand its importance - one risks relegating to the background what is central, that is, the personal encounter with God, the Father of goodness and mercy. It is not sin which is at the heart of this sacramental celebration, but rather God's mercy, which is infinitely greater than any guilt of ours." (March 7, 2008)
   
• "Just as in the celebration of the Eucharist, he [Christ] places himself in the hands of the priest to continue to be present among his People, similarly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation he entrusts himself to the priest so that men and women may experience the embrace with which the father welcomes back the prodigal son, restoring his filial dignity, and fully re-establishing him as his heir (cf. Lk. 15: 11-32)." (March 11, 2010)
   
• "Let us not forget how many conversions and how many truly holy lives began in a confessional!" (March 25, 2011)
   
• "The New Evangelization draws its lifeblood from the holiness of the children of the church, from the daily journey of personal and community conversion in order to be ever more closely conformed to Christ. Then there is a close connection between holiness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation." (March 9, 2012)
   
• "In our time, marked by noise, distraction, and loneliness, the penitent's conversation with the confessor can be one of the few - if not the only - opportunities to be truly heard in-depth." (March 25, 2011)