Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing in which a sinner is reconciled to Christ and to the Church through the Lord's mercy. This is the sacrament that frees us from human weakness and the inclination to sin. Anyone who desires to be forgiven of their sins can go to Reconciliation. One must first examine his or her conscience before going to Reconciliation. This is done by thinking about and identifying all of the sins one must confess.
Form The form of Reconciliation is the words said by the minister as the sacrament is performed. In this case, a priest or bishop would say, "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
Matter The matter is the elements that are required for the sacrament. The matter of Reconciliation are the sins confessed, contrition, and the words of absolution.
Minister The minister of Reconciliation is the person that performs the rite of the sacrament. A priest or a bishop are the only people who can hear confession and absolve sins through Christ. The one who forgives our sins, however, is Jesus Christ himself.
Rite The receiver's confession of sins to the priest or bishop, then the Act of Contrition prayed by the recipient, and finally the absolution of sins from the minister.
First Reconciliation My first Reconciliation was in when I was in second grade at St. Rose of Lima. My teacher had been teaching and preparing my fellow classmates and I for Reconciliation for a few weeks. She taught us the Act of Contrition, and she also informed us that the priest would not be telling anyone else of our sins. When the day came, I was very nervous to confess my sins because I assumed that the priest would be judgmental. To my surprise, the priest was not judgmental at all and he was very calm and welcoming. I confessed all of my sins and he gave me the penance of two Hail Mary's.
Hours for Reconciliation at St. Rose of Lima Church Reconciliation is offered on Saturdays from 4:00-5:00 P.M., and on weekdays following the 9:00 A.M. Mass. There is also an option to schedule an appointment with a specific priest.