Going to Confession
The Canon of the Catholic Church obliges every member of the Christian faithful, after having reached the age of discretion, to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year (C.989). However, frequent confession is encouraged, as through the sacrament of reconciliation, the penitent receives grace by which to overcome their sins.
During confession, the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number mortal sins committed after baptism of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience (Can.988). In order for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions:
- It must be of grave matter,
- Committed with full knowledge of the sinner,
- Committed with deliberate consent of the sinner.
The confession of venials sins, though not required, is very much encouraged so that we may receive the grace through the sacrament to overcome our weaknesses and grow in holiness.
It is always left to the discretion of the penitent whether to receive the sacrament anonymously or face to face.
St. Alphonsus Confession Schedule
[Examination of Conscience, Prayer Before Confession, Act of Contrition]
Preparation for First Confession Children are required to prepare first for the sacrament of Confession before receiving first Eucharist. This program begins in early October and culminates with their first confession at the Advent Penance Service. There is no fee for sacramental preparation.
To be eligible for enrollment, a child must age 7 and above and be in 2nd grade or above. The Archdiocese also requires that the child receive a minimum of one year of religious education prior to enrollment for First Confession/First Eucharist preparation classes. This may be fulfilled by being enrolled in a Catholic school, or attending CCD classes.
[Download Enrollment Form] [Download the Schedule]
Please contact Tim Simunds for more information, (206) 784-6464