Confession

The following article on Confession, is from a recent The CatholiCity Message email (Volume XIV, Number 2). We thought it worthy of reproducing it here:

Allow us to be direct: if you are a Catholic who is serious about pleasing God, growing in holiness, and serving the people who depend on your virtue, then you should be going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently. "Frequent Confession," to use the old phrase, translates into going at least once or twice a month, if not every week. This is normal.

This advice is not given lightly. Digest this: you simply cannot be holy without going to Confession frequently. The saints went frequently. Certain popes have been known to go nearly every day. The graces available in Confession, and the unique psychological dynamic of the sacrament itself (as Jesus no doubt designed it), are absolutely necessary for making "course corrections" in your spiritual life between Confessions. That is, this sacrament allows you to discern the "internal" reasons why you fall into sin as you prepare for your next Confession, and these insights often come in very sophisticated and nuanced ways. This is both practical (frequent "evaluation" along with knowledge of a future "evaluation" encourages greater insight) and supernatural (the Holy Spirit will ~show you~ where you need to improve and how make adjustments).

Unfortunately, in recent decades, the scandalous liberal zeitgeist has made finding a priest and place to go to Confession more difficult. Do not fret, however, because most dioceses have Confessions every day at their cathedrals or at Poor Clare and other monasteries. Those of us who are old hats at frequent Confession eventually figure out where the good priests and opportunities are found. You can always schedule Confession with a trustworthy priest. And if you have an Opus Dei center in your area, their priests are well known for craving being available. Turn off the car radio and take a longer drive to get there--with the bonus of having more time to prepare.

Virtually every person who has been going frequently for decades understands these things, and how necessary the sacrament is for growth in virtue, if not holiness, especially when combined with the only known "cures" for habitual sinfulness such as fasting, reparation, and contemplative prayer. Your life will surely change substantially, if not gradually, as you pile up twenty-five to fifty Confessions every year, decade after decade.

In short, if you are not praying (talking to Jesus) and receiving Communion as often as practical (consuming Jesus), and going to Confession (repenting with Jesus), then you are not really making a good faith attempt to be holy. If so, you are floating through life, and your orthodox beliefs will not change this.

We have often referred to Confession as an intimate "whispering" into the ear of Christ through the priest--a direct encounter with Jesus unlike anything else. Let us imagine that you are, ahem, pretty old--let us say you are fifty years old--and that you shall live for another twenty-five years, and further, that will go to Confession every week. That adds up to over 1300 life-altering meetings with Jesus. Compare that to the person who goes only once or twice a year.

Saint John Vianney, Patron of Parish Priests, transformed his parish by hearing Confessions every day, all day long, while fasting around 300 days a year for those who went to him in this sublime sacrament.

We have only scratched the surface on Confession. It has enormous value as a healing sacrament, as well, along with many other benefits.

In this regard, our parent organization, the Mary Foundation, has two free excellent talks on this subject: "Confession" by Fr. Larry Richards, and "Healing and Holiness" by Vinny Flynn. If you have not heard them, or have not heard them recently, order copies today, for yourself, for those you love, and for people at your parish who otherwise will continue to neglect or remain ignorant of this Sacrament (and risk eternal damnation) unless you take action:

https://secure.catholicity.com/cds/