Reconciliation

Receive God’s infinite mercy and love.

A sacrament of healing.

SACRAMENT SCHEDULE

For First Reconciliation:
 Preparation is included in the 2nd grade curriculum. However, there is a prerequisite: your child must have attended faith formation classes during the previous school year. For interested students in 3rd grade or higher, or those not meeting the prior year of faith formation requirement, please contact our director of Religious Education using the “Faith Formation” page.

PARISH OFFICE CONTACT

Saturdays: 8:30 – 9:30 AM (St. Joseph)
Mondays: 4:00 – 4:45 PM (St. Peter)

or by appointment (please call the parish office to schedule an appointment).

SAINT JOSEPH PARISH OFFICE:
(845) 481-4560 and dial 9

SAINT PETER PARISH OFFICE:
 (845) 658-3117

examination of conscience
faith formation

MORE ABOUT THE SACRAMENT

A Sacrament of Healing

Reconciliation is a Sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ in his love and mercy to offer us forgiveness for the times we have sinned and turned away from God. At the same time, we are reconciled with the Church because it is also wounded by our sins. Every time we sin, we hurt ourselves, other people and God.


In Reconciliation, we acknowledge our sins before God and the Church. We express our sorrow, receive the forgiveness of Christ and his Church, make reparation for what we have done, and resolve to do better in the future.

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"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion." (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1422)

The key elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation include:

  • Contrition: True sorrow for the sins committed and a firm resolve not to sin again.
  • Confession: Telling your sins out loud to an ordained priest.
  • Penance: A specific prayer or action assigned by the priest to help repair the damage caused by sin.
  • Absolution: The prayer spoken by the priest, who is acting in the person of Christ, forgiving the person’s sin.

THE CHURCH THUS TEACHES:
The Church has the power to forgive all sins. This forgiveness of sins is a true sacrament instituted by Christ, different from baptism, particularly on account of its judicial form. Sins are forgiven only by the sacrament of penance. Sins are forgiven by absolution which can only be given by an authorized priest. It is a real judicial pardon. The Church has the power to reserve certain cases.

On the part of the sinner contrition, confession and satisfaction are required. Contrition is aversion to the sins committed. Perfect contrition remits sin even before confession if it is joined with the intention to confess. Imperfect contrition (attrition) is sufficient if there is confession, and is a good and salutary thing.

Confession must cover all mortal sins committed since baptism and not previously confessed. Venial sins, and sins already confessed can validly be confessed. And satisfaction. The effect of the sacrament is reconciliation with God, that is, the remission of sins and the eternal punishment but not all the temporal punishment.

Source: Catholic Online