CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENT OF FIRST PENANCE
"Don't be afraid to go to the sacrament of Confession, where you will meet Jesus who forgives you."
Pope Francis
Pope Francis
When we receive the Sacrament of Penance, God forgives us.
We meet Jesus and receive His peace.
We meet Jesus and receive His peace.
Admitting that we have sinned against God is a sad and sometimes hard or embarrassing thing for us to do, it is also very joyful when we are reunited through grace with our heavenly Father.
The Steps to a Good Confession
There is nothing that you could ever say or do that our good Lord would not forgive. If you follow the Steps to a Good Confession, the Lord will most truly forgive ANY and ALL of your sins.
- Know Your Sins. (Prayerfully look at how you have spoken or behaved by Examining Your Conscience.)
- Be Truly Sorry for Your Sins.
- Decide Not to Sin again.
- Tell Your Sins to a Priest in the Sacrament of Penance . (The Priest Forgives Me in the Name of Jesus.)
- Do the Penance the Priest Gives You, Right Away. (CCC 1451, 1454, 1456, 1459-60)
A Few Important Things to Remember
Only God can forgive your sins. Jesus is coming to you through the priest that is hearing your confession. The priest takes the place of Jesus. When we confess our sins, it is Jesus who is listening to us, hearing us, and forgiving us. The priest will not remember who you are and what sins you said. He is merely there for the Lord to work through.
Not everyone feels the same before, during or after confession. Do not be concerned with what the other children in the class are doing. This is a special time for you to become closer to God. Simply concentrate on yourself having a good confession.
Come well prepared for your special time with God. This can be done with a gentle examination of your conscience. By asking yourself what you might have done that could have offended or hurt God, yourself, or others, you will be completely ready for this special event. If you are nervous about forgetting some of the things you want to confess to the priest, it is all right to write your sins down in a list to take in with you into the confessional. Don't show it to anyone else, and be sure to throw it away when you are finished. We wouldn't want to keep reminders of sin around.
How to Celebrate the Sacrament of First Penance
The "Order of First Penance Role Play" will help your child better understand the Rite. Practice role playing the parts with your child to help them celebrate the Sacrament of Penance for the first time with ease and confidence. God is happy when we stop hurting ourselves and others with our sins and when we choose to live lives of love and generosity.
