The saving mission of Jesus Christ is the reconciliation of humanity to God!  Through His Incarnation, ministry, preaching, miracles, institution of the Eucharist and ultimately His death on the cross and resurrection, Jesus offers every human person the gift of forgiveness and the promise of eternal life.  This powerful grace of Christ’s reconciliation has passed over into the sacraments; thus, baptism is the sacrament that fundamentally relates a person to the life of the Blessed Trinity and the communion of the Church.  The sacrament of Reconciliation restores us to that baptismal grace whenever we confess our sins to a priest and seek the forgiveness of Christ.  Truly, this sacrament is our “personal encounter with Jesus Christ and His Mercy”.  Jesus lovingly waits for us to visit Him in this sacrament of Mercy.

“the Father of mercies is the source of all forgiveness. He effects the reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit, through the prayer and ministry of the Church” (CCC 1449)  

“To a great extent, the renewal of the Church in America and throughout the world depends on the renewal of the practice of Penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes” 
Pope Benedict XVI , Washington D.C. , April 17, 2008

Archdiocese of Milwaukee, WI

Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki and Bishop Hying invite Catholics to live their faith and personally encounter Christ and His Mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

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Read Letter from the Archbishop - Click Here

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Join us for the following 2012 services in the Milwaukee area:

• Tuesday, March 6 - Milwaukee, WI

• Tuesday, March 13 - Genesse Depot, WI

• Tuesday, March 20 - Burlington, WI

• Tuesday, March 27 - Plymouth, WI

Click For More info

Church Documents and Papal Writings and Addresses

“Reconciliation and Penance”,  Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation, Dec 2, 1984. Click Here

Circular Letter Concerning the Integrity of the Sacrament of Penance, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, March 20, 2000. Click Here

Holy Thursday Letter of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II to Priests regarding the rediscovery of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, March 25, 2001. Click Here

“Misericordia Dei” Apostolic Letter in the Form of Motu Proprio on Certain Aspects of the Celebration of the Sacrament of Penance, Pope John Paul II, April 7, 2002. Click Here

“The Sins We commit Distance Us from God”, address of Pope Benedict XVI delivered before praying the midday Angelus on Feb 15, 2009 with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Click Here

“To a great extent, the renewal of the Church in America and throughout the world depends on the renewal of the practice of Penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes” From Pope Benedict XV’s homily at Washington Nationals Stadium, Washington, DC, April 17, 2008. Click Here

Catechesis on Forgiveness in the sacrament of Reconciliation by Pope John Paul II General Audience Sept 8, 1999. Click Here

Catechesis on Invitation to Conversion in the sacrament of Reconciliation by Pope John Paull II General Audience Sept 15, 1999. Click Here

Catechesis on the Gift of Reconciliation in the sacrament of Reconciliation by Pope John Paull II General Audience Sept 22, 1999. Click Here

Pope Benedict XVI Address to Confessors Feb 19, 2007. Click Here

Information for sacramentofmercy.org

Catechism of the Catholic Church

www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm

Chapter Two: Sacraments of Healing

Article 4: The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation

What is this sacrament called? 1423-24

Why a sacrament of Reconciliation after Baptism? 1425-1426

The conversion of the baptized 1427-1429

Interior Penance 1430-1433

The many forms of penance in Christian Life 1434-1439

The sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation 1440-1449

The Acts of the Penitent 1450-1460

The Minister of the Sacrament 1461-1467

The Effects of this Sacrament 1468-1470

Indulgences 1471-1479

The celebration of the sacrament of Penance 1480-1484

In Brief 1485-1498

Taken from the Brochure "Personal Encounter with Jesus Christ"

When to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

A Catholic should definitely go to confession when aware of grave sin.  In addition, the graces of the sacrament help us to overcome venial sins as well, so regular confession is very helpful.  If too much time elapses between confessions, it becomes more difficult to remember what sins need to be confessed.  Monthly confession seems to be a very good spiritual practice to help overcome the power of sin in our lives and to receive the healing mercy of Jesus Christ on a regular basis.

Prepare to Encounter Jesus Christ and His Mercy

To celebrate this sacrament well, we need to prepare ourselves well by examining our conscience effectively to know how we have sinned and where we need God’s mercy in our lives.  Ask the help of the Holy Spirit and Our Lady’s intercession to see ourselves as we truly are.

What to Confess in Reconciliation

A thorough examination of conscience before confession is helpful for a fruitful experience.  We need to confess both mortal and venial sins, in light of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.  We also need to confess both sins of commission and omission, the wrong things that we have done and the good that we have failed to do.  Putting our sins into the context of our relationships with God, others and self is helpful.  What have I done or not done that has damaged those relationships?  Prayerful and thorough preparation helps us to receive the many graces of reconciliation.

Steps for Confession

1. Enter the confessional or Reconciliation room, make the sign of the cross with the priest, state your vocation in life, and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”  Tell him the last time you celebrated the sacrament of Reconciliation.
2. Confess your sins in a simple, straightforward manner.
3. Listen well to advice and to the penance the priest gives to do, as a sign of repentance and desire to overcome sin.
4. Pray an act of contrition.
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishment, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.  From the Rite of Penance.
5. The priest absolves your sins and you are forgiven through the power of the Holy Spirit.
6. Perform the penance prescribed by the priest.

Effects of a Good Confession

“reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; reconciliation with the Church; remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin; peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation; an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.” (CCC 1496) “He is reconciled with his brethren whom he has in some way offended and wounded. He is reconciled with the Church. He is reconciled with all creation.” (CCC 1469)