Preparing to Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Prepare at Home; Confess at Church
This is designed to help you to prepare your heart to receive the grace and mercy of God in the Sacrament of Confirmation.
This is a 2 step process:
Step #1) Watch the videos and reflect on the questions.
Step #2) Participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest.
You can either:
Go to St. Jude Church for the Teen Reconciliation Night for a Teen Reconciliation Service
* A parent is asked to stay with his/her teen.
OR any Saturday** at 3:30 pm at the Confessional
OR make a private appointment** with a priest by calling 815-485-8049
**If parents/families desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well, please select a Saturday or private appointment option.
This is a 2 step process:
Step #1) Watch the videos and reflect on the questions.
Step #2) Participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest.
You can either:
Go to St. Jude Church for the Teen Reconciliation Night for a Teen Reconciliation Service
* A parent is asked to stay with his/her teen.
OR any Saturday** at 3:30 pm at the Confessional
OR make a private appointment** with a priest by calling 815-485-8049
**If parents/families desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well, please select a Saturday or private appointment option.
Consider this: if a very special guest was coming to stay at your house, you’d tidy your room, do the dishes, and clean up the house, right? In Confirmation, the Holy Spirit is going to COME INTO YOUR HEART in a very special way! You’ve got to clean out the sin, bad attitudes, & poor choices to make room for His grace!
SIN HURTS & SEPARATES US!!! When we make bad choices and choose to do stuff we’re not supposed to do OR we DON’T do the good stuff we are supposed to do, we hurt ourselves, others, and our relationship with God!
Reconciliation HEALS & REUNITES US with God, others, and our truest self.
SIN HURTS & SEPARATES US!!! When we make bad choices and choose to do stuff we’re not supposed to do OR we DON’T do the good stuff we are supposed to do, we hurt ourselves, others, and our relationship with God!
Reconciliation HEALS & REUNITES US with God, others, and our truest self.
Read Romans 8:38-39:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation--basically NOTHING will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Questions to consider for yourself:
* Even though sun separates you from God and hurts your relationship with Him, does He LOVE YOU ANY LESS when you sin?
* When was a time that your poor choice brought you farther away from God?
Read this line from the Our Father Prayer out loud: “Forgive us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who trespass against (hurt) us.”
Jesus is telling us how important it is that we be forgiving of others—or, we will not be granted forgiveness!
Questions to consider for yourself:
* Even though sun separates you from God and hurts your relationship with Him, does He LOVE YOU ANY LESS when you sin?
* When was a time that your poor choice brought you farther away from God?
Read this line from the Our Father Prayer out loud: “Forgive us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who trespass against (hurt) us.”
Jesus is telling us how important it is that we be forgiving of others—or, we will not be granted forgiveness!
Listen to this parable from Matthew 18:21-3
Questions to consider for yourself:
* Was the king right in putting his unforgiving servant in jail?
* How do you see yourself in this story… is there someone who you have a hard time forgiving?
* If so, ask Jesus to help you!!!
* Was the king right in putting his unforgiving servant in jail?
* How do you see yourself in this story… is there someone who you have a hard time forgiving?
* If so, ask Jesus to help you!!!
Before you participate in the Sacrament of Confession, you’ve got to take some time to reflect on what you have done (or what you haven’t done)… think about your sins. It is always good to think about this at the end of each day. Here’s a little information on sin to help you identify your own. Sins come in two basic types: MORTAL sins that threaten your immortal soul and VENIAL sins, which are less serious breaches of God’s love. If you commit a mortal sin, without seeking healing in the sacrament, you forfeit heaven and opt for hell by your own free will through actions and choices you make.
There are 3 conditions that are necessary for mortal sin to exist:
1. It’s a sin that violates one of the 7 deadly sins or the 10 Commandments.
2. Knowing that doing it is WRONG.
3. Knowing it is wrong and doing it anyway.
There are 3 conditions that are necessary for mortal sin to exist:
1. It’s a sin that violates one of the 7 deadly sins or the 10 Commandments.
2. Knowing that doing it is WRONG.
3. Knowing it is wrong and doing it anyway.
Don't just watch this! Prayerfully reflect during this video...
Don’t just watch this video!!! Use it as a guide to consider what sins you need to confess! Tell all of your struggles to Jesus (through the priest) so that the Holy Spirit can strengthen you to avoid sin in the future.
You can even write them down if you want to; let that guide your prayers to God asking for mercy, strength, and self-control every day!
If you choose the Wednesday, March 16th Confession option, be sure to have your sins ready to share with the priest. If you would like to spend more than just a few minutes talking with or getting counsel from a priest, please choose a Saturday option or make a private appointment for your Confession.
You can even write them down if you want to; let that guide your prayers to God asking for mercy, strength, and self-control every day!
If you choose the Wednesday, March 16th Confession option, be sure to have your sins ready to share with the priest. If you would like to spend more than just a few minutes talking with or getting counsel from a priest, please choose a Saturday option or make a private appointment for your Confession.
If you are nervous about talking with a priest or are not sure what to do, watch this “how to” video from Busted Halo on Confession:
Remember, this is a 2 step process:
Step #1) Watch the videos and reflect on the questions.
Step #2) Participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest one of the following times:
Go to St. Jude Church on Wednesday, March 16th* at 7 pm
* A parent is asked to stay with his/her teen.
OR any Saturday** at 3:30 pm
OR make a private appointment** with a priest by calling 815-485-8049
**If parents/families desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well, please select a Saturday or private appointment option.
Step #1) Watch the videos and reflect on the questions.
Step #2) Participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with a priest one of the following times:
Go to St. Jude Church on Wednesday, March 16th* at 7 pm
* A parent is asked to stay with his/her teen.
OR any Saturday** at 3:30 pm
OR make a private appointment** with a priest by calling 815-485-8049
**If parents/families desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well, please select a Saturday or private appointment option.
