Reconciliation

Sometimes on our journey toward heaven, we stumble and fall into sin. God is always ready to lift us up and restore us to a grace-filled relationship with him. He does this through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (which is also known as confession or penance, each term emphasizing a different element of the sacrament).

Jesus gave his apostles power and authority to reconcile us to the Father. They received Jesus' own power to forgive sins when he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John 20:22-23).

Paul notes that "all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation…We are ambassadors for Christ as if God were appealing through us" (2 Cor 5:18-20). Through confession to a priest, God's minister, our sins are forgiven, and we receive grace to help us resist future temptations.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered at the Church of St. Mary every Saturday at 8:00 a.m.

If this is not a convenient time, please feel free to contact a priest or you can ask a priest after any Mass to hear your confession.

Fr. Mike Nacius mnacius@churchofstmary.org (847) 582-2516
Fr. Radley Alcantara ralcantara@churchofstmary.org (847) 582-2517