The Sacrament of Healing and Forgiveness
Confessions are heard every Saturday afternoon from 3:45PM to 4:15PM and by appointment.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance/Confession) is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of Catholicism in that it frees us from our sins and challenges us to have the same kind of compassion and forgiveness for those who sin against us. We are liberated to be forgivers. We obtain new insight into the words of the Prayer of Saint Francis: “It is in pardoning that we are pardoned”.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is God’s gift to us so that any sin committed after Baptism can be forgiven. In confession, we have the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which we place ourselves in his presence and honestly acknowledge our sins. With absolution, we are reconciled to God and the Church. The Sacrament helps us stay close to the truth that we cannot live without God.
-From the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
First Reconciliation is celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel annually in early spring for students in the second grade level. In order to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, children not enrolled in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy must attend weekly Religious Education classes beginning in September and concluding in May. Archdiocesan guidelines require two years of religious education before a child can receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
For adults who are becoming Catholic, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is received after a process of prayerful discernment and catechesis, known as the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA).
For more information on Religious Education for children and OCIA, please contact us at parishoffice@ourlmc.org or call 773-249-7080.