Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Issue 7| December 2022 | Vol.1
Table of Content
Introduction……………………………...3
EJ’s Top 3 Resources to Refresh
Your Knowledge of Confession.……4
What is Confession?.…………………..5
What is the Dierence between
Mortal and Venial Sin?....................5
Why Confess to a Priest?.................6
What Does Scripture Say About
Confession?......................................7
Feast Days and How To Celebrate
Them …………………………………….….8
Resources on Confession……………..9
Tips and Talking Points for Your
Family on Confession…………..……10
Events for January…………………….11
What's Coming in February………..12
Welcome to the 7th issue of this year’s
Heart & Soul: Monthly
Catechetical Resource
! In this month we will be learning about the
Sacrament of Confession (also called Reconciliation). In starting the new
year we have decided to take a dierent approach to
Heart and Soul
by
directing it to parents only. The idea is to use Heart and Soul to refresh
your memory of the topic being discussed so you can help your kids
understand it. That being said, based on feedback, we will now be
providing weekly lessons and resources that can help you discuss the topic
with your child. We believe this will make FIDE be more user friendly for
parents so that teaching/talking to their children about the faith can be
easier and more enjoyable. These lessons will be called
Heart and Soul
Lessons
and they will be separate from the
Heart and Soul: Catechetical
Resource
booklet. You will be able to access
Heart and Soul Lessons
when
I email them out, but you can also access them on our website. You will
also nd hard copies in the back of the Church or can request a hard copy
in the parish oce.
In this issue of
Heart and Soul
you will nd my “Top 3 Resources” to
refresh your memory on what Confession is. From there we will explore
the Church’s teachings as well as what Scripture has to say about
Confession. As usual, there will be a resource page (to explore the topic
further if you wish), a page of feast days and how to celebrate them, and
an events page . Lastly, as always, your SAP and I, the Director of
Evangelization (EJ), are at your service. Feel free to contact me at
[email protected] if you have any questions about Confession.
Introduction
EJ’s Top 3 Resources to Refresh Your Knowledge of
Confession
# 1 - In the video below (link and QR Code) Fr. Mike Schmitz
reveals what Confession is and why it is joyful Sacrament that
needs to be part of our lives.
Link- Confession is a Place of Victory
QR CODE:
# 2 - In the video below, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains the dierence
between a mortal and venial sins and why we need to go to
Confession when we commit mortal sin and why we ought to still
confess venial sins.
Link-
Mortal vs. Venial Sin
QR Code:
# 3 - Ascension Presents explains how to Confess like an adult.
We are often taught about Confession once as children, but are
not taught how to mature in this Sacrament as we get older. In
this article you will nd advice and resources that can help you
learn how to confess like and adult.
Link - How to Confess Like an Adult
QR Code:
What is Confession?
Confession is a Sacrament that expresses
the love and mercy of God. It is in the
Sacrament of Confession that we ask God
for forgiveness for our sins. By confessing
our sins we strive for a life of conversion
and penance. To this the Catechism of the
Catholic Church elaborates in stating, “It is
called the sacrament of conversion because
it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to
conversion, the rst step in returning to the
Father from whom one has strayed by sin. It
is called the sacrament of Penance, since it
consecrates the Christian sinner's personal
and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance,
and satisfaction” (CCC 1423). Sin can
wound and even break our relationship with
God. However, even when we deny and
choose to wound and break our relationship
with God, He is still calling to us to come
back to Him because of His unconditional
love for us. However, in order to accept
God’s call back to Him, we need to be
willing to convert from our sinfulness so
that we can truly embrace Him. Penance
then manifests our desire and eorts to
engage in this conversion and draw closer to
God by both act and will.
As I mentioned before, sin can either
wound or break our relationship with God.
The distinction between wounding our
relationship with God and breaking our
relationship with God lies on whether the
sin is a venial sin or a mortal sin. Lets break
these two down and then explain why it is
important to confess them:
Venial Sin
Venial sins are sins that wound our
relationship with God, but does not break
our relationship with God. A venial sin is
normally committed when one goes against
moral law (law in our hearts that tells us
right from wrong) without full knowledge or
consent. Even if the act is a grave matter, if
it is done without full knowledge or consent
the sin remains venial.
For example, if one was told by his
friends to steal and apple or else they
would beat him up, it would most likely
be a venial sin because he did not have
full consent in performing this act,
though the act remains immoral.
Mortal Sin
Mortal sins are sins that break our
relationship by ignoring his teachings
and engaging in acts or thoughts that are
a grave matter, done with full knowledge
that it is a sin, and done with full
consent. The Catechism tells us that a
grave matter is a sin that directly
contradicts the Ten Commandments.
Therefore, any sin that violates the Ten
Commandments and is done with full
knowledge, and consent is a mortal sin.
These sins are considered mortal
because if we die in a state of mortal sin
we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
What to Confess?
One must confess mortal sins in the
Sacrament of Confession. Since mortal
sins break our relationship with God
they can only be removed in the
Sacrament of Confession by a priest, to
whom Christ gave authority to remove
mortal sins. It is taught by the Church
that if one dies in the state of mortal sin
that they cannot enter the Kingdom of
Heaven. Those in the state of mortal sin
should not receive Holy Communion (see
page 7 for more explanation).
Venial sins on the other hand can be
forgiven through prayer and receiving
the Eucharist (as long as you are truly
sorry for the sin). Confessing venial sins
is not technically required, but strongly
encouraged as it is good to verbally lay
them at the feet of God so they do not
build up.
Why Confess to a Priest?
It has become a common question,
especially if we have Protestant friends,
as to why Catholics have to confess to a
priest. Below we will give three reasons
why Catholics need to confess to a
priest.
1) It says so in Scripture. In John
20:22-23 Jesus states, “Receive the
Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of
any, they are forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they are
retained.” In this verse, Christ gives
the Apostles the authority to forgive
sins in the Church and continue His
ministry on earth. To clarify, only
Christ has the authority to forgive
sins, however, He extends that
authority to the Apostles and their
successors. Thus, since Christ
extended His authority to the
Apostles, we know it is His will that
we confess our sins to a priest since
they have been given authority to
forgive
2) The priest is standing in
Persona Christi (in the person
of Christ). By the priest standing
in the Person of Christ, we are
actually confessing our sins to
Christ through the priest who is the
representative of Christ as well as
the Church (since our sins aect the
Body of Christ as well).
3) Because it satises our human
nature. By giving the priest the
authority to forgive sins, Jesus
recognizes that we are social beings
and need human attention,
guidance, and the ability to hear the
words “You are Forgiven.” By
confessing to a priest Jesus is able
to work through the priest to make
the experience of confession truly
forgiving and truly satisfying.
What Does Scripture Say
About Confession?
Below are two Scripture passages on
Confession. Under each passage there
will be a short reection
2 Corinthians 5: 17-21
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new
creation: everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new! All this is
from God, who reconciled us to himself
through Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ
God was reconciling the world to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them,
and entrusting the message of reconciliation
to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ,
since God is making his appeal through us;
we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God.”
Reection
In this passage, we see that Paul is
explaining how God desires us to be
reconciled back to Him. Therefore, He sends
His Son, Jesus, to conquer sin through His
life, death, and resurrection. However, to
continue to fulll His desire of us being
reconciled to Him, Christ gives the Apostles
the ministry of reconciliation. That way
God’s desire for us to be reconciled to Him
can be given to us throughout our lives and
to all the generations. Even if we
continuously fail, God desires us to be with
Him so much that He gave us the Sacrament
of Confession to show that His forgiving
mercy is innite.
1 Corinthians 11: 27-29
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or
drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy
manner will be answerable for the body and
blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves,
and only then eat of the bread and drink
of the cup. For all who eat and drink
without discerning the body, eat and
drink judgment against themselves.”
Reection
This is a very important passage in
regard to Confession. In the passage
Paul is addressing those who come to
receive Communion when they are in a
state of mortal sin. He explains that
those who receive Communion in a state
of mortal sin “eat and drink judgment
against themselves.” What this means is
that the Eucharist, when eaten in a
worthy state (without guilt of sin),
bestows the grace, love, and mercy of
God within them. However, when we eat
the Eucharist in a state of sin, God
cannot work in us and because we do
not care for Him to work in us.
Therefore, consuming the Eucharist will
only make our sin multiply since
consuming the Eucharist in a state of sin
is a sin in and of itself
For this reason, St. Paul says we need
to examine our conscience (examine if
we have mortally sinned) before
receiving Communion, and if we have,
then we need to go to Confession before
we receive Communion.
“Go your way,
and from now on
do not sin again.”
John 8:11
Feast Days and How to Celebrate Them
Note: Listed below are feast days and memorials of some saints.
Not all memorials for the month are listed.
• January 1st - Feast of Mary, The Mother of God
Read about the Feast Day
here
Put Flowers in font of a statue or image of Mary holding Jesus (if you
have a icon or statute of Mary being pregnant, display and decorate
that)
Read
Canticle of Zechariah (reminds us who Mary gave birth to)
• January 4th - The Epiphany
Read about the Epiphany
Here
Do a House Blessing with your Family (If house has never been blessed,
request a house blessing from a priest)
6 Traditional Ways to Celebrate the Epiphany
• January 25th - Conversion of St. Paul
Read story of St. Paul’s Conversion in Acts 9:1-19
Bake
Horse Shoe Cookies
• January 28th - St. Thomas Aquinas
Read About St. Thomas Aquinas
Here
Bake Star Shaped Cookies (The star was a symbol used for St. Thomas
Aquinas as it represents the guidance he received from God in his work)
• January 31st - St. John Bosco
Read About St. John Bosco Here
Go to a fun event as a family (bowling, mini golf, etc.) then say three
Hail Mary’s after
Do a family talent show
Say three Hail Mary’s before going to bed (it was a tradition that St.
John Bosco had the boys he ministered to do before bed)
Resources on Confession
Adult Resources
• Article that gives the basics on what
Confession is
• How to Make a Good Confession - John
Kane (Great little book to have).
• Fr. Mike Schmitz on Confession
• Dr. Brant Pitre on Confession
• USCCB - Examination of Conscience
for all ages and situations of life
Resources for Teens
•
Fr. Mike Schmitz on Making a Good
Confession
• Catholic Central on Confession
• Examination of Conscience for Teens
Resources for Middle School aged
children
•
How to Make a Good First Confession
• Examination of Conscience for
Children
• Project for Learning About First
Confession
• Going to Confession: How to Make a
Good Confession (Book)
• First Reconciliation Activity Book
• Act of Contrition Coloring Page
Resources for Young Children
•
Brother Francis on Confession
•
My Confession Book
• Act of Contrition Coloring Page
Church Teachings on Confession
•
Catechism of the Catholic Church on
Confession
• Confession in the Early Church
Commonly Ask Questions and
Concerns About Confession
Why Confess to a Priest?
• Good Catholic Explains Why You
Need to Confess to a Priest
• Chris Stefanick on Why We
Confess to Priests
• Jimmy Akin in Why Catholics
Confess to Priests
Is it Normal to Confess the
Same Sins Over and Over
Again?
• Matt Fradd on Confessing the
Same Sins Again and Again
• Fr. Mike Schmitz on Why We
Confess the Same Sins Often
What Do I Do if I Have Not
Gone to Confession in a Long
Time/Forgot My Sins?
• Fr. Mike Schmitz on How to
Confess if You Have Not Gone in
a While
• Does God Forgive Sins If I Forget
to Confess?
Why Confessing Mortal Sins is
So Important?
• Short Article on Why We Need to
Confess Mortal Sins
• What is Mortal Sin and What is
Venial Sin?
Advice for Those Who Suer
From Scrupulosity
• 5 Ways to Fight Scrupulosity
Tips and Talking Points on Talking to Your Kids
About Confession
Tips
1) Work on asking for forgiveness
and forgiving each other in your
daily life. That way you are
helping each other grow in a
habit of seeking and granting
forgiveness.
2) If your kids are of age to go to
Confession I would suggest
going as a family once a month
and then do something fun as a
family after. That way your
children know that this is not
only something that is part of
their life, but a joyful
Sacrament.
3) Before Confession encourage
each other to examine their
conscience privately.
4) If you are going to Confession
do not be afraid to invite your
spouse and children to come
with you (just do not force
them).
5) Always explain to your kids why
you go to Confession and why it
is important. That way they
know the meaning as to why
they go to Confession and do
not just go because they are told
to.
Talking Point
Here are 5 talking points
that you can discuss as a
family throughout the
month
1) What do you think forgiving
someone means?
2) Do you feel it is hard to ask
for forgiveness? (why or
why not)
3) Do you believe God forgives
us? (follow up with how?
Or, if the answer is no, then
ask why?
4) Why do you think we
confess to a priest?
5) Do you ever feel ashamed or
scared to go to Confession?
(if they do then emphasize
that they have nothing to be
ashamed about since God
forgives all sins and the
priest has most like heard
every sin in the book. So
they can feel comfortable
confessing any sin that may
be in their heart).
Events For January
January 7th
First Saturday
• First Saturday Rosary (7:25am)
• First Saturday Meditation (8:30am)
Wednesdays of January
Mass/Adoration/Confession
• Mass starts at 5:15, followed by adoration and confession
Throughout January
Podcasts on Confession (Both in English
and Spanish)
• Video podcasts on prayer will be released every month to discuss the
topic of the month. Theses podcasts can be found on YouTube and our
Podcast outlets. All podcast will be directed toward adults, but will be
kid friendly as well.
January 26th
Catechism Series (3:30pm)
• Fr. Eckert and Michael Becker discuss a section of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church (live on FB and YouTube at 3:30pm)
January 28th
First Confession Retreat (8am-12pm)
A retreat for those who are candidates to receive First Communion. This is
required for those who will be receiving First Communion in May.
Heart & Soul Topic for February: Anointing of the Sick
•
What Is Anointing of the Sick?
• Who Can Receive Anointing of the Sick?
• When Can I Receive Anointing of the Sick?
• Where is Anointing of the Sick in Scripture?
• And more!
Events in February
• First Saturday: February 4th
• First Friday Adoration: February 3rd-4th
• Every Wednesday in February: Mass/Adoration/Confession
starting with Mass at 5:15pm.
• Podcasts Discussing Confession: Throughout February
• Catechism Series: February 2rd @3:30pm
• First Confessions: February 18th @10am
For more information, and to access hyperlinks, scan the QR
code on the bottom right, or follow the instructions below to get
access on our website:
salisburycatholic.org FIDE Heart and Soul: Monthly
Catechetical Resource
Sacred Heart
Catholic Church
375 Lumen Christi Lane
Salisbury , NC 28147
Phone– (704)633-0591
Salisburycatholic.org
What’s Coming in February
