Sacrament of Penance, Conversion, Confession, Forgiveness, Reconciliation
Which one is it? It's all of these! The official title for the sacrament in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is "The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation," but each of the titles helps us understand the sacrament.

It is called the sacrament of penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction.

It is called the sacrament of conversion, because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.

It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession"—acknowledgement and praise—of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.

It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the penitent "pardon and peace."

It is called the sacrament of reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the life of God who reconciles: "Be reconciled to God." He who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: "Go; first be reconciled to your brother." (Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Turn Toward God
Saturday afternoons, 4:15 PM to 4:50 PM in the Reconciliation Room in the church (just south of the Sheffield entrance), or please call the Parish Center for an appointment.

St. Vincent's also holds reconciliation services during Advent and Lent.  During these services, those gathered together celebrate the wonderful gift of God's mercy with song, Scripture, reflection, and an examination of conscience. Several of the Vincentian priests who celebrate mass with us are present to hear individual confessions.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, "The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is, first of all, a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: 'Restore us to thyself, O Lord, that we may be restored!' God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him."