Interviews and Ways it Affects my Future Celebration of Sacrament of Reconciliation - Report Example

Impressions on Interviews & Ways it Affects My Future Celebration of Sacrament of Reconciliation Introduction The sacrament of reconciliation is oneof the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. There are five integral sacramental elements to the sacrament of reconciliation, which has led to the sacrament having different names. It is the first step in the return after straying from the Father through and is heeding the call of Jesus present in the sacrament to conversion. So, it is also known as the sacrament of conversion. It is also called the sacrament of penance, since it represents the consecration of a sinner’s personal and ecclesial stages of conversion, penance and satisfaction. An integral element to the sacrament of reconciliation is the disclosure of the transgressions against the Father through sins to a priest. For this reason it is also known as the sacrament of confession. A priest gives sacramental absolution, which is the reflection of pardon and peace granted by the Father. This aspect of the sacrament has caused it also to be called the sacrament of forgiveness. Finally, it is called the sacrament of reconciliation, because the sacrament grants the sinner through reconciliation fresh lease of life from God. (1). This paper summarises the interviews of five members of the laity and their impressions gained through these interviews on the experiences in the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. It also presents a reflection on how these interviews would have an impact on my personal celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. Interviews and Impressions First Interviewee: The first interviewee was a seventh grade male student of Latino background. He celebrates the sacrament of reconciliation only twice a year during the Holy Week and prior to Christmas. His reason for this limited celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation was that his English was poor and it was not easy to find a priest who spoke in his native language. He however, celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation on these two occasions to keep himself clean during these two most important events of the Christian faith. The impression gained is that this individual understands of the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation as a cleansing act. Sin is perceived as unclean and in an unclean state an individual is not accepted into the presence of God. So, in spite of the language difficulties experienced in the aspect of confession, the individual tries to be clean on the important days of the catholic faith. The individual has failed to realize that the sacrament of reconciliation in essence is the restoring of relationship with God. Jesus Christ through his sacrifice on the cross bestowed on us the gift of subservient friendship with the Father. Sin disrupts or places obstacles in this relationship. It is through the sacrament of reconciliation that the relationship is restored to normalcy. (2) Second Interviewee The second interviewee was a sixty year old widow. She goes to church regularly and celebrates the act of reconciliation every two weeks. The regular act of reconciliation with the Father makes her feel comfortable through the lifting of her spirits and the joy and happiness she experiences from having her sins forgiven. To this widow having her sins being forgiven brings her great joy and happiness. Sin is the root cause of our separation from the Father. The removal of sin through confession results in our reconciliation with the Father, which brings bliss. My impression of the attitude of this widow to the sacrament of reconciliation is that she follows the advice of Pope John Paul II, when he stated “The longing for reconciliation and reconciliation itself will be complete and effective only tot he extent that they reach-in order to heal it-that original wound which is the root of all other wounds: namely sin”. (3). Third Interviewee: The third interviewee was a thirty-year old young male executive, who celebrates the sacrament of reconciliation only once a year. The reason given for this scanty celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation was the traumatic experience of being scolded at the confessional by a traditional and conservative. The issue is that this young male executive has been living together with his girlfriend for the past five years, though they are not married. A more liberal priest may view this modern trend less sternly and the young male executive is on the look out for such a priest for the act of reconciliation. There is decline in the participation of the sacrament of reconciliation. Stasiak, 2000, p. ix lays an important response as the duty of priests in arresting the decline through “ensuring that the sacrament is celebrated in a worthy, prudent, prayerful, helpful, and inviting manner”. (4).This perspective does lay justification for the young male executive’s grievance. Yet, the more serious issue is the living in sin with the girlfriend. (5). The sacrament of reconciliation is celebrated by the male executive without the due importance of being penitent for the sins committed. The sin is being continued immediately after the sacrament of reconciliation, making it an exercise in futility. The better way to address this issue is for the young male executive to go through the sacrament of matrimony with his girlfriend and live without the sin of adultery. The fourth interviewee was fifty-year old married senior female executive, married with two children grown-up children. She regularly goes to church every Sunday with her husband and the two children, when they are around. She does not celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation as specified by the church. She does not believe that she needs to confess her sins to a priest for their forgiveness. As a child of the Father, she believes that she can confess her sins directly to the Father repent and seek forgiveness. This is a common reason seen for the decline in the participation of the sacrament of reconciliation. Those that put forward this argument for their reluctance in participating in the sacrament of reconciliation, keep forgetting that an integral element to the sacrament of reconciliation is the disclosure of the sins to a priest un confession and that the act of forgiveness by the father can only be reflected through the forgiveness of sins by the priest after confession. The sacrament of reconciliation is incomplete without these integral elements. (1). Fifth Interviewee: The fifth interviewee was a seventy-year old man confined to the bed because of medical problems. In spite of his condition, every week he celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation. This was possible through the efforts of the local parish priest, who came every Friday. The sacrament of reconciliation and the sacrament of the Eucharist were the two things that elevated the misery experienced by the man. The efforts of the parish priest demonstrate the importance that the church lays on the faithful sick and dying being able to celebrate the sacraments of reconciliation and Eucharist and its awareness of the relief that these bring to the faithful sick and dying. (6). Faith in the Father provides inner strength to the sick. Celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation is an act of faith in the father and the strengthening of the relationship, which is rewarded with strength and peace. Impact on my personal celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation The different views expressed by the interviewees are a demonstration of the individual and independent nature of humans even in matters of faith. This is not surprising as many consider faith to be individual aspect and not necessarily tied in what others belief or what the religious express on matters of faith. I do accept the individual and independent natures of human’s, but in matter’s of faith it is the practice that the Father accepts us to follow is what needs to be done. There is no better place than the religious institution of the Catholic Church to dictate the terms of the sacrament of God through conversion, penance, confession, absolution, and reconciliation. For this reason my personal regular celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation will continue. Works Cited 1. “The Celebration of the Christian Mystery”. Catechism of the Catholic Church. 9 Feb. 2010. . 2. Coffey, M. David. The Sacrament of Reconciliation. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., 2001. 3. “Introduction: Origin and Meaning of the Document”. Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance of Pope John Paul II to the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful on Reconciliation and Penance in the Mission of the Church Today. 9 Feb. 2010. . 4. Stasiak, Kurt. A Confessor’s Handbook. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1999. 5. “Living Together”. The Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania. 9 Feb. 2010. . 6. Gusmer, W. Charles. And You Visited Me: Sacramental Ministry to the Sick and the Dying. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., 1990. Read More