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THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Pope Paul VI published the “new rite” for the Sacrament of Penance in 1974, calling it the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to bring a new understanding of this great gift from God. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a call for a change of heart; it is a symbol of life, dying to sin and rising to new life. During our pilgrimage we shall have the opportunity to attend a Reconciliation Service and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we humbly acknowledge that we are sinners and desire to change our ways to God’s way of love. We acknowledge our faults, our failings, and our sinfulness; say sorry, make amends and seek God’s forgiveness. It is a Sacrament of healing and forgiveness; it brings joy and hope to our lives. Through it we become reconciled to God, with others and ourselves. The new rite encourages the penitent to treasure a moment that should be one of the most beautiful moments of his or her life. The heavens rejoice over the sinner who repents and is reconciled to God (Lk 15: 7). We too should rejoice! If you are uncertain of what to do and what to say, don’t worry. Guidance may be given during the service but if not, simply approach the priest for private confession with an open heart and ask him to help you make your confession and celebrate the Sacrament. There is also the Chapel of Reconciliation in the building known as Accueil Jean-Paul II, close to the statue of the crowned Virgin, where Confessions are heard daily from 10.00 – 11.15 am and from 2.30 – 6.00 pm. Any of the priests on our pilgrimage would be happy to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with you by arrangement. Reflection To prepare to celebrate the Sacrament we think about the ways in which we have failed to embrace God’s love for us, we consider the ways we have hurt others and diminished our own dignity through our lack of love. It is all too easy for our examination of conscience and our confession to become “shopping lists” without reflecting deeply on why we sin. We should try to recognise our weaknesses and pray that through the celebration of this joyful Sacrament we will be able to put things right. 84
