God’s mercy, forgiveness are offered to us during confession

Editor: Bishop, we are continuing our sacrament series; this month we are discussing the sacrament of penance. Tell us the importance of this sacrament.
Bishop Vásquez: The sacrament of penance,  reconciliation, or confession, as it is most widely known, is one of the most beautiful sacraments we have in the Catholic Church. Some have called this a neglected sacrament, so I want to begin by encouraging people to learn to appreciate it. Through this sacrament, God gives us mercy and forgiveness.
During his lifetime, the forgiveness of sins was an essential part of Jesus’ ministry. Christ did not want that ministry to end when he ascended into Heaven. Therefore, he made it possible for our sins to be forgiven through the priests in the church. In John’s Gospel when Jesus comes to the apostles on that evening of the first Easter, he says, “Peace be with you.” Then he tells them, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Jesus knew the apostles were afraid because they had abandoned him, and they had just witnessed his crucifixion. So first he offered his peace to them, then he gave them the fortifying gift of the Holy Spirit. And he sends them off with the mission to forgive sins. Our sins were forgiven when Jesus laid down his life for us on the cross, and the sacrament of reconciliation is an extension of Jesus’ mercy and love for us until the end of time.
As a priest I am humbled to hear the brokenness and the openness of people when they come to the sacrament of confession. But it is also a blessing to witness the change that occurs in a person during confession. The grace of God is evident as people are relieved of the burden of sin and receive God’s forgiveness. God knows we all struggle with sin. Therefore, God gives us this sacrament.

Editor: What is a sin?
Bishop Vásquez: Sin is an offense against God; it is a deliberate thought, word, deed or omission contrary to the eternal law of God. For one to commit a sin, they must know the action or inaction is against God’s law. The church distinguishes between a lesser, or venial sin, and a grave, or mortal sin.
Venial sins are small and are less serious in nature, but they do damage our relationship with God and others. For instance, a venial sin could be a bad thought or losing one’s temper. Venial sins may be forgiven when we go to Mass, and we make a good act of contrition. This type of sin is forgiven through the Eucharist. However, it is always good and proper to confess these sins when we have the opportunity to go to confession. A venial sin might be likened to a small stone. If one assembles enough small stones, they form a wall separating one from God.
Then there are the more serious mortal sins; these are what John the Apostle calls “deadly sins.” Mortal sins kill the spirit; they kill the grace God gives us; therefore, they separate us from God. An example would be breaking one of the Ten Commandments. When we commit mortal sin, we must go to confession in order to be absolved of our sins and to restore our relationship with God because a mortal sin forms an instant wall between us and God.
When we go to confession, the priest is acting “in Persona Christi” – he is there in the person of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, the priest absolves us from our sins and extends Christ’s mercy to us. In so doing, we are restored to God and with one another in the church. This is always a powerful moment for me, and I hope for all priests, knowing that the penitent experiences the freedom and healing that comes from this sacrament.

Editor: What does it mean to be absolved of our sins?
Bishop Vásquez: Absolution means we are forgiven completely. The prayer of absolution is beautiful: “God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
This prayer is meant to assure the penitent they are truly forgiven. However, it is important to note even though our sins have been forgiven, the effects of sin may still remain. We may experience the consequences of our sin after we have received absolution. We may also feel compunction, or great sorrow for hurting someone or for offending God. However, it is important to remember our God is loving and merciful; he is slow to anger and rich in compassion. One of the greatest gifts of this sacrament is that of peace. We must allow Christ’s peace to fill our lives and heal us.

Editor: How often should we go to confession?
Bishop Vásquez: The precepts or rules of the church require that we go to confession once a year if we have committed a mortal sin. The church encourages us to take advantage of this sacrament more frequently. I recommend going to confession once a month or so, but of course if you need it more often to avoid sin, then go.
There is nothing preventing us from going to confession, but we also want to be careful not to become scrupulous in the sacrament. This means we are anxious that we have committed a sin when in fact we may not. Or we are convinced our venial sins are mortal when they are not. God wants us to be aware of when we sin, but he does not want us to live fearfully or anxiously. The Ten Commandments guide us as to what is sinful and what needs to be confessed.

Editor: A priest cannot reveal to others what he hears during confession, correct?
Bishop Vásquez: That is correct. The seal of confession is sacred. As the Catechism says, “Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents’ lives.” This also applies to anyone else who may have knowledge of sins confessed, for example an interpreter or by overhearing. Whatever is revealed to a priest in the sacrament of confession cannot be repeated to anyone.
A priest who directly breaks the seal of confession is automatically excommunicated, and only the Holy See can lift it. Even so, he may never be allowed to hear confession again. Preserving the seal of confession is a serious matter for the church, and it is important that people know what they confess will never be revealed.

Editor: What is your prayer for those who have been away from this sacrament for many years?
Bishop Vásquez: I pray that those who have been away from the sacrament of confession will return to experience God’s mercy. Trust that Christ is waiting for you, and he is ready to forgive your sins. May all of us respond to Christ’s invitation to receive his peace, mercy and healing in the holy sacrament of confession.