In the now fairly dated movie Love Story, we hear that romantic adage “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” For me, it has always raised a Shakesperianish query: “True or not true? That is the question.” When all is said and done, the right answer is: “not true.” We must accept the fact that we are not perfect, acknowledge our own sins and failings and forgive the sins of others if we are to maintain a loving relationship with God and others. Expressing sorrow for offenses is essential in any loving relationship. It is no wonder, then, that Jesus Christ, in His ultimate wisdom, gave us the Sacrament of Penance to afford us every opportunity to repair any broken relationship with God, others and even within ourselves.
The introductory remarks in the recently revised Rite of Penance advise us:
Just as the wounds of sin are varied and multiple in the life of individuals and of the community, so too the healing that penance provides is varied. Those who by grave sin have withdrawn from communion with God in love are called back in the sacrament of penance to the life they have lost. And those who, experiencing their weakness daily, fall into venial sins draw strength from a repeated celebration of penance to reach the full freedom of the children of God. ... In order that this sacrament of healing may truly achieve its purpose among the faithful, it must take root in their entire life and move them to more fervent service of God and neighbor." (RP 7).
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Penance has been closely united to the Eucharist, because faithfulness, love and forgiveness are so intertwined. It also is our tradition to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance in an individual, personal way between the priest and penitent. The Church does acknowledge that there may arise, from time to time and by exception, the need to celebrate the sacrament in a general way. However, even when this is the case, the Church advises that:
... those who receive pardon for serious sins through general absolution are to go to individual confession as soon as they have the opportunity before any further reception of general absolution. And unless a moral impossibility stands in the way, they are absolutely bound to go to a confessor within one year (RP 34).
I am grateful to our priests for generously providing time and attention to the faithful who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance in a personal, individual manner. I encourage all our people to avail themselves of this sacrament on a regular basis, in an individual setting.
Because these two sacraments are core to our lives as Catholics, I encourage that measures be taken to make Eucharist and Penance more accessible. It is my hope that, through the review and restructuring of parishes throughout the Diocese, we can better coordinate schedules in a way that allows parishioners to participate in Mass daily and in the Sacrament of Penance on a regular basis. This will, of course, require parishes to work together on a regional basis and parishioners to be willing to travel beyond their local church. A restructuring of parishes will allow priests and parishioners to better coordinate and celebrate liturgies in order to ensure that there are sufficient ministers to assume all the liturgical responsibilities in an appropriate manner.
- A Future Full of Hope, pastoral letter written by Bishop Joseph Cistone, October, 2011.