Come and experience the mercy, forgiveness, and healing of God.
Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we bring our sins before the Lord with a contrite heart and receive His loving forgiveness. The sacrament restores our relationship with God, strengthens our relationship with others, and gives us the grace to begin again.
Weekly Reconciliation Times
Saturdays: 3:00–3:45PM @ St. Mark Church
Saturdays: 3:30 – 4:15PM @ Assumption Church
or by appointment by calling CCBN Central Office at 716-875-8102
What Happens in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
The Sacrament of Reconciliation invites us to turn away from sin and turn our hearts back toward God. There are four important steps:
- Contrition – We recognize our sins, are sorry for them, and desire to change our lives.
- Confession – We honestly confess our sins to a priest.
- Absolution – Through the ministry of the priest, we receive God’s forgiveness and are absolved from our sins.
- Conversion – We celebrate God’s mercy and commit ourselves to living more fully as followers of Christ.
Understanding Sin
Sin damages our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with others. It is more than simply breaking a rule; sin turns our hearts away from God and can have consequences that reach beyond ourselves.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us:
“The sinner wounds God’s honor and love, his own human dignity…and the spiritual well-being of the Church.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1487
A mature examination of conscience asks us to look honestly at our thoughts, words, actions, and omissions, as well as patterns of behavior that may lead us away from God. We are also called to consider how our choices affect those around us and the wider community.
God’s Mercy and Forgiveness
When we recognize our sins with a contrite heart, we are called to seek God’s forgiveness and work toward healing the relationships that have been harmed.
The Church teaches that only priests who have received the necessary faculty from the Church can absolve sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (CCC 1495). Through the ministry of the priest, God offers us His forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
The Fruits of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation brings many spiritual gifts, including:
- Reconciliation with God and the restoration of sanctifying grace
- Reconciliation with the Church
- Forgiveness of the eternal punishment due to mortal sin
- Remission, at least in part, of temporal punishment resulting from sin
- Peace and serenity of conscience
- Spiritual consolation
- An increase in spiritual strength to help us resist sin and grow in holiness
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1496
A Place to Begin Again
Individual confession with a priest is the ordinary means by which the Church offers forgiveness and reconciliation for grave sin. The Sacrament of Reconciliation frees us from the burden of sin, heals what has been wounded, and gives us the grace to continue growing in our relationship with Christ.
No matter how long it has been since your last Confession, you are always welcome. God’s mercy is greater than our sins, and His love is always calling us home.
