About the Sacrament:

Sacraments are celebrations of Christian tradition, of Christian life and of Christian hope. They share the dimensions of past, present, and future that give ordinary celebrations meaning. But sacraments are no ordinary celebrations. They are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. They are outward signs of an invisible grace; a grace from God.

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession), we encounter Jesus Christ, who after rising from the dead breathed the Holy Spirit on his Apostles — the first priests — and gave them the power to forgive sins in his name (See the Gospel of John 20:23). The Heart of Christ burns with love for us and he wants us to experience his immense and unfathomable mercy by confessing our sins and receiving his forgiveness. This Sacrament gives us the consolation of God’s pardon and strengthens our relationship with Christ and his one Holy Church.

The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as the Sacrament of Penance or Penance and Reconciliation) has three elements: (1) conversion, (2) confession and (3) celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness and as a result we are called to forgive others who have harmed us.

How to Attend the Confessional:

• Pray to the Holy Spirit for self-knowledge and trust in the mercy of God. Examine your conscience for past words and deeds that may have harmed another.

• If it is within your piety, make a sign of the cross.

• Say: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been ____ weeks/ months/years since my last confession."

• Confess your sins openly and candidly by submitting the below form.

• Say an "Act of Contrition":
"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because of your just punishment, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin."
• "Listen" as the priest absolves you of your sins by a return email, telephone call, or face-face meeting (at your suggestion) and enjoy the fact that God has truly freed you from all your sins.

• Do the penance the priest assigns you.

• Affirm to stay away from sin.

• Find a parish that will love you unconditionally, like Saint Miriam, so that you may remain close to Christ in all of His sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, central to our lives as Christians.

Q&A:

Is the Sacrament confidential?

Yes, all responses go to a priest and only to a priest.

Can I meet a priest if I desire?

Yes. Just email our Pastor and he will make a time to meet with you.

Is there a time for regular confessions?

Yes, 30 minutes before each Mass.

Why does the Latin Rite (Roman) Church not allow online confessions?

The Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite) believes that the penitent and the priest must be in the same physical location. The RC Church maintains that it must take place in a public venue - like a church - because it is a personal and a corporate act. At Saint Miriam, we believe this to also be true, but we also maintain that God brings people together in marvelous and unique ways! So, God is truly present between the priest and you as you make a confession, even online. And, since our priest brings your confessions with him to the Eucharist Table every Sunday in his private devotions, the act is at once both a personal act of confession, and a celebrated act of the community of believers. The final act - the absolution formula and penance- will be sent to you in return; so all aspects of the sacrament are met; just in a time-sensitive manner unique to the online environment.

Why do you require my name and contact information?

The Sacrament is not to be taken lightly, or as a joke. Therefore, a valid email and name is required as part of your desire to be reconciled to God and God’s Church.

May I make an 'anonymous' declaration of sin?

No. Please see above.

At Saint Miriam, we make every effort to ensure your privacy and we require a valid name and email in order to hear your confession. As such, this system has a built in email verification feature.
Please be sure that your email is exactly as it appears in the form below or your submission will be rejected.

“The word approaches the element, the sacrament happens. We humans bring word to gifts grown by nature and human technology (oil, water, bread, wine) and in that action we produce something new that has the power to transcend both speech and natural substance”

----Saint Augustine