Friday, March 26, 2010

A plea for Confession

Stations of the Cross, tonight, 5:30 pm, Newman Center chapel. Eucharistic Adoration and the opportunity for confession to follow from 6-7 pm. Please join us!

Holy Week schedule:
Monday
- NO Bible Study

Tuesday
- Mass (5:30 pm), dinner, discussion ("The Last Seven Words of Christ")

Wednesday
- Adoration, 12:30-10 pm
- Confessions, 8-9:30 pm

Holy Thursday
- NO 12 Mass, NO Theology of the Body
- 6:30 pm, Mass of the Lord's Supper, St Stephen's
- 12 midnight - "Christ in the Garden", NC Chapel

Good Friday
- 12:00 pm -2:45 pm- Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 3:00- Living Stations of the Cross, St Stephen's
- 4:15-6 - Confessions (NC, 2nd floor)
- 6:30 - The Lord's Passion, St Stephen's
- 8:30 - "The Passion of the Christ" movie (Marvin Center)
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This Sunday night, I will be making a big plea for GW Catholics to go to Confession, explaining that the reason Christ suffered so much, shed so much blood, and died a horrific death is "so that sins may be forgiven”. It is in Confession that all our sins are forgiven…it is the sacrament of Reconciliation with God and the Church. My plea will be for GW students to honor the events of Holy Week, particularly Christ’s sacrifice, through Confession. Please encourage others to do this!

If you are worried about going to Confession, I understand. I have made it clear that I don’t get angry, judgemental, or condemning in “the box”. I am a minister of God’s Mercy and will offer you mercy. An example which may help solidify this point is a student who came to me for Confession recently after being filled with much trepidation about going. Here is the student’s email after Confession:


“I just wanted to say thank you for meeting with me yesterday. I really do feel spiritually renewed and so so blessed to have received the sacrament of Reconciliation. When I came into your office yesterday, I didn't for one second think that I was going to make a Confession-- until you whipped out your stole that is!...But, I am really grateful that I did-- and I am especially grateful for your patience and encouragement with the whole process, which was very overwhelming for me. Most importantly, however, I want to thank you, because for the first time in many years, I will truly be able to celebrate the gift of our Lord at Easter.”

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

FG,

Perhaps a little bribery would help - a free donut as they leave "the box"? (I'm afraid beer would be highly frowned upon, even if it did generate a long line!)