Catholic Central: Reconciliation

[caption id="attachment_127510" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Catholic Central hosts Kaiser Johnson and Libby Slater. Copyright 2017 Family Theater Productions. Used with permission. All rights reserved.[/caption]

CATHOLIC CENTRAL: It’s Not Just for Kids Anymore

Teachers are assigning their students to watch and discuss episodes of Catholic Central, and we couldn’t be happier about that. But we’d like to encourage moms and dads, older siblings and online youth groups to join in, too. Our show is fresh and witty, and you just might learn something new. Be sure to head to CatholicCentral.com for downloadable resources.

Reconciliation: The Sacrament Catholics May Dread Before, But Love After

We all mess up, but in these extraordinary times, being able to confess to a priest may be difficult, if not temporarily impossible. But when the storm passes, Reconciliation will still be there for you.

What is so important about the sacrament of Reconciliation? Why do Catholics believe that you have to confess to a priest? What is happening in that confessional? Kai and Libby explain the powerful but often misunderstood sacrament that enables us to mend our relationship with God and heal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abVVsG1TGL4

Diving Deeper

Why do you think confession is such a hard sacrament for some? What about it makes it this way?

Who is someone in your life that you can go to when you have something weighing on your chest? What is it about having someone you trust and confide in? How do you think it helps Catholics go to a priest for confession?

God knows our secrets and yet remains constant in his love for us. How can we learn to accept and emulate this love and forgiveness in our lives? Do we fully love and forgive our friends? Ourselves?

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Activity

Look at the 10 Commandments. Assign each individual commandment, talk about ways we see that commandment broken and the natural consequences that result in such behavior. How can we avoid breaking the commandments?

Reflection

In the extraordinary time we currently live in, Pope Francis has given permission for the faithful to make a sincere confession directly to God through prayer. So, by all means, do so! When it is eventually safe and sanitary, the faithful are also encouraged to confess the sins to a priest. Maybe our current moment gives us pause to consider what’s important about the Sacrament -- that it’s less about the things we do, but how do we stand before God? Hopefully, we stand humble and accepting of God’s all-powerful mercy.