A Great Christmas Gift for Yourself and Others: 
A GOOD CONFESSION!

Please make time for our Parish Reconciliation Service this Thursday, December 14. Nine other priests will be here for individual confessions. I want to strongly encourage you to join us for this great sacrament that many of us shy away from for various reasons. Perhaps it has been many years and you don’t know ‘where to start’ with a confession. We provide a simple worship aid with the “Act of Contrition” prayer so you do not need to worry about the ‘how to.’

What is most important is to take the time to make a good examination of conscience. There are many forms of an examination and can easily be found through a search on the Web.

Basically, an examination can use one of the following options, reflecting on how I have lived up to them:

• Jesus’ final questions: “How did you take care of the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, imprisoned, naked and the stranger? (Mt. 25)
• The 10 Commandments

Making a good confession can be the best thing we can do, not only for our relationship with God, but it is just as helpful for our relationships with family and friends. We may have past hurts, resentments, built up anger, feelings of distance, or a sense of failure in our relationships. A good examination is simply asking our self, “What do I need to change in myself to be a better parent, spouse, friend, son or daughter, disciple?”

Jesus invites you to come this Thursday night, December 14 at 7:00 p.m. If you cannot make Thursday night, there are other nights available as listed in the bulletin. Come celebrate God’s unconditional love and mercy for you.

God’s Peace,
Fr. Jim Deiters