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Pastor’s Letter: March 22, 2026

Dear. St. Philomena Parish Family,

Blessings and peace to you all! Fr. Daniel and I received so many positive comments from last week’s homily where we talked through some models of Reconciliation—I’m so glad it was fruitful for many! While we certainly had some fun with a few lighthearted things, hopefully it will continue to serve as a practical reminder of the joy of this great Sacrament of Mercy.

This week, we’ll conclude our review of Reconciliation with an overview of the Order of Penance and some tips for making a fruitful Confession. As we mentioned last weekend, please don’t ever worry about saying “exactly the right words” or the exact order of the parts—we priests are always willing to help if needed. The most important part of the Sacrament is being honest about our sins and failings and receiving the wonderful mercy of our loving Lord! The classic structure is there to guide us…but always feel free to ask if you have any questions or are unsure.

Overview of the Order of Penance:

• Begin by making the sign of the cross and saying: “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (how long?) since my last confession.” This helps the priest understand the context of the sins confessed…and will help him give a more fitting counsel.
• “These are my sins…” Continue by confessing your sins simply and honestly. For mortal sins, confess those in kind and number as far as possible. For example, you could say, “I took the name of God in vain 3 times…or if you aren’t sure of the exact number you can give an estimate that will help the priest understand: “I took the name of God in vain a lot, probably multiple times a week.” Feel free to confess any venial sins you have on your heart as well. You may conclude by sayings some version of: “For these and all my sins (and..