The Sacrament of Reconciliation
In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus invites the weary and heavy-burdened to approach him for rest. The limitless love and mercy of the Lord are encountered in a personal and particular way whenever Catholics make sacramental confessions.
The fruit of careful preparation and great courage, whenever this sacrament is celebrated conscientiously, effects a powerful experience of God’s mercy.
Penitents have the option of making confessions face-to-face or anonymously (at their discretion), and the parish offers the sacrament at both regularly scheduled times and by appointment.
Celebrating Reconciliation at St. Peter the Apostle Parish
Confession Times
Confessions are heard on:
Saturdays 3:00PM – 3:45PM
First Fridays 11:00AM – 11:45PM
Individual Appointments
Penitents are welcome to schedule an appointment to celebrate the sacrament. Contact the Parish Office for more information.
First Reconciliation for Children
Each year, many children in our parish prepare to make their First Reconciliation as part of their preparations to receive First Communion. For more information click here.
Preparation
Confessions made by rote or without an adequate time of prayerful reflection and preparation seldom bring the peace we so desire. Our parish is happy to provide resources penitents may find helpful as they prepare. Use the buttons below to signup for a free account on FORMED and access the Forgiven series.
Confession & Spiritual Direction
Celebrations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are, in ordinary circumstances, brief and oriented primarily around the confession of sins and reception of absolution. Some advice and guidance is offered in this context, but those seeing spiritual direction are invited to contact us about making more fitting arrangements for this than can be accommodated in the confessional.
The Sacramental Seal
Priests are bound by Canon Law to protect the confidentiality of all penitents. A priest is never obligated (or, in fact, permitted) to reveal the contents of a penitent’s confession, and will generally avoid speaking directly about the sacrament out of an abundance of caution. Penitents can have the utmost confidence that what they place before the Lord remains private.
Online Resources
Our parish provides parishioners with free access to FORMED, a digital resource with the best Catholic content from a growing collection of organizations all aimed at helping the faithful nourish their faith. Many have found the Forgiven series to be a wonderful re-introduction to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Use the buttons below to signup for an account (Search for “St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Parry Sound”) and start watching today.