BEING RECONCILED WITH THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS : ADVENT PENANCE SERVICES AND CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS.........

Last night 8 priests gathered at Presentation to assist at the Advent Penance Service and Christmas Confessions the parish offered. This morning I will be assisting at St. Ignatius Parish on Arden Way and tonight at Our Lady of Assumption Parish, as the parish priests help each other out customarily at each parish's communal celebration of the Sacrament during Advent and Lent. Wednesday night I will be helping with Christmas Confessions at St. Lawrence's Parish, in North Highlands. All of this in the spirit of the Advent Season, waiting, watching, joyfully anticipating, and reconciling, ourselves with the Living and True God Who is Coming into our lives. Or in the words of Father Jerry Robinson, S.J., the outgoing Pastor of St. Ignatius Parish said in his pertinent homily at their Penance Service this morning, the, "Already, but Not Yet" Coming of the Lord Jesus. During Advent in proper preparation for Christmas, just as during Lent for a worthy celebration of Easter, receiving the Sacrament of Penance by going to Confession is a priority for God's People. Most parishes schedule extra hours of sacramental Confessions and many of them Communal Penance Services during Advent and Lent. So as we countdown the final 10 Days to Christmas, what more appropriate way for Catholic-Christians to be reconciled with the Divine Savior than to make a sincere confession of our sins, receive sacramental absolution and experience the Lord's forgiveness. I hope you and your families will make a concerted effort to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Advent in a Catholic church near you.........Peace in Our Forgiving and Merciful God, Fr. Troy