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SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION
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Sacramental confession is a personal way to reconciliation to god and to oneself in the community of the Christian church.
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To God – it is God who through the priest grants forgiveness for all sin and guilt.
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To oneself – not hiding one’s guilt within oneself, but acknowledging it openly and being set free from it leads to a new joy and a deeper communion with Christ and with other people.
In the community of the church of Christ – sin deprives the community of spiritual vitaloity and thus damages the entire church of Christ. When we repent of our sin and trust in the mercy of God we share the life conditions of the whole church throughout the world.
Anyone who would like to make a sacramental confession should contact a priest. The priest has a legally protected absolute duty to keep silence about anything said during sacramental confession or in private pastoral conversations. The confession may be preceded by a conversation. During the conversation or in connection with the confession prior to the absolution, the priest may give advice, encouragement or some particular exhortation.
The main aspect of the sacramental confession is the pentitent’s confession of sin and the priest’s declaration of absolution on behalf of Christ.
Sacramental confession may take palce according to the following order:
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SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION
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Following an introductory conversation, the priest says:
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In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
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The priest prays, using these or other words:
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O God, you know us better than we know ourselves.
When we fail, you want to restore us.
We come to you
believing in your promise of grace and forgiveness.
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The priest may read one of the following or a similar word of promise:
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I am he who blots out your transgressions
for my own sake, says the Lord,
and I will not remember your sins.
(Is 43:25)
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or
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The Lord is full of compassion and mercy :
long-sufffering and of great goodness.
For look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth :
so great is his mercy also
toward them that fear him.
Look how wide also the east is from the west :
so far hath he set our sins from us.
Yea, like as a father pitieth his own children :
even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him.
(Ps 103: 8--13)
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or
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If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just,
and will forgive us our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9)
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Now (trusting these promises,) confess
your sins to God
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The penitent prays, using these or other words:
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I confess to you, almighty God,
that I have sinned, in many and various ways,
in thoughts, words and deeds
(I particularly confess that I . . .
Forgive me what I have left undone and my thoughtlessness)
Look with mercy on me
and forgive me, for Jesus Christ's sake,
all my sins.
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The priest says:
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On the authority of Jesus Christ, committed unto me, I say to you:
Your sins are forgiven,
in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit..
Amen.
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Here the priest or the penitent may say an informal prayer of thanksgiving for the forgiveness of sins.
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Then the priest says:
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The Lord bless you and watch over you.
The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The Lord look kindly on you and give you peace;
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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Glory be to the Father, and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be
world without end.
Amen.
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Let us go in peace,
in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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