Sacrament of Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Friday and Saturday after the 11:00 a.m. Mass (if no funeral); Saturday, 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. and after the 5:30 p.m. Mass, and anytime by appointment.
A personal note on the Sacrament of Reconciliation from Father John
I remember so well growing up in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda going to Confession on Saturday afternoons fairly regularly. As I grew older, I also have a very clear memory of going to Confession on the Thursdays before First Fridays, both at Lourdes and at St. John's High School. To be honest, the experience was not always good. Putting the emphasis on making a "perfect" Confession outweighed the emphasis of striving for "perfect" contrition.
During the past couple of years, various programs, especially during Lent, helped many of our parishioners to put behind them those old memories of Confession and to experience Reconciliation in the manner in which the church celebrates it today. Many people realized that this encounter with Jesus was not just about making a "perfect" Confession; it was far more about celebrating God's mercy and sensing ever-more clearly how much God loves them.
The celebration of the Lord's forgiveness and His unconditional love is such a special gift to us all. If you're still a little frightened, anxious or nervous about receiving the Sacrament please don't worry; the priests will gladly walk you through the process. Please come and celebrate with your Parish priests the great gift of God's compassion. We priests love to share the Father's love with any and all who come to us. It's really about God's mercy, not about us.
Please come and find the light of Jesus in your heart through the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
