Get Thee to the Confessional!

Get Thee to the Confessional!

by Mr. Phil Kosloski, Director of Adult Formation

Most people dread going to confession. Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest? Can't I go straight to God? Doesn't God already know my sins?

The short answer is that confession is for our sake and not God's. God knows everything about our lives. He knows every strand of hair on our head. Obviously He knows every sin we commit. However, like a loving father He wants us to approach Him for forgiveness.

As any parent knows, when your child does something wrong right in front of you, what do you tell them? "Say you're sorry!" Now do parents do this for their sake? No. They know what the child did wrong. However, all good parents want their children to know that what they did was wrong and that they need to apologize for it. Similarly, God knows our sins, but He wants us to make the effort, realize what we did was indeed wrong and then apologize for our wrongdoing.

Why can't I confess my sins straight to God? Sin by its very nature is communal. As much as we deny it, all of our sins hurt other people. Even our thoughts injure our communion with others for they lead to actions or words that damage. Consequently, we need to not only reconcile with God, but also with the Church. The priest is the representative of the Church and he reconciles the sinner, bringing them back into full communion with the People of God.

Also, we must always remember that it is not the priest who absolves our sins but God! God uses the priest as an instrument of grace for the penitent. The priest is acting in persona Christ, in the person of Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who is truly there in the sacrament and He alone grants pardon.

Sin is also naturally prideful. Every sin stems from a prideful attitude that "I" know better than God. Gossiping and slandering about friends and relatives makes the statement that "I" have the ability to enact judgment. "I" know what is good and what is evil. "I" have a special knowledge that no one else has. "I" have sex outside of marriage, because "I" think it is OK. As a result, confessing our sins demands a humiliation. We must approach the priest and admit our fault and say that "I detest all my sins." There is a reason why we don't want to go to confession to a priest: we don't want to be humiliated! We want to keep our sin to ourselves as a pet that no one knows about. Going to a priest "lets the cat out of the bag" and we can no longer keep our sin hidden. However, the first step to sanctity demands this humility. The only way we can get to Heaven is if we recognize this fact: God is God and we are not.

The Good News

Thankfully, there is good news. God is not out to smite us. Instead, He beckons us to the confessional and like a loving father, embraces us. Read the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke chapter 15. There you will see an image of God that is not a white man with a grey beard sitting on a cloud, looking down upon us and ready to strike poor sinners with a lightning bolt. That is not who God is! God is an "eternal exchange of love" and He has "destined us to share in that exchange" as the Catechism tells us. The reason why He wants us to go to confession is because He loves us!

Read More at St. Josemaria Adult Faith Formation Blog

Don't know how to go to confession? There are pamphlets in the back of Church as well as online. You can check out an Examination of Conscience at: 

Examination 1

Examination 2

Examination 3

Get Thee to the Confessional!

More resources on Confession:

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/confession

http://www.catholic.org/prayers/confession.php

Estovir Men's Conference

2012 ESTO VIR MIDWEST MEN’S CONFERENCE The Esto-Vir Annual Men’s
Conference is coming soon, March 10th to St. Pius X parish in Appleton, WI. This year’s featured guests will include The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, Fr. Larry Richards, Fr. Francis Hoffman “Father Rocky”, and Mr. Alan Keyes – former U.S Ambassador to the United Nations. Mass with Bishop Ricken will follow at 4PM. Registration is open now online at www.estovir.com. $40 early registration ends March 5th. Registration at the door is $50. SS Peter and Paul is organizing a group of men to attend this great opportunity. Please e-mail the parish office at: sspeter_paul@hotmail.com once you have registered for the conference online. There will either be a carpool or a bus depending on the number of men attending form SSPP.

Be a Man!

Check out the website for more information.: http://estovir.com/

New Office Hours

*New Office Hours*

Tuesday: 8:30 AM—12:00 PM

    Wednesday—Friday:
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM                

In an effort to minimize costs, we are closing down the parish office on
Tuesdays at 12:00 PM.
As a reminder, the parish offices are closed on Mondays.

Fat Tuesday

Check out this article to learn more about "Fat Tuesday."
http://josemariaadultformation.blogspot.com/2012/02/shrove-tuesday.html

Novena in Honor of Our Sorrowful Mother

For the past 40 years, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church has had the privilege of participating in the Novena in Honor of Our Sorrowful Mother.  This Novena starts every year at our parish 9 Fridays before Good Friday and includes Novena prayers, the Via Martis and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament [Our current schedule is at 7:00 PM on the 9 Fridays before Good Friday, for dates, please see our current bulletin]. Our parish has sustained a great devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows and many graces have been poured out upon our parishioners. Yet, not everyone knows the history behind this beautiful devotion. Consequently, I have provided below a short history of the devotion as it is found in the official Novena booklets produced by the Servite Fathers in Chicago, IL. It is fitting to post this today (February 17th) as it is the feast day of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order.

In the very early days of 1937, His Eminence George Cardinal Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago, approved the Perpetual Novena in honor of Our Sorrowful Mother for the Servite Church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Chicago, Illinois. This devotion was originated in its present form by the Rev. James R. Keane, O.S.M., then Prior of the Servite Community in Chicago. The first Novena services were held on Friday, January 8, 1937. They consisted of the Via Martis, six prayers culled from the ancient Servite Manual, two hymns to Our Blessed Mother, the Memorare, and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

On March 22 of the same year the Cardinal Archbishop gave his Imprimatur for the publication of the Novena prayerbook. One year after His Eminence granted the Imprimatur, 73,000 people were making the Novena at 38 services each Friday in Our Lady of Sorrows Church. This phenomenal weekly attendance at one church constituted a world record.

[...] This devotion to Our Sorrowful Mother is new only in its Novena from. The Via Martis and the other prayers date back to the Middle Ages. The devotion itself-devotion to Mary's Sorrows-is as old as the Catholic Church. An intimate corollary of the Incarnation, it was publicaly announced to all mankind by Our Divine Savior in His Agony on the Cross, when He said to St. John, "Behold Thy Mother" (John XIX, 27).

[...] The Novena to Our Sorrowful Mother is such a powerful and beloved devotion that the church, Our Lady of Sorrows in Chicago, where the Novena originated, has been raised to the dignity of a basilica, principally because of the devotion associated with the church through the Novena. Some indication of the importance of this church and shrine is to be found in the following decree, by which Pope Pius XII raised Our Lady of Sorrows church to the exalted rank of basilica: 

First and most important church in America dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows is to be found in the teeming city of Chicago. The Order of Servants of Mary established this place of devotion in the year 1874. In the beginning of this century they built a spacious Church with a seating capacity of approximately 3,000 people, patterned after a style of architecture identified with the Renaissance. Wonderful are the graceful towers rising at each side of the facade of the Church. the marble of the Main Altar was imported from famed Carrara and is topped by a picture of the Sorrowful Mother.  

[...]what is most worthy of praise is the fact that this Church is an outstanding place of devotion in America, where the Sorrowful Virgin is venerated. From this Shrine, the devotion in the form of the "Novena to Our Sorrowful Mother" spread everywhere like an inundating river.

It is well to remember the Novena prayers to the Blessed Mother of God were first compiled and then prayed in this church and are now used in 2,300 churches throughout the U.S.A. and other parts of the world. These prayers have been said by countless numbers of people with great spiritual benefits.[...] Pius PP. XII

 For more information:

Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows

To purchase a copy of the Novena booklet:

Friar Servants of Mary Bookstore

High Mass on March 4th at 4:00 PM

Our next Tridentine Mass will be on March 4, 2012 at 4:00 PM with 3:30 confessions. We will be celebrating the Second Sunday of Lent.

[From the Tridentine Mass Missal Project]

INTROIT ¤ Ps. 24. 6, 3, 22
	Reminiscere miserationum tuarum, Domine, et misericordiae tuae, quae a saeculo sunt: ne unquam dominentur nobis inimici nostri: libera nos, Deus Israel, ex omnibus augustiis nostris. -- Ad te, Domine, levavi animam meam, Deus meus, in te confido, non erubescam. V.: Gloria Patri . . . -- Reminiscere miserationum . . .		Remember, O Lord, Thy bowels of compassion, and Thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world, lest at any time our enemies rule over us: deliver us, O God of Israel, from all our tribulations. -- (Ps. 24. 1, 2). To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in Thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me be not ashamed. V.: Glory to the Father . . . -- Remember, O Lord . . .
The Gloria in Excelsis is not said.
COLLECT
	Deus, qui conspicis omni nos virtute destitui: interius exteriusque custodi; ut ab omnibus adversitatibus muniamur in corpore, et a pravis cogitationibus mundemur in mente. Per Dominum . . .		O God, who seest that we are wholly destitute of strength, keep us within and without: that we may be defended in body from all adversity: and cleansed in mind from evil thoughts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .
EPISTLE ¤ I Thess. 4. 1-17 Lesson from the First Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians. Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Thessalonicenses. [God our Creator and our Lord "hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification, in Christ Jesus our Lord."]
	Fratres: Rogamus vos, et obsecramus in Domino Iesu, et quemadmodum accepistis a nobis quomodo oporteat vos ambulare, et placere Deo, sic et abuletis, ut abundetis magis. Scitis enim quae praecepta dederim vobis per Dominum Iesum. Haec est enim voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra: ut abstineatis vos a fornicatione, ut sciat unusquisque vestrum vas suum possidere in sanctificatione, et honore: non in passione desiderii, sicut et gentes, quae ignorant Deum: et ne quis supergrediatur, neque circumveniat in negotio fratrem suum: quoniam vindex est Dominus de his omnibus, sicut praediximus vobis, et testificati sumus. Non enim vocavit nos Deus in immunditiam, sed in sanctificationem: in Christo Iesu Domino nostro.		Brethren, We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus that, as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vesel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God: and that no man overreach nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the Avenger of all these things, as we have told you before and have all testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GRADUAL ¤ Ps. 24. 17, 18
	Tribulationes cordis mei dilatatae sunt: de necessitatibus meis eripe me, Domine. V.: Vide humilitatem meam, et laborem meum: et dimitte omnia peccata mea.		The troubles of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities, O Lord. V.: See my abjection and my labor; and forgive me all my sins.
TRACT ¤ Ps. 105. 1-4
	Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius. V.: Quis loquetur potentias Domini: auditas faciet omnes laudes eius? V.: Beati qui custodiunt iudicium, et faciunt iustitiam in omni tempore. V.: Memento nostri, Domine: in bene placito populi tui: visita nos in salutari tuo.		Give glory to the Lord, for He is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. V.: Who shall declare the powers of the Lord: who shall set forth all His praises? V.: Blessed are they that keep judgment and do justice at all times. V.: Remember us, O Lord, in the favor of Thy people: visit us with Thy salvation.
GOSPEL ¤ Matth. 17. 1-9. † Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. † Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum. [Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ on Mount Thabor: manifestation of the divinity of Jesus.]
	In illo tempore: Assumpsit Iesus Petrum, et Iacobem, et Ioannem fratrem eius, et duxit illos in montem excelsum seorsum: et transfiguratus est ante eos. Et resplenduit facies eius sicut sol: vestimenta autem eius facta sunt alba sicut nix. Et ecce apparuerunt illis Moyses et Elias cum eo loquentes. Respondens autem Petrus, dixit ad Iesum: Domine, bonum est nos hic esse: si vis, faciamus hic tria tabernacula, tibi unum, Moysi unum, et Eliae unum. Adhuc eo loquente, ecce nubes lucida obumbravit eos. Et ecce vox de nube, dicens: Hic est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui: ipsum audite. Et audientes discipuli, ceciderunt in faciem suam, et timuerunt valde. Et accessit Iesus, et tetigit eos, dixitque eis: Surgite, et nolite timere. Levantes autem oculos suos, neminem viderunt, nisi solum Iesum. Et descendentibus illis de monte, praecepit eis Iesus, dicens: Nemini dixeritis visionem, donec Filius hominis a mortuis resurgat.		At that time Jesus took Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: and He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answering said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And they, lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man till the Son of Man be risen from the dead.

What about Contraceptives?

Want to know a few of the reasons why the Church is against contraceptives? Check out a series of posts on http://josemariaadultformation.blogspot.com/ that begins today and will end at the end of the week.

The HHS Mandate and the Catholic Church

This past weekend, Bishops from across the United States of America had a letter read to their flock about the actions of the administration of Obama to mandate coverage for contraception for everyone, regardless of religious affiliation [Click here to read Bishop Callahan's letter]. This issue is not only about the hurtful consequences of contraception, but more importantly about religious freedom. Here is what the USCCB has to offer on the topic:

The HHS has issued a rule forcing nearly all private health plans to include coverage for all FDA-approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, as well as surgical sterilization. These are listed among "preventive services for women" that all health plans will have to cover without co-pays or other cost-sharing -- regardless of whether the insurer, the employer or other plan sponsor, or even the woman herself objects to such coverage.

The exemption provided for "religious employers" is so narrow that it fails to cover the vast majority of faith-based organizations, including Catholic hospitals, universities, and service organizations that help millions every year. Ironically, not even Jesus & his disciples would have qualified.

During the public comment period last fall, the bishops' grassroots campaign alone generated over 57,000 comments to HHS opposing their mandate.
Now that the Administration has refused to recognize the Constitutional conscience rights of organizations and individuals who oppose the mandate, the bishops are now urging Catholics and others of good will to fight this unprecedented attack on conscience rights and religious liberty. [USCCB]

To explain this issue directly, Archbishop Timothy Dolan released a video addressing his concerns:

Click here to view the video. This is principally a matter of religious freedom, as the government is forcing the Catholic Church to go against her conscience and to provide something that we believe to be morally evil. But why is it that the Church is so against contraception? Here is an excerpt from an article from a well-known speaker that helps get at the heart of the matter:

 Only in the last 50-70 years has this been viewed primarily as a “Catholic” issue.  Until 1930, all Christian bodies stood together in their condemnation of any attempt to sterilize the marital act.  That year, the Anglican Church broke with more than nineteen hundred years of uninterrupted Christian teaching.  When the pill debuted in the early 1960's, the Catholic Church alone was retaining what in 30 short years had come to be seen as an archaic, even absurd position.

[...]

When Margaret Sanger and her followers started pushing contraception in the early 1900's, wise men and women – and certainly not just Catholics – predicted that severing sex from procreation would eventually lead to sexual and societal chaos.  Today’s culture of adultery, divorce, premarital sex, STD’s, out-of-wedlock births, abortion, fatherless children, homosexuality, poverty, crime, drugs, and violence was all foreseen.

[...]People throughout history have been tempted to commit adultery.  It’s nothing new.  However, one of the main deterrents from succumbing to the temptation has been the fear of pregnancy.  What would happen if this natural deterrent were taken away?  As history demonstrates, rates of adultery would skyrocket.  What’s one of the main causes of divorce?  Adultery.  Apply the same logic to pre-marital sex.  Such behavior has, indeed, skyrocketed.  Premarital sex, as a kind of “adultery in advance,” is also a prime indicator of future marital breakdown.

[Read More...]

This issue of contraception is almost commonplace in the modern world and yet, it has proven to be the source of many of our problems. Here are some more resources to help understand the issue: http://www.catholic.com/tracts/birth-control