Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: January 22, 2017
Wonderful things take place here at the Cathedral often, but this coming week is one of my favorites: as you can see from the announcement on p. 2 of The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin, we’re holding another Parish Pot Luck Supper. I hope you can come on Monday, January 23, at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Bring something you like to serve and eat, and since everyone else will be doing the same, we’ll have a great time sharing great food and building Parish community at the same time! You don’t have to register or anything like that: just come!
Something else you never have to register for ahead-of-time here at St. Joseph’s is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We host confessions every weekday at 11:30 am and on Saturday at 3 pm.
I guess I’m probably a lot like most priests: I have to admit having a “love-hate” relationship to confessions. On the one hand, and very positively, there is almost nothing more inspiring to me than when someone comes in and really does begin to face his or her own imperfections. When somebody first faces up to the fact that their sins are distancing themselves from God – maybe forever! – and from a serene and fulfilling life in this world, and begins to change their life and priorities, it’s a wonderful thing. It’s a privilege to share in such personal but important moments of conversion and rededication to faith and virtue.
Alternatively, when folks traipse into the confessional and simply rattle off a “laundry list” of imperfections they memorized when they were 7 or 13, without any real intention or effort made to improve, boy, that’s discouraging. Even worse is when the confession is focused upon the wrongdoings of spouse or children or in-laws. Where do I start to remind the penitent of their own sinfulness here and now? I hope I just do my best to nudge people into recognizing that God’s mercy is always available to them if they but try to reduce their imperfections and instead embrace lives of simple goodness and holiness.
I do try to maintain a sense of humor throughout. That’s easy when the little ole lady comes in and says “Bless me, Father, it’s been a month since my last confusion”! Or when a youngster confesses “I committed a grown-up sin, I think that means it was adultery”! But more often I simply have to smile as I point out that human imperfection, while making us feel horrible, does not really thwart our ability to overcome sin and do good, and that God knows the difference.
As you confess, then, make my job easier: confront your wrongdoings, but do so realistically and sincerely. I’ll do my best to mirror Jesus’ gentle and forgiving welcome, and together we’ll be able to move in a better direction.
Yours in the loving Christ,
Father Paul
