After the 10.30 on Sunday there was a trail around the cathedral where adults and children enrolled in the parish sacramental preparation programme 'My Lord and My God' learned more about one of the two healing sacraments - the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or confession, or conversion, or penance, or forgiveness.
The children and adults all had a chance to visit the confessional and have a look at where you can go to receive the sacrament. For some, it was a surprise to learn that you could choose to sit opposite the priest or kneel behind the grill.
Obviously when we go to confession there is just us and the priest, so the experience on Sunday with so many squeezing in to listen to Fr Stewart or Canon Stephen was a bit unusual!
One of the questions the children asked was whether Fr Stewart has to go, to which the answer was of course YES. The children were also interested to learn that the Pope also goes to receive this sacrament. Fr Stewart explained how the priest is always ready to help people when they come to receive this sacrament.
Please pray for the children who will be making their first confession this Lent. Remember that each Wednesday evening between 7.00 and 8.00 'The Light is on for YOU' in all the churches in the Lancaster Diocese. A chance for us all to go especially if it has been a long time since we last went.
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| A catechist kneeling in the confessional |
Obviously when we go to confession there is just us and the priest, so the experience on Sunday with so many squeezing in to listen to Fr Stewart or Canon Stephen was a bit unusual!One of the questions the children asked was whether Fr Stewart has to go, to which the answer was of course YES. The children were also interested to learn that the Pope also goes to receive this sacrament. Fr Stewart explained how the priest is always ready to help people when they come to receive this sacrament.
Please pray for the children who will be making their first confession this Lent. Remember that each Wednesday evening between 7.00 and 8.00 'The Light is on for YOU' in all the churches in the Lancaster Diocese. A chance for us all to go especially if it has been a long time since we last went.
