If you’ve ever been in a conversation where you had to defend the Catholic Faith, people have probably asked you this question. It can be a tough one to answer, but Fr. Mike lays out many reasons why confessing our sins to a priest makes perfect sense. Confession isn’t a man-made tradition of the Church but rather a valuable gift given by God and rooted in Scripture.
Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:
Belonging: Baptism in the Family of God
Chosen: This is Your Catholic Faith
Altaration: The Mystery of the Mass Revealed
YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body
Get 18 of Fr. Mike’s best Ascension Presents videos in this exclusive DVD from Ascension: Ascension Presents … Fr. Mike Schmitz
Fr. Mike spoke at the Ascension Cafe during the World Meeting of Families. Watch him and other speakers get fired up about the gospel in the Ascension Cafe DVD.
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Ascension Press main website
Ascension Presents website
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Father Mike, The podcast “Why Confess My Sins to a Priest” was a great podcast! Two more reasons that might be given are: 1.Jesus understood the human psychological aspect of speaking ones sins out loud to a person and hearing the words, “You are forgiven.” This human exchange of words enables us TO FORGIVE OURSELVES! If we simply confess our sins directly to God in private, repent, and ask forgiveness, we will likely continue to carry the guilt with us. 2. The graces received during confession to a priest are overwhelming. I liken these graces to what I call, “a bullet-proof shield for the soul.” The graces received during confession are tangible…something you can actually feel inside in some concrete way. And one has great power to resist temptation when these graces are conferred, and before we wear-down that “shield” with new sins over time. And of course, God can confer these graces on a person any time, but our receptiveness to these graces is greatest when we are most vulnerable, as in speaking our sins out loud to a priest. I think you hit on both of these points in some manner in your podcast, but I wanted to develop them a little more here in my comments. Thanks!