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Priests should be like Christ, Who invited people to repent of their sins. It is not for priests to act solely as counsellors and comforters, without also speaking the truth about the serious sins which can entrap us.

Catholic priests should indeed give us good advice. Yet their principle purpose in the confessional, in the sacrament of Penance, is to forgive our sins. They are not ordained to be like secular counsellors.

How embarrassed we would be if the sins we commit were to appear as stains on our 'outside', like dirty stains on our clothes. Christ wants us to realise that He sees, at every moment, all the sins we have committed and have not yet confessed. He wants us to be made clean, and joyful, through repentance and confession.

Some people begrudge having to look after sick relations. They even bang the dinner plates on the table. That's what it's like when we pray to God with resentment, or are angry about having to confess our sins.

The Father in heaven greets with delight a humble confession of weakness by one of His trusting 'children'

The Father in heaven greets with delight a humble confession of weakness by one of His trusting 'children'

Everyone alive is loved by Christ our God. Yet when we are reconciled to Him through sacramental confession, and renewed in love and joy, we are wrapped in His love as His own brothers or sisters or children.

Everyone alive is loved by Christ our God. Yet when we are reconciled to Him through sacramental confession, and renewed in love and joy, we are wrapped in His love as His own brothers or sisters or children.

After Confession: The Most Holy Trinity showed me, by an image, that each of the Three Divine Persons - one God - forgave me for every sin and failing and invited me to be joyful.

The teachings of the Holy Scriptures and of the Church today are true and trustworthy.

God pours out into our souls tremendous graces when we confess our sins in the Sacrament of Penance. As a dirty room needs cleaning right into the corners, so our souls need purifying in every 'area' - by the grace of Christ, Who is at work in His Church.

After Confession: Christ took my face in His hands and said to me: "Well done"! In this way He showed His delight in my sincere Confession this morning in the Sacrament of Penance.

Christ strode joyfully around the 'room' that is my own soul, and explained that it has been truly 'well-swept' by my sincere confession yesterday and my new resolutions, in preparation for His Birthday, on the feast of Christmas.

After Confession, absolution, prayer and penance, I found myself lifted - as the Lord explained - into the 'dance' of the Three Divine Persons, Who showed me Their delight in my trust and obedience, as They shared Their joy with me in prayer.

A person who repents of sin, goes to Confession, receives absolution, prays and offers penance as the Church requests, and who perseveres in love and service, is eventually drawn into the life and prayer of the Holy Trinity, as if spiralling in a heavenly dance of delight, in known and blissful union.

Many Catholics lead lives unworthy of God's children, and are not sorry for going against His laws - hence the empty confessionals in this era. Most Catholics who disobey the moral law on contraception, for example, brush away their feelings of guilt. Few can plead total ignorance of the teaching of the Church.

Many Catholics lead lives unworthy of God's children, and are not sorry for going against His laws - hence the empty confessionals in this era. Most Catholics who disobey the moral law on contraception, for example, brush away their feelings of guilt. Few can plead total ignorance of the teaching of the Church.

Those souls who live as Catholics but who never use the Sacraments of Penance are like people who never wash or clean their teeth but who imagine that they are pleasant to be with. Souls not properly purified stink before Heaven.

Everyone needs to be 'cleansed' of all sin. Christ asked me to picture people who never wash or clean their teeth, and who grow dirty and smelly, and often infected. People who refuse to repent or to confess their sins, He said, are deeply loved by the Father, but they stink, before Heaven, and would be wise to accept the help He offers for their transformation and joy.

There is no need for irreverent liturgies to be offered to youngsters, in the hope of sparking an interest in religion. It is better, in Christ's sight, to prepare joyful social events for them, followed by thorough catechesis, and opportunities for Reconciliation. Then there can be a beautiful inspiring Mass, or Adoration and Benediction.