The true meaning of the Confessional

The Confessional is truly a sacred space.

It is a doorway into the inner sanctuary of man and the heart’s entry point for Divine Light.

No human should be left to deal with their sins alone. The burden of our sinful choices and actions places an incredible weight on our hearts and lives.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is where the wounded come for healing. It is where the wounded acknowledge their wounds and receive healing and peace by the Forgiveness of the God of Infinite Love.

Jesus, being the only Son of God could exercise this Divine power to forgive sins during his walk on earth: “Your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2: 5,10, Luke 7:48).

He then instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation on the evening of Easter when he showed himself to his Apostles and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any they are retained” (John 20:22-23)

The priest then who sits in the confessional is the one who is most humbled. When he himself capable of sin is asked by God to stand humbly in his place and forgive the sins of others in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Priest/Confessor is not the master of God’s forgiveness but its servant. (Catechism 1466)

The effects of the sacrament of Confession are Reconciliation with God – The forgiveness of every sin. Reconciliation with the Church – where God wants you to make your home.

Recovery of the state of Grace – which helps you realize the person you were created to be.

Peace, the serenity of conscience and spiritual consolation, and an increase of spiritual strength for the struggle of Christian living. A struggle that with regular visits to the confessional, becomes a beautiful struggle for holiness. 

Let us go to confession!

Why the Master of Ceremonies wears Purple Cassock?

Some of you might found out the Master of Ceremonies (MCs) are wearing Purple Cassocks as know as Paonazza when they are serving the Diocesan or Archdiocesan Ordinaries, that because the colour of the Bishop is Purple, as the MCs who are serving their local ordinaries, they can wear the purple cassocks as they are representing their local ordinaries, even the MCs are not the clerics.

But the difference between the purple cassocks of MCs and Bishops or Monsignors is the cassocks of the MCs did not have the pipping and the cassocks of Bishops or Monsignors have buttons.

That’s all from today, I’ll post the same topic in Chinese in the coming days!

What is a Catholic Priest and what is the nature of the Priesthood?

(Text from the decree “Presbyterorum ordinis”, on the ministry and life of priests, of the Second Vatican Council, issued by the Commission on the Discipline of the Clergy, being Blessed Alvaro del Portillo the secretary)

By the sacrament of Orders, priests are formed in the image of Christ the Priest, to be ministers of Christ the Head in constructing and building up his whole body, the Church, as fellow workers with the order of bishops. In the consecration of baptism, they have already received, in common with all Christians, the sign and gift of so great a vocation and grace that, even in their human weakness, they have the power, and the duty, to seek perfection, in accordance with our Lord’s words: Be perfect, then, as your Father in heaven is also perfect.

Priests are obligated in a special way to acquire this perfection. By receiving Holy Orders, they have been consecrated in a new way, and made living instruments of Christ the eternal Priest, so as to be able to continue through the years Christ’s wonderful work which, by divine power, has restored to wholeness the entire family of man.

Since each priest acts, as far as he may, in the person of Christ himself, he is given special grace to help him grow toward the perfection of the one whose role he plays, as he ministers to his flock and the whole people of God. He receives grace for the healing of human weakness from the holiness of Christ, who became for us a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, and separated from sinners.

Christ, whom the Father sanctified, that is, consecrated, and sent into the world, gave himself for us, to redeem us from all sin, and to purify for himself an acceptable people, zealous for good works. So, through his passion, he entered into his glory. In the same way, priests, consecrated as they are by the anointing of the Holy Spirit and sent by Christ, put an end in their lives to the sins of our selfish nature, and give themselves wholly to the service of mankind, and so are enabled to grow to perfect manhood in the holiness with which they are enriched in Christ.

As they exercise the ministry of the Spirit and of holiness, they are strengthened in the spiritual life, provided that they are docile to Christ’s Spirit, who gives them life and is their guide. By the sacred actions they perform daily, and by their entire ministry in communion with their bishop and fellow priests, they are set on the way that leads to perfection.

The holiness of priests is itself an important contribution to the fruitfulness of their ministry. It is true that God’s grace can affect the work of salvation even though unworthy ministers, but God ordinarily prefers to show his wonders by means of those who are more submissive to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and, who through close union with Christ and holiness of life, are able to say with Saint Paul: I live, but no longer is it I who live, it is Christ who lives within me.