In our most recent article we showed that Jesus, the Son of God, claimed for Himself and exercised the power to forgive sins. (Mt. 9:5 7) "Which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Rise and walker' But that you may know that the son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He rose and went home. Both powers belong to God, power over nature and power over sins, and Jesus not only claimed them but in fact exercised them. 

Promising that He would remain with us until the end of time, even though He ascended into Heaven, He remains with us in Spirit and in sacrament through the Church. His power of forgiveness remains with us until the end of time through the Church, through those empowered to act in His Name. (Jn. 20:21 23) 

"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when He had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Auricular confession, confessing our sins so that they may be heard, has been the norm in the Church since earliest times. The Church insists on it. The Church actually requires us to confess our sins. That, of course, is a minimum. Since "staying awake" and "being prepared" are constant themes of Jesus, it certainly makes more sense to go immediately than to take a chance and remain in serious sin for any length of time. If one has been so unfortunate as to commit serious sin, then a speedy confession would definitely be in order. True sorrow with a firm purpose of amendment is of course required.

The Church, in fact, has always insisted on more frequent confession. Priests and seminarians were encouraged to go to confession every week. Confession within the week is required to gain indulgences. Frequent confession was constantly preached. Our Lady at Fatima encouraged monthly confession. This may well have been the thrust behind the practice of monthly confession at least in our area My own family and most families in our area of Louisiana confessed monthly. I suspect it was a rather wide spread practice. 

Unfortunately in more recent times this great Sacrament has fallen into disuse. Even priests have been reluctant to schedule hours for private confession. I remember days when an associate would refuse to hear confessions when we would schedule numerous hours for confessions during Lent and Advent. I remember being told on one occasion that if I scheduled all of those hours for confession, I would have to hear them myself, which I did. I do believe that priests have at times discouraged frequent confession.

I do believe that we must return to the practice of frequent confession. This is a must because we see people receiving communion who have no concept of the seriousness of sin. We see this for weddings and funerals in particular. We see people who have not practiced their faith at all, and yes, even some living scandalous lives who think nothing of receiving communion. Without freeing themselves from sin through confession they receive the Lord unworthily. 

Our Lady has recently re-entered the battle for frequent confession encouraging us in the apparitions of Medjugorje to be reconciled and to confess our sins at least once a month. This repeats the message of Fatima early in this century. These apparitions are not yet officially sanctioned by the Church however, I believe in time they will be sanctioned. Medjugorje is really a call to live the Gospel message. 

There is one practice rather common today that needs mentioning, namely; the practice of mentioning only one sin. I have seen this on occasion at penance services. They discourage mentioning a "laundry list" and encourage mentioning only one major problem. The result is that confessions are not integral or complete, which is required. All serious sin must be submitted in confession. I repeat, all serious sin. We do not want to lie to the Holy Spirit and not be completely honest to God. 

Two main points, then, we make. Frequent confession is highly desirable and encouraged by the Church. We must confess all serious sins. This has always been the teaching of the Church and still is.