Introduction for Parents

God is pretty clear about forgiveness: we need to seek it from those

who we have hurt; we need to seek it from God; and we need to be
ready to forgive others. In the Lord's prayer, Jesus teaches us to
pray: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"
(Luke 11:4). But forgiveness isn't always that simple. Fortunately,
we have in the Church a way to help us get right with others, with
God, and with ourselves - the sacrament of reconciliation also
known as Penance.
Reconciliation is a sacrament by which a person renews a love relationship with God and the
community. In the sacrament of reconciliation a person
makes peace with the community
celebrates God's forgiving love
receives help to live a better life

Three rites of Reconciliation
First Rite of Reconciliation. This is an individual experience. The penitent receives the sacrament
privately with the priest.
Second Rite of Reconciliation. This is experienced as a community. We gather as a community and
celebrate the liturgy. We seek individual confession and absolution. This is the most common rite
we celebrate in schools.
Third Rite of Reconciliation. This is a community experience with communal absolution. It is rarely
used.

Terms and Definitions
Confession: a detailed telling of faults, an important and integral part of the
process, a term not fully adequate
Penance: allowing the spirit to be overturned in order to make it turn toward
God. Through this ritual we undergo a kind of conversion; we change our
hearts under the Lord's grace
Reconciliation: restores, heals and strengthens our relationships with God, with
one another, with the community, the Church, and with our inner self

Things to do as Parents

1.Be consistent about what you tell your child is right or wrong.
2.Help your child to know the difference between things done "by
accident" or "on purpose".
3.Train your child to forgive, to lend, to share, to make friends, to
pray.
4.Discuss real situations and help your child to make judgments
about them.
5.Pray with your child.
6.Model forgiveness.















References

American Martyrs Catholic Community.(2014). What first Penance Means. Retrieved July 16, from
http://familiesinfaith.weebly.com/what-first-penance-means-and-guidelines.html
Catholic Education Office Sydney. (2014). Unit 5.7 We Celebrate the Sacraments Part I. CEO Sydney.
Retrieved from http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/Parents/Religion/RE/Pages/Primary.aspx
Images:
Colleen Hammond.(2011). The Sacrament of Penance. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from
http://www.colleenhammond.com/catholics/meditations/the-sacrament-of-penance/
Praying Mondays. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from
http://beyondchristianplatitudes.com/category/praying-mondays/
Redemtoris, M. (2011). General Examination and Confession. Retrieved July 14, 2014, from
http://materredemptoris.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/general-examination-and-
confession.html