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PEOPLE
BELONGING
REVELATIONS
CARING
LIFE CHOICES
SCHOOL
PRAYER
LINKS
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Repentance and Reconciliation
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When Christ started preaching in Galilee, his first message
was: “Reform your lives and believe the Gospel”.
(Mark 1:15)
Nevertheless, God’s mercy carries with it a price tag: our
willingness to reform, repent or change our ways, to turn away
from sin and back to God. Once we have done this however, the
gates of God’s forgiveness instantly open up. |
"Prepare the
Way of the Lord
Make straight
the path" |
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The Catholic Church has always taught that as soon as we
sincerely repent and seek the Lord’s mercy, all our sins are
forgiven. It consequently teaches and encourages every member
to approach God directly through Jesus and ask for
forgiveness. Yet, normally there remains with in the human
person, a great need to express verbally her or his wrongdoing
and to experience actual forgiveness through some word or
gesture. For this reason, Jesus gave us a sacrament to meet
that need. |
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The Church’s sacrament of Penance, also called Reconciliation
or Confession, provides an exceptional opportunity for this.
Through this sacrament, repentant persons not only have
occasion to disclose their sins, but actually to experience
the mercy of God who through the words and gesture of the
priest, forgives their sins. |
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Reconciliation
Times at St Michael’s:
Rite 1 –
(Individual) Fridays 11.30am, Saturdays 9.30am,
or by appointment phone 09 520 1226
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ADVENT |
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The Church's year is divided into seasons. We are now in the
season of ordinary time, characterised by the priest (usually) wearing green
vestments at Mass.
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"I have come that they may have life, and have it
to the full."
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John 10:10 |
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+click
here for an explanation of what happens at Mass
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Lord, I offer you my seeking;
show me the way.
I offer you my doubts;
lead me to trust in you.
I offer you my hurts;
heal me.
I offer you my fears;
give me hope.
I offer you my loneliness;
welcome me.
I offer you my heart;
warm it with love.
I offer you my journey;
lead me home where
I can live in your justice, peace and love. |
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