Pope says Sacrament of Confession is the way of new evangelization
(March 09, 2012) Since the Sacramento of Penance or Confession means converting and
conforming oneself to Christ, it is also preaching the Word and hence is the way of
the New Evangelization. Pope Benedict XVI made the point to 1,300 priests participating
in a confessor’s training course organized by the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican
court that that handles issues related to the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation.
He said those training to be confessors need adequate theological, spiritual and canonical
preparation, underscoring the link between the celebration of the sacraments and preaching
of the Gospel. The Pontiff said the sacraments and preaching of the Word can never
be separated as shown by Christ who not only spoke but also acted and showed signs
such as miracles. Since the new Evangelization draws its vital sap from the holiness
of Christians and their daily personal and communitarian conversion to Christ, the
Pope said, sacramental confession is the way of the new evangelization. This explains
the close link between holiness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Pope Benedict
urged that the Sacrament of Reconciliation be proposed to the faithful in a persuasive
and efficient way, saying only the one who allows himself to be renewed profoundly
by divine grace is able to proclaim and carry within him the Gospel. Through the
Sacrament of Confession, he said, people of today can discover the face of Christ,
the mystery of the mercy of the Father, which is the new evangelization. In an age
where relativism puts to doubt the quest for truth, the Pope said, Christians are
called to vigorously proclaim that the encounter between the today’s man and Jesus
is possible.