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.