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PARISH

CelebratingThe Sacrament of Penanceduring the COVID-19 period

The Sacrament of Penance will be celebrated during special hours for the time being, . Two priests will hear beginning June 2ndconfessions at the following times: and . Please come to the main parking Tuesdays 4:30 to 6:00pm Thursdays 11am to Noonlot (not Hertzler Road). The church and chapel will remain closed during these hours. Weather permitting, one priest will hear drive-through confessions under the portico, and one in the Upper Room. If you are not feeling well, or if you have been exposed to anyone with the COVID-19 virus, you should stay at home.

How to prepare to celebrate the sacrament:

In order to minimize contact time, it is important that you come prepared to celebrate the sacrament. Before you leave home, make a good and prayerful examination of conscience, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten your conscience and to show you your sins. Consider making a list of sins to bring to Our Lord in confession:• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you first your serious sins — that is, any mortal sins you may have committed. Write them down, since you will want to confess these sins.• Next ask the Holy Spirit to show you your venial sins. You should write these down as well, as they should be confessed, although our day-to-day sins may also be forgiven by devoutly receiving Holy Communion with a sincere sorrow for our sins and sincere intention to avoid them in the future.• Finally, consider those acts and decisions that may be troubling or causing worry, but are not sins you have committed. These are generally not matters for confession (maybe for pastoral counseling), and should not be brought into the confessional.• Review what you have written in your list and consider what truly must be confessed at this time.

When you arrive at the church:

Use the main parking lot. If you park your car, stay at least one spot away from any other vehicle. If the weather permits, we will offer two options: drive-through confession under the covered portico at the main entrance to the church, and confession indoors in a well-ventilated location. (the Upper Room or a classroom). Before leaving your vehicle, enter into a spirit of prayer, and pray the Act of Contrition. You may wish to use a text printed on the reverse of this page. You will not pray it again within the sacrament.

For drive-through confession:

◦ one person only per vehicle ◦ please wear a face mask ◦ do not leave your vehicle ◦ follow any signs or directions ◦ to protect privacy, do not drive into the portico until the vehicle in front of you has left ◦ to protect your privacy, if you are hard of hearing, please do not use the drive-through option. ◦ please be aware that the priest may ask you to return at another time if you are not wearing a mask

For confession indoors:

◦ please wear a face mask ◦ use hand sanitizer before you leave your vehicle ◦ enter only through the door by the Café ◦ use your elbow to push the automatic door opener ◦ maintain a six-foot distance from any other person ◦ please sanitize the doorknob before entering the room ◦ all confessions will be heard behind a screen (no face-to-face)

After your confession:

Return to your vehicle directly. Completion of the assigned penance (called “satisfaction” for your sins) is an integral part of the sacrament. The chapel and church will be locked, so — depending on the nature of the assigned penance — you may wish to complete your penance as soon as your return to your vehicle and before you leave the parking space.

How to Celebrate the Sacrament of Penance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Drive into the portico, or enter the room. The priest will welcome you and make the sign of the Cross.• Say: “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was (how long ago) and these are my sins.” You should also mention your age and your state in life: (student, married, single, widowed, etc.)•You then confess all your serious or mortal sins to the priest. You should also briefly mention your venial sins. If you are unsure what to say, briefly ask for guidance. Do not lower or remove your mask. Then make a confession of your sins. Counsel is available by phone outside of confession.•The priest will then give you an appropriate penance. •The Act of Contrition would normally be prayed at this moment, but we ask you at this time to pray an Act of Contrition before you approach the area for confessions. This will reduce contact time and possible spread of germs. •The priest will offer the prayer for sacramental absolution. Make the sign of the cross with him at the end of this prayer. •You then leave, and now or within a few days complete the penance the priest assigned you. (If you are celebrating the sacrament indoors, please use hand sanitizer before touching the door as you exit the room.)

1. Lord Jesus, Son of God,have mercy on me, a sinner.

2. Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins. The sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body, my idle sins, my voluntary sins, the sins I know, the sins I do not know, the sins I have concealed, the sins hidden from my memory. I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial, for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour. I know my sins have wounded Your Most Sacred Heart. O my Savior, let me be freed from the bonds of evil, through the grace of Your most sacred passion and death. O my Jesus, forgive what I have I have been and what I have done. Give me the grace to flee from sin from this moment on, and ever to seek Your mercy. Amen.

Commonly-used Texts for the Act of Contrition:

3. Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments,but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love.I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace,to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

4. My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to good, I have sinned against You, whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy.

O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of the cross, were united with Jesus’ suffering, and persevered in your faith.

“Protectress of the Roman people,” you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may returnafter this time of trial.

Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Fatherand to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffering, and burdened himself with our sorrowsto bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.

We fly to your protection,O Holy Mother of God;Do not despise our petitionsin our necessities,but accompany us with your prayers to deliver us alwaysfrom every danger, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.

Prayer of Pope Francis for an end to the Pandemic: