Confession
The Sacraments are celebrations of Christian tradition, life and hope, and are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence in our lives. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus instituted the seven sacraments by His teaching and example.
St. Anne's offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Saturday (except the Sat. of Easter Vigil) in the church from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The mission church of St. Patrick of the Forest offers the Sacrament at 10:30 AM prior to the 11 AM Mass on Sunday. The mission church of Our Lady of the River does not offer the Sacrament. One can always call the parish office and ask for a special appointment. Communal reconciliation services are held in Advent and Lent. Scheduled days and hours are posted as each season draws near.
This program provides preparation for the first reception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion for all children of Saint Anne Parish. The program is for children in 2nd grade. The classes are for children who attend public school, Catholic School and are home schooled. This is their first experience of belonging to a larger community of faith. Contact the Pastoral Associate for dates and times for these classes.
Parents are asked to attend at least two faith formation classes that are offered throughout the year. These classes are to help the parent to grow in their faith and to enable them to fulfill their baptismal commitment as the primary catechist to their child/ren. First Reconciliation is celebrated in January and First Holy Communion is usually celebrated the last weekend in April. Sacramental Preparation Registration must be completed by October 1 and requires a copy of your child’s Baptismal Certificate.
For further information and details about preparation classes, contact or email our Pastoral Associate. See the Staff page for that e-mail address
FROM THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. A remarkable sign of this is the fact that Jesus receives sinners at his table, a gesture that expresses in an astonishing way both God's forgiveness and the return to the bosom of the People of God.
In imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. This ecclesial dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christ's solemn words to Simon Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." "The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of the apostles united to its head."
The words bind and loose mean: whomever you exclude from your communion, will be excluded from communion with God; whomever you receive anew into your communion, God will welcome back into his. Reconciliation with the Church is inseparable from reconciliation with God.
(CCC 1443-45)