Reconciliation or Confession ??

“You like potato and I like potahto

You like tomato and I like tomahto

Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.

Let's call the whole thing off.”

In the church we have a sort of potato-potahto, tomato-tomahto conundrum, but it’s with choosing the right word, not the right pronunciation.

We have a sacrament that is called different names by different people. It’s either penance, confession or reconciliation, depending on whom you ask. So which one is right?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church asks the same question, under the title:

I.                   WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT CALLED?

And here is the response:

1423 It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.

It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction.

1424 It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession" - acknowledgment and praise - of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.

It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the penitent "pardon and peace."

It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the life of God who reconciles: "Be reconciled to God." He who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: "Go; first be reconciled to your brother."

So, it turns out, there are five names for the same sacrament. And all are right.

Whatever you choose to call it, you can receive it tonight from 5 to 7 p.m, – and on Thursday evenings throughout Lent, as part of an archdiocese-wide initiative to make the sacrament more accessible during this season that’s all about conversion, penance, confession, forgiveness and reconciliation.

There’s also a Lenten Penance Service scheduled for 7 p.m. March 25 – as well as the regular reconciliation times Saturday afternoons from 3:30-4:30 and from 5 to 5:20 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Let us dare to be like the leper who approached Jesus and said: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

And we can receive the same response: “He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.”

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.