Catholic Church and faithful see confession in a new light
APRIL 6, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2014, 12:26 AM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
One of loneliest places in church these days is the confession line. The act of confessing one’s sins, a requirement for Catholics, has sharply fallen over several decades with evolving views on sin, penance and the stature of the priesthood.
But now Pope Francis and church leaders, in a push to draw people back to confession, are highlighting what clergy say are the healing, uplifting aspects of the sacrament and focusing less on themes like punishment and condemnation..
The Paterson Diocese and Newark Archdiocese are using websites, newspaper ads and highway billboards to get the message out. Under diocesan guidance, local churches have also added one extra day a week to hear confession during Lent, the period before Easter when penance is considered a Catholic duty. And the pope, in an image seen and talked about around the world, confessed to a priest last week in public view.
But will these efforts change attitudes among Catholics, many of whom believe confession no longer is a necessary part of the faith?
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/catholic-church-and-faithful-see-confession-in-a-new-light-1.842468#sthash.mveCSOiq.dpuf
The moral decline began years ago and was ’emphasized’ by President Clinton.
He was a poor example.
He should have stayed out of the oral office.
Maybe the Record will start giving catechism lessons next. Their editorial page editor seems to have forgotten that he no longer works at a Catholic paper but a secular one, assuming he had his mitts in this one. Any Festivus issues that the paper might wish to investigate?
Moral decline in this country happened long before Cinton,on the other hand if more presidents got BJ’S then maybe the country would be better off.
JFK was a real big time philanderer but the liberal press kept that quiet until he was long gone.