Confession to One Man or to All?

The great scientist and philosopher, Blase Pascal, made this observation about the Sacrament of Confession:

"The Catholic religion does not bind us to confess our sins indiscriminately to everybody; it allows them to remain hidden from all other men save one, to whom she bids us reveal the innermost recesses of our heart and show ourselves as we are. There is only this one man in the world whom she orders us to undeceive, and she binds him to an inviolable secrecy, which makes this knowledge to him as if it were not. Can we imagine anything more charitable and pleasant? And yet the corruption of man is such that he finds even this law harsh; and it is one of the main reasons which has caused a great part of Europe to rebel against the Church.

"How unjust and unreasonable is the heart of man, which feels it disagreeable to be obliged to do in regard to one man what in some measure it were right to do to all men! For is it right that we should deceive men?" (From Self-Love by Blase Pascal)

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This Thursday, April 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. we will have a number of confessors available here at Holy Family Church so that all who wish may receive the healing Sacrament of Reconciliation. We will begin at 6 p.m. with a communal prayer and orientation, then have different stations for individual confessions. Please take advantage of this beautiful opportunity to prepare for the celebration of Holy Week 2000.

The Sacrament of Confession is available at Holy Family Parish: Sat, 9-10 a.m.; Wed, 7:30 p.m. or by appt, 206-767-6220. During Holy Year 2000 Confessions on First Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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