Confession

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession as it's better known, offers us an important way of getting closer to God - to be forgiven for our sins.

As Pope Francis puts it “it’s an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best”.

What's Confession?

Here you can read what the Popes have said about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, read excerpts from Church documents, download a useful presentation for parishes and watch a two-part video in which one of our Bishops, the Rt Rev John Arnold, offers a talk on Confession and God's mercy.

The Basics

In this section, we provide the basics on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our material answers some of those frequently asked questions. How often should I go to Confession? How do I deal with nerves? We also highlight what's involved in Confession and how you can prepare properly.

Forgiveness

God's mercy is a key part of Confession. In this section we highlight three of Jesus's parables, provide inspiring passages from the Bible and delve into Pope Francis's homilies and addresses where God's mercy comes to the fore.

2013 Confession Telephone Survey

In August 2013, the Bishops' Conference's Home Mission Desk carried out an informal Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) telephone survey.

Published Materials

In this section you will find materials offered by Catholic Publishers to support adults and children to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Confession Links

On this page you’ll find links to resources about Confession to supplement what is provided in this web section.