A Letter from the Archbishop…
Dear Fathers, Deacons, Religious and People of the Archdiocese of St. Louis,
The season of Lent is not that far away and it is a time to reflect upon the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is also a time to experience the love of God that supported and gave strength to Jesus as He faithfully accepted God’s will that would eventually lead Him to His Cross.
We experience this supportive love of God when we partake of the sacraments, especially the sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation.
I am happy to announce to you that as part of our celebrating in this Year of Faith, proclaimed a few months back by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, the Archdiocese of St. Louis will host a Reconciliation Weekend. This is scheduled for Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23, 2013. These two days will provide an opportunity to open your hearts to experience God’s love and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Designated host parishes will have extra confessors available beginning Friday evening and continuing all day Saturday for the faithful to go to confession, thus allowing one to prepare for the great celebration of Holy Week and Easter. More information concerning this weekend will be forthcoming through your parish and the St. Louis Review.
As Pope Benedict XVI said earlier this year, “Forgiveness is not a denial of wrong-doing, but a participation in the healing and transforming love of God which reconciles and restores.”
As with previous Reconciliation Weekends, thou-sands of faithful have come to experience the healing and transforming love of Jesus Christ with hearts set on fire. I ask you to pray that many hearts will be open to receive this outpouring of God’s mercy and grace through this sacrament of forgiveness when we celebrate this upcoming Reconciliation Weekend.
Be assured of my prayers for you and your loved ones over the Christmas season.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Archbishop Robert J. Carlson…