Frequent Confession of Sin

Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson in part 2 of a listener question and answer forum on frequent confession and the importance of confessing venial sins. Topics/Questions Covered in the Show: Why does Venerable Pope Pius XII speak so strongly in favor of making frequent confessions of venial sin in his encyclical Mystici Corporis Christi? What is devotional confession? What is a reasonable request for... Read More

What to Tell a Priest in a Devotional Confession

How do you speak with a priest in Confession when you do a devotional confession and he says that you don't need to mention past sins as they are already forgiven? I assume that you mean by “devotional confession” going to confession even if you have no mortal sins on your conscience. Many spiritual writers will refer to that as “frequent confession,” since it is still a sacramental encounter,... Read More

Sin and Confession

Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they answer questions from listeners about the sacrament of reconciliation. Topics/Questions Covered in the Show: What differentiates the purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages of the interior life? Why must one go to confession if he or she is detached from habitual mortal and venial sin? What is the purpose or benefit of confessing venial sins frequently? What... Read More

Should I Still Go to Confession if I Have Nothing to Confess?

Dear Father John, I recently heard someone mention the term “devotional confession.” I think this is what I need, but I am not sure what it really is. Is this the kind of confession we do when we are no longer living with habitual mortal or venial sins? Is this where we re-confess old sins to gain the benefit of the sacrament? But if it is, isn’t that scrupulosity? Any guidance will be appreciated. Your... Read More

How do Penance and Mortification Differ?

Dear Father John, OK, now I have a better grasp of what we mean by “mortification,” but that has raised another question. Is there a difference between mortification and penance or penitence. This is a very interesting question. The distinction between mortification (synonymous in most spiritual writers with self-denial, abnegation, self-renunciation, dying to self) and penance (synonymous with... Read More

What is Mortification?

Dear Father John, What is “mortification” and how does it relate to Lent? What does Saint Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 9 where he says, “I pummel my body and subdue it…”? Is he talking about mortification? The root word for “mortification” comes from the Latin, mors and mortis, and it translates as “death.” In the spiritual life, therefore, mortification... Read More

Confession

Confession   Presence of God – At the foot of Your Cross, O Jesus, I confess my sins. Pour over me Your Precious Blood that it may purify my soul. MEDITATION Penance is the sacrament of Christ’s Precious Blood in which God—according to the eloquent words of St. Catherine of Siena—“has bathed us in order to cleanse the face of our souls from the leprosy of sin.” If mortal sin only... Read More

Our Lady’s Message

Description: 100 years ago, our Blessed Mother entrusted three shepherd children with an important message of penance, sacrifice and prayer for the conversion of sinners and of the world. Dan and Melissa speak with author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle about Our Lady's Message at Fatima and its relevance for today. Topics/Questions covered in the show: Is this book intended for children only? What is... Read More

The Garden of the Soul

 The Garden of the Soul   How is our soul like a garden? How should we care for the garden of our soul? When we feel the presence of God in prayer, what should we do? Dan and Melissa look to the wisdom of the saints as they discuss answers to these questions in today's show. Topics/Questions covered in the show: The analogy of the soul as a garden. How the water of grace differs from the water... Read More

Feast of All Carmelite Saints

Feast of All Carmelite Saints As those of you who have been following our site for some time know, we are partial to Carmelite spirituality here.  It is a spirituality, formed in the crucible of spiritual fire, that drew the Carmelite saints to the Lord by way of prayer and love.  In today's Carmelite calendar, the Carmelites celebrate the feast of all the many Carmelite saints: saints like St.... Read More

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