"Those who approach the Sacrament of Penance obtain pardon through God's mercy for the offence committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labours for their conversion"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1422).
First Reconciliation is for those in school year 3 or above.
Details and application forms for the First Reconciliation programme for 2025 are available HERE. The closing date for enrolment is 1st December 2025
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the seven sacraments of the Church, otherwise known as the Sacrament of Forgiveness, the Sacrament of Confession, or most commonly referred to as “Confession”. Unlike the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, which are once in a lifetime sacraments, the Sacrament of Reconciliation can be received as often as a person wishes, and Catholics are encouraged to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation a regular part of their life.
In St Mary’s Knaresborough, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available every Saturday from 10.30am to 11.00am in the Blessed Sacrament chapel.
Here are three documents that you might find helpful:
1. The Rite of Reconciliation for Individual Penitent. Sometimes people are hesitant about coming to Confession because it’s a long time since they’ve been and they can’t remember the format. Well, here’s a simple A4 structure of the Rite indicating what you say and what you do in Confession. You need never be worried again about not knowing what to say or what to do. Click here.
2. How to Make a Good Confession. Some useful tips answering some your most frequently asked questions, eg: Do I need to do anything before going into the confessional? Is it okay to make a list of my sins? What if I can’t think of any sins to confess? How often should I go to confession? Click here.
3. Examination of Conscience. Before you go to confession you need to make what we call an examination of conscience. This will help you to remember the sins that you need to confess. We’ve compiled a list of questions you could ask yourself to help you with your examination of conscience. Click here.
A preparation course for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, for those who haven’t yet made their first confession, is run by parish catechists. It is open to children in Year 3 and above. Please
contact the parish if you would like to enrol your child on this course.
