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Friday, March 15, 2013

On the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Fr Constantine


Last Sunday, I had a pleasant surprise to receive a call from Fr Constantine. He was very relaxed and graceful as he is about to join the Anglo-Catholic diocese of Ballarat. He conveyed his kind regards to all at Corpus Christi. In chatting with him, he incidentally made a comment that he went to Ballarat Cathedral for reconciliation the previous week before he joined the Anglican diocese and met an Indian priest, who was a CMI. The first part of that comment really made me happy, to see how he valued the merits of reconciliation – the sacrament that has got a very special relevance in our lives, especially during this Lenten season. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that the “individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church” (Article 1497). Let us receive this sacrament (first or second rite) this season to merit the necessary grace to overcome our limitations and to reconcile with God and with the Church. Let us also place Fr Constantine in our prayers.

This is also a season of farewells – let us pray for His Beatitude Benedict XVI, the “Pontiff Emeritus” as he boldly paves way to new leadership in the Church. This may be the last time I will write in this column before I leave to India after Easter. Thank you so much Corpus Christi for all that you have been to me for the past two years. It’s a great parish and you all will continue to remain in my prayers (and in Facebook!).

Fr Jaison Mulerikkal CMI

* Published on 'Out of Silence column' on  Corpus Christi Parish Bulletin on 03-03-13