What Exactly is a Mortal Sin?
I confessed my sins to a priest and somehow I used the term “mortal sin” at the conclusion. To my surprise, the priest commented that he hadn’t heard me confess any mortal sins. Now...
Category: Sacraments
Nervous Before Christ’s Majesty
Fr Michael Mapulanga – To be nervous can be either positive or negative, depending on the circumstance. Over five days recently I conducted interviews with 36 candidates who were going to receive their First...
The Gospels and the Eucharist Changes Lives
Read the four gospels, and see why every meeting with Jesus Christ brought a change in so many lives. Fr Ralph de Hahn, Cape Town – From time to time the Eucharist has been mentioned...
The Attraction of the Eucharist
The Eucharist: the source and summit of the whole Christian life (Lumen gentium). The Eucharist: the memorial of Christ’s death and Resurrection, the Sacrifice which sealed the New Covenant of love between God, our...
In Awe of the Eucharist
By Archbishop Buti Tlhagale OMI – Pope John Paul II declared 2005 the Year of the Eucharist. At the conclusion of that year, he canonised five saints distinguished for their Eucharistic piety. He also issued...
Revere the Gift of the Eucharist
Guest editorial: Michael Shackleton – The earliest disciples of the risen Christ met for prayers and the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42), which we know was a Eucharistic celebration in obedience to Christ’s instruction...
Burning Confessions? What’s That?
A priest asked us to put our sins in writing on paper when we went to confession. We got absolution, and then he took our written sins and burnt them all in public to...
Church Recognises Marriages by SSPX
Continuing initiatives aimed at a reconciliation with the Society of St Pius X, Pope Francis has made it possible for bishops to ensure the validity of marriages celebrated in the traditionalist communities. A letter...
It’s a Violation to Refuse Communion
Patricia Kissane, Kleinmond – With reference to Brian Gouveia’s letter “Remarriage rule hypocritical” (February 8), surely the logic expressed then means that Jesus himself was being hypocritical when he dealt with the woman at...
A Double Baptism?
A newborn baby is baptised by a deacon because it is not expected to live. It survives, and the deacon arranges for the sacrament of baptism to be completed later in a ceremony in...
Make confession more available, God’s heart is always open, pope says
Hear confession every time someone asks, Pope Francis said, and don’t ever put limited hours on the sacrament of reconciliation. “Please, let there never be those signs that say, ‘Confessions: Mondays and Wednesdays from...
Pope: Don’t treat the confessional like a dry cleaners!
The confessional is a place where one can go to humbly seek forgiveness; it is not a dry cleaners where one goes to remove the occasional stain, Pope Francis said. While forgiveness is “God’s...
