Day of Confession

Every year during the season of Lent, the Diocese of London hosts the Day of Confession as a way to highlight the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Wednesday, April 5, 2017
All priests. All parishes. All day.

For a list of confession times, click here.  Parishes are organized by Deanery and City.  Information published as at March 31, 2017.  You may wish to check with your parish office to confirm times.  Find your parish here.

We invite you to read a Letter to the Faithful of the Diocese of London, from Most. Rev. Ronald Fabbro, CSB, Bishop of London.  Click here to view the letter about this year's Day of Confession.

Resources for Parishes:

• A Day of Confession text box for use in your bulletin: French or English

• Sample Bulletin Announcement
• Sample Pulpit Announcements
• Background letter: About Day of Confession

Instructions for posting your local Confession times
The easiest way to add Confession times is to print out the flyer and write them by hand.  If you prefer to laser-print your local Confession times on the poster, follow these steps:

1. Print out a copy of the poster: French poster English poster
2. Place the poster in your printer so you can print on it (usually face-down but every printer is different - you may wish to do a test print first)
3. In a blank Word document, create a text box with times in the same area as the blank space on the poster
4. Print the document on the already printed flyer 

Resources for Everyone:

Bishop Fabbro's Suggestions for Implementation of the Day of Confession

Penance and Reconciliation: Reconciled to Right Relationship, Called to Heal and Restore

Articles about penance and reconciliation: 

• Why Should I go to Confession?
• God's Gift of Forgiveness
• What Makes Sin Grave?
• Three Reasons to go to Confession ASAP
• Ten Tips from a Priest for a Better Confession
• Seven Tips for a Good Confession from a Saint and Spiritual Guide
• It was a Beautiful Confession
• Ask Father Mike:  Do We Need Confession
• During Lent, pope offers handy tips for preparing for confession
• Why do catholics go to confession?
• Confession: celebration of mercy, not trial before prosecution
• USCCCBlog: Confession - It puts you straight with everyone
• Themes of Catholic Social Teaching

Questions and Answers about Confession (PDF)

How to Have a Good Confession Brochure (click for your preferred language):
English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese

Examinations of Conscience

• Grades 2-3; Grades 4-6; Teens; Young Adults
• Single Adults; Married People
• Those Who are Sick
• Older People
• Those Who Have Been Away from Church for a Long Time

Act of Contrition for Youth: Prayer in French or Prayer in English

Celebrating Reconciliation and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the same time

FAQ

What is Day of Confession?  Inaugurated in 2009, this day places emphasis on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It takes place during Lent (see below).  Tens of thousands of the faithful have had their confessions heard since the Diocese of London's first Day of Confession in 2009, at Catholic churches across southwestern Ontario.

Why the Focus on Confession? People use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and blogs to tell their family, friends and even complete strangers details about their personal lives. Yet they seem reluctant to talk to God about what they did, or failed to do. This annual campaign is a Diocese of London initiative to encourage Catholics to come back to Confession this Lent.

What is Lent? Lent is the 40-day penitential period before Easter and is a time when Catholics place an extra focus on God’s mercy and forgiveness.