Confessions for the Sunday School children

Confessions are an integral part of the Christian faith. It is here that God comes to us and forgives us of all our tresspasses. He initiates us to the part of living in the image and likeness of Him who is all good. He calls us back to Holiness from our falleness.

Small children are the apple of God's eye. They are the focal point of his love. He cares for them and understands their heart's desire. Yet small as they are, these children can stray away from Gos presence in their own tiny ways. As part of the initiating these children to come closer to God's love, a General confession was organised at the Salesian Novitate (Nashik) for the Sunday School Children of the Don Bosco Parish, Nashik. The confessions began at 5 pm which culminated at 6 in the evening with action songs taught by brothers Ashley ofm cap and Nv. Derek. Fr. Solomon Rapol sdb, the Novice Master and Fr. Valerian Pereira sdb were the confessors for the day.

Confessions

First Communions and Confirmations, births, baptisms and deaths, are wonderful opportunities to get the whole family to make their confession. I learnt that from don Giacomo Tagliabue long ago in Suello. He would take me along with him to visit a bereaved family, and corner the young son: "Your father would have loved it if you were to make your confession. Why don't you?" And he would push the young man, not completely unwilling, to me: "Here is this young foreign priest. Go to him." 

Don Giacomo also taught me that priests should speak often about confession, and not only that, but provide out of the way opportunities for people to make their confessions. That is why, every Christmas, Easter and even All Souls Day, he would spend time and money getting young priests like me to come up to Suello above Milan, all the way from Rome. And the people would come: not fully 15 years ago, in a highly secularized society like that of Italy, people would come for confessions, and I have spent 5 to 6 hours a day in the confessional in those years. 

Don Giacomo showed it was possible.