As a former Protestant who had never experienced the healing and forgiveness offered in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is difficult to express how privileged I feel to now have access to this incredible sacrament of healing.

 Some years ago, while preparing to be received into full communion with the Church, the time came for my “dreaded first confession.”  At least that is how I thought of it.  In fact, there was one thing in particular I dreaded to confess; the abortion my wife and I had some 17 years previously.  I had not understood why the pain would not go away, even though I had repented of  it publicly and privately many times.