Confession

She's Off! (Shayla goes in to tell the priest her sins.)

Shayla made her first confession at church on Monday night. The Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (also known as penance) has three elements: conversion, confession and celebration. In it we find God's unconditional forgiveness, and as a result we are called to forgive others. This is one of the Sacraments required before making her Sacrament of the Holy Euchrist. She will make her First Holy Communion in April with her CCD class. Shayla's experience for her first confession was VERY different from Christi's.
Does this look like the face that needs to go to confession? (hee hee)



Three years ago it was time for Christi to make her first confession. Unfortunately, she was treating in Philadelphia when her class went to confession so she had to go alone. We were planning to have her do it one night before Mass, but she was so terrified she put herself sound to sleep on the drive to church and we couldn't wake her up. Father saw how terrified she was and said she could do it later with her CCD class; she did! This fall, on her death bed, Shayne called for a priest to come and perform the last rites. Part of this is saying confession. She felt miserable, but I was also so uncomfortable for her as her entire family was standing around her bedside - like we were waiting to listen to her say her sins. The sweet Father from Philadelphia said to Shayne, "Oh, she doesn't have to do that part." I felt a huge sign of relief! (How much did this little nine year old have to confess to the priest that she would get so scared?!! hee hee) I won't say Shayla wasn't scared or nervous, but she definitely wins our brave child award for last night's performance in church!

FUNERAL FUNNY: After our new little family of three regained our composure after first seeing Christi's body at the funeral home Shayla declared, "Why does she have all that make up on? She really won't like that!!" I've never explained to Shayla that death isn't pretty and that the color can leave a person's body quite pale, but I just smiled at Shayla. She added, "She wasn't a girly-girl." Within minutes of Christi's death all color completely left her little lips and they were as white as a sheet of paper. Despite Shayla's funny comments, we thought the Tauneros did a fabulous job with Christi's make up and that she looked just gorgeous, like our beloved little princess.

Christi (5) with Buttercup (Dec. 2002)