Reconciliation with God:
the sacrament of healing, of penance.
The Oblates of the Virgin Mary attach great importance to the celebration of the healing sacrament of “Reconciliation” or “Penance”. They are aware that this sacrament is essential for the growth of the spiritual life of all the baptized, and as Issac of Nineveh or the Syrian (640-700) said, they do not hesitate to say, with conviction, that : “God loves no one so much as sinners”.
The sacrament of Forgiveness is therefore an integral part of a spiritual life lived with intensity, in the footsteps of Christ.
Here are the availabilities of oblate religious:
- Monday to Sunday
3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Salon Rouge
6:00 pm to 6:30 pm at Salon Rouge
- Before or after
masses : morning and evening
- By appointment only
By contacting the R.U.L. reception desk.
Or call 01 41 13 36 00
During the Holy Year, the Oblates will also be available every Friday morning between 9.30am and 12pm.
We remind you that the Blessed Sacrament is exposed there all day, between the two masses, from 7.45am to 6pm, and every 1st Friday of the month, day and night, until the early hours of Saturday morning, before the 7.45am mass.
Confessing one’s sins presupposes careful preparation, out of love for God.
You can use the following text entitled: “Reconciliation“(PDF).
N.B. Depending on needs, Oblate religious are also available for the emergency celebration of that other sacrament of healing: the anointing of the sick.
Community celebrations are normally held in your parish.
A sacrament that regenerates the soul
This sacrament is the sign of God’s infinite love. God’s forgiveness is always possible, if we make a truly sincere effort. By acknowledging that we are sinners, we believe that God’s infinite love is always the strongest. Dialogue with a priest is an effective sign of reconciliation with God and with our brothers and sisters.
God’s forgiveness is expressed in the priest’s words :
“May God our Father show you his mercy; by the death and resurrection of his Son he reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins: through the ministry of the Church may he give you forgiveness and peace.”
“Forgiveness of our sins is not something we can give to ourselves. I can’t say: I forgive myself my sins. Forgiveness has to be asked, it has to be asked of someone else, and in confession we ask Jesus for his forgiveness.
Forgiveness is not the fruit of our efforts, but a gift, a gift of the Holy Spirit, who fills us in the regenerating bath of mercy and grace that flows unceasingly from the wide-open heart of the crucified and risen Christ. Only if we allow ourselves to be reconciled in the Lord Jesus with the Father and with our brothers and sisters can we truly be at peace.
And we’ve all felt it in our hearts when we go to confession, with a weight on our souls, a little sadness; and when we receive Jesus’ forgiveness, we’re at peace, with that peace of soul that’s so beautiful and that only Jesus can give, he alone.”
Pope Francis general audience, February 19, 2014
In 2023, at the Crypt of the Sanctuary of Saint Rita, public veneration of the insignificant relics of Saint Mary Magdalene. She was a “great sinner”, the Scriptures tell us, but the love of Christ transformed her life and she became, through her holiness of life and her mission, the apostle of the apostles.
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Contribution to the Mass
Ask the Sanctuary of Saint Rita for a mass for your intentions, commemorating the Eucharist and the presence of Christ.
Lighting a candle
Candles burn ceaselessly, symbolizing our prayers and thanksgiving for our lives to become light.
Prayer intention
Saint Rita, patron saint of lost causes, welcomes your intentions and thanks, and may fraternal charity strengthen our prayer.