Catholics called to be reconciled to God, one another through Jesus

Published: 2008-02-25

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CNS) -- Springfield Bishop George J. Lucas has invited Catholics in his diocese to "come to Jesus Christ and to be reconciled to God and to one another in him." He issued the invitation in a pastoral letter exploring the nature of reconciliation. In it he urged Catholics to engage in the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving as preparation for reception of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. "The church has never seen the season of Lent and its spiritual practices as ends in themselves," he wrote. "Instead, generations of believers have found here an opportunity to accept the grace of God, to receive forgiveness and healing in the mystery of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection." His pastoral, which also marks the 155th anniversary of the diocese, was first released in the Feb. 10 issue of the Catholic Times, Springfield's diocesan newspaper. The full text also is online at www.dio.org.

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