By Jonah McKeown , Kate Quiñones CNA Staff, May 23, 2025 / 13:35 pm The election of Pope Leo XIV earlier this month has — at least according to Google search data — led to a renewed interest in people searching for information on how to “become Catholic.” This follows several years of …

Q: What are common fears about going to Confession?  A: People fear revealing things about themselves that may look them look bad or appear less than “nice.” They want to keep the mask on without ever having to reveal the dark things in their heart. They also fear the stigma that …

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is about an encounter with God’s mercy and forgiveness. It’s not something to be scared of… no matter how long it’s been or how big your sins.

By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Nov 21, 2024 / 15:50 pm Numerous news reports in recent days reported that a new artificially intelligent “Jesus” has begun taking people’s confessions at a Catholic church in Switzerland. Claim: A holographic “AI Jesus” has been created and deployed at a chapel in Switzerland specifically to hear confessions. CNA finds: St. Peter’s …

By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2024 / 06:00 am Anyone who uses a smartphone has likely experienced the same unsettling phenomenon — a pointedly placed advertisement that seems to show up right after you’ve discussed a topic or product. Could it be true that your phone is “listening” to …

By Denver Catholic Denver, Colo., Dec 29, 2023 / 09:00 am As you walk the halls of Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver, you won’t find any lines for confession. Instead, students simply pick up a buzzer — like the ones you see at your neighborhood restaurant that tell you when …

By Kevin J. Jones Denver, Colo., Feb 23, 2023 / 16:00 pm Lent is supposed to be a time of penance in the Catholic Church. This year, it’s a time when priests in the confessional will use a revised translation of the sacrament of penance and reconciliation to forgive the sins …

by Katie Yoder Arlington, Va., Jul 4, 2021 / 13:00 pm Whether they’re returning to confession after the pandemic or after falling away from their faith, Catholics have “no reason for fear.” Fr. Daniel Gee, who serves in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, says that all Catholics need the Sacrament …

Fr. Mike Schmitz has advice for you. He points out that preparing for a good confession starts when we recognize that being a “good person” in our own eyes is not enough—we are called to holiness, which is something much greater.

Confession is by its very nature a secret rite. Sometimes, this leads to many misunderstandings and questions. Fr. Casey is here to clear up any questions you have.