logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2021
8m 45s

Going to Confession for the First Time i...

ASCENSION
About this episode

Learn more about the Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Fr. Mike Schmitz and Fr. Josh Johnson.

Confession is a place of never-ending mercy and forgiveness and is one of the most beautiful parts of our Catholic faith. But for many, it can also be a very daunting experience, especially if it’s been a long time since your last confession. Whether it’s the first time you’ve gone in a year, or it’s the first time you’ve gone in your life, God is ready and willing to forgive your sins. All we have to do is let him into our hearts.

Today, Fr. Mike explains how to approach going to confession for the first time in a long time.

Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Up next
Sep 10
Fulton Sheen Changed My Life
On Thursday September 24, 2026, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified! Fr. Mike Schmitz shares how Fulton Sheen has changed his life through the books he wrote, stories he told and the heroic virtue he exemplified. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us 🙏 
11m 33s
Sep 3
Overwhelmed by Your Responsibilities?
"If only I had wings like a dove that I might fly away and find rest... But I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me." Psalm 55:7, 17 Do you find yourself in the same spot as David? Whether it's just a season or you've been feeling it for a while, Fr Mike Schmitz reminds u ... Show More
9m 17s
Aug 27
Is God Calling You to a Vocation You Don’t Want?
One of the scariest questions we can ask ourselves is, "What's God's will for my life?" Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that God will never call us to a vocation that we don't want. Even though God has a plan for your life, He is good and will not force you to say yes to something yo ... Show More
9m 47s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2023
Day 202: How Confession Heals
What happens to us when we go to Confession? Fr. Mike explains the powerful ways the Sacrament of Reconciliation spiritually restores and perfects us. We also learn about the eternal and temporal consequences of sin, and finally, Fr. Mike discusses the four aspects to an indulgen ... Show More
24m 36s
Jul 2024
Day 202: How Confession Heals (2024)
What happens to us when we go to Confession? Fr. Mike explains the powerful ways the Sacrament of Reconciliation spiritually restores and perfects us. We also learn about the eternal and temporal consequences of sin, and finally, Fr. Mike discusses the four aspects to an indulgen ... Show More
24m 36s
Jul 2024
Day 200: The Confession of Sins (2024)
When we confess our sins, we’re not telling God something he doesn’t know; we’re giving God access to something he doesn’t have: permission to heal our wounds. Today we learn why the act of confessing our sins is an essential part of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike also ... Show More
23m 51s
Apr 2021
The Power of Confession
When our prayer is dry and something seems off within us, it might be time to go to confession. Today, Dr. Sri reminds us of the power of confession, and helps us to understand this sacrament in the context of God’s love so we can encounter God’s mercy without fear and shame. Sn ... Show More
22m 14s
Jul 2024
Day 201: The Confessor’s Role (2024)
If God is the one who forgives our sins, why do we need priests as confessors? The Catechism teaches us today about the role of the priest as the minister of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We learn that priests ought to be "servants" of God's mercy rather than "masters" of God' ... Show More
16m 20s
Jul 2024
Day 204: Summary of Sacrament of Reconciliation (2024)
In today’s nugget day, Fr. Mike reviews the major themes of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes the six spiritual effects of this sacrament and reminds us of the great gift of Confession because, as the Catechism states, “to the eyes of faith, no evil is graver t ... Show More
12m 57s
Jul 2023
Day 195: Penance and Reconciliation
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the chapter on the sacraments of healing, starting with the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ has given the Church the power of the Holy Spirit to continue his earthly ministry of healing and redemption with ... Show More
20m 31s
Dec 2024
Day 363: Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2024)
Forgiving those who have hurt us is a challenging call. Fr. Mike explains what it means to "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." We learn that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing and that we can transform our hurt into interce ... Show More
25m 45s
Jul 2024
Day 195: Penance and Reconciliation (2024)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the chapter on the sacraments of healing, starting with the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ has given the Church the power of the Holy Spirit to continue his earthly ministry of healing and redemption with ... Show More
20m 31s
May 2024
Day 134: The Forgiveness of Sins (2024)
The Catechism provides an overview on how Jesus grants the Church the ability to forgive sins through both Baptism and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike doubles down on the revelation that there is no sin that Jesus can’t forgive—and no one is disqualified. Today’s readin ... Show More
17m 14s