Chapter Six
Annie's First Reconciliation - Confession
On the day before Annie was to make her first Holy Communion, a spirit of festivity filled the house.
There were flowers in every room.
Mrs Benson had scrubbed the place till it shone and gleamed.
"Jerry and Jimmy, you'd better keep the house clean until after our visitors have arrived, " Dad warned.
He was jangling his car keys.
"When's Theresa coming to babysit?" he asked Mother for the fourth time in succession.
"Confession starts at four and it's a quarter to that now.
That sister of yours must be the least punctual ... oh hullo Theresa, I didn't see you come in."
"That's obvious, you old gossip," his sister-in-law said.
"Don't forget to confess that when you get to church."
Mother started giving last minute instructions to her sister.
"Now Terry, don't give Trudy any food until I get back.
She's becoming far too greedy and over-eating is bad for her.
And make sure the boys don't mess up the house ..."
"All right Monica, I've babysat for you before.
And for an awful lot of other people too, come to think of it.
When I'm married with children of my own, I hope all of you will come and return the compliment.
What do you say, Annie?"
Annie didn't have anything to say.
She was still trying to think of things in her life where she could behave better, so that she might make a good confession and be well prepared to receive Jesus in her heart in Holy Communion.
She smiled politely at her aunt and followed her parents out to the car.
Dad and Mother had decided to go to confession with her, so that they could all share in the same sacrament.
Several people were kneeling outside the two confessionals in church.
Without waiting for her parents, Annie made a beeline for the one marked with Father Tom's name.
All she longed for was to make a worthy reconciliation and she prayed to God's Holy Spirit to enlighten her mind to this end.
Soon it was her turn to go in.
Inside the confessional, she saw that a wall separated her side from the part where Father Tom was seated.
She knelt down on a kneeler below the screen through which the old priest could be seen.
Only her eyes were above the little shelf just below the window.
"Bless me Father, for I have sinned," she said, "This is my first confession."
"In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," said Father Tom, making the sign of the cross.
"Amen," said Annie, as she followed suit.
"May the grace of the Holy Spirit fill your heart with light, that may confess your sins with loving trust and come to know that God is loving and merciful," Father said.
Annie peered through the screen, and Father Tom nodded to her in an encouraging way.
Annie remembered that Father Tom was there as the disciple to guide her as she spoke to God, so she spoke of all the things she could remember having done wrong.
When she had finished, Father Tom started explaining how Annie could improve on her behaviour.
Annie was encouraged as Father gave her good ideas on her to improve the way she thought and behaved to others.
When Father had given her guidance, he said gently; "Now make your Act of Contrition."
Annie spoke to God with all her heart and said,
"Oh my God, I am sorry with all my heart for having offended You.
I promise with Your Help never to offend You again. Amen."
Then she spoke to God from her heart, telling Him how happy she was to receive this great sacrament of grace, and promised Him to try to become the very best person she could be.
To complete the reconciliation, Father Tom concluded with the words,
"For your penance, please say an Our Father and three Hail Mary's that God may grant you the patience to be kinder to your little brothers.
And please pray for me.
God bless you."
"I will pray for you, Father, and God bless you, too," Annie replied.
Kneeling after reconciliation in front of the tabernacle, watching the little light flickering, indicating the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread, she thanked Jesus very sincerely for the grace of a good confession and asked him to bless Father Tom.
Annie prayed the prayers of her penance and promised God to try better in the future.
Then she genuflected and left the church.
Outside, she peacefully sat down on a bench, while waiting for her parents.
The grass was looking much greener than it seemed to have done before she had been to confession, the birds sang a cheerful song and the colourful flowers were of an unsurpassed beauty.
She felt light as air and very contented.
"I am so looking forward to receive Jesus in the Sacrament of the Eucharist tomorrow," she thought.
She didn't notice her parents' approach until they were almost upon her.
"Phew, Father Tom doesn't pull his punches when a chap's been to busy too go to confession for a little while," Father said ruefully.
Mother laughed. "Little while, my eye. I told you long ago you should go to confession more often."
"Mom, Dad, I'd like to go to confession at least once a month.
Would it be possible for you to drive me to church?" Annie asked as they had almost reached home.
"I'll take you," Dad said.
"Just promise you'll remind me. Your mother always goes regularly."
"I will, Dad," said Annie.
"Thanks so much."
"What's old Benson doing here?" Dad asked in horror as he spotted their housekeeper on the verandah of their house.
"Pat, you leave poor Mrs Benson alone.
Where's your kindness?
Remember you've just come back from reconciliation," Mother said firmly.
Mrs Benson was just leaving.
Annie, still glowing with joy, made the mistake of calling out to her:
"I'm so glad I went to Reconciliation."
The acid look on the housekeeper's face was plain to see.
"I can pray in a field," she said nastily.
"Aha!" Dad called out cheerfully, "but you don't do you?"
"Pat, will you be quiet!" Mother hissed, but Annie distinctly caught a look of veiled amusement on Mrs Benson's face that belied the surly way in which she slammed the garden gate to close it.
She thought that their housekeeper was beginning to appreciate her father at last.
In Dad, at least, she seemed to have found a foe worthy of her steel.
Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette
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