Regular Confession: An Exercise in Sacramental Spirituality

The practice of frequent confession of devotion, so much a part of the sprituality of the pre-Vatican II Church, has seemingly been relegated to the dust of the theological attic by priests, religious and laity alike. This study focuses on the theology of this particular sacramental practice in order to discover what (if any) possible meaning it can have for twenty-first century Roman Catholics. Rooted in the enduring insights of Thomas Aquinas and of the best of modern theologians, the book develops a new approach to the power of sacramental symbolism and applies this to regular confession. The book does not give answers, but is designed to open up the true possibilities of the sacrament for deeper conversion and growth in the spiritual life.