Penance Service: Advent
Pope John Paul II said: “come back to this source of grace. Christ will heal you, and you will be at peace with God”. A sacred space can be prepared for example the crib space (without the image of the infant). Each student could light a candle after receiving the sacrament and place it in the sacred space.

Opening Hymn: O Come Emmanuel/ Come O Long Expected Jesus (Charles Wesley)

Greeting: Presider: The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. All: And also with you.

Introduction:
Priest: My friends, Advent is a time of preparation, when we make ready to celebrate the mystery of our Lord’s coming to live among us so that He could redeem us from our sins.
Advent also moves us to look forward with renewed hope to the second coming of Christ when God’s plan of salvation will be brought to fulfillment. Let us pray that our hearts, our minds and our souls may be made ready for the coming of Christ.

Reading:
Isaiah 40; 1-5, 9-14

Opening Prayer:

Priest:
(Pause for Silence).
Jesus is with you.
Enter into the still centre of yourself.
Become aware of him there.
Centre your attention and your love on him.
Do not mind distracting sounds or feelings or thoughts; keep coming back to God.
Your attention may wander, but your love for God stays.
Let your mind be in tune with God’s.
Take time to be calm and still in his company.

Let us pray.
Gracious and merciful God, your love for us knows no bounds. Open our eyes as we come to you now. May we see ourselves as you see us. Give us wisdom that we may recognise our need for your forgiveness. And grant us courage that we may forgive others as you forgive us. May our lives always be a sign of your reconciling peace. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Liturgy Of The Word:

Psalm: Sung: Yahweh I Know You Are Near.

Gospel Acclamation:
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Gospel Mark1:1-8

Examination of Conscience:
(A Student can take each commandment)

I am the Lord your God.  You shall not have strange gods before me.
Do I give God time every day in prayer?
Have I been involved with superstitious practices or have I been involved with the occult?
Are there other “gods” in my life?  Money, success, power, people, etc.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I used God’s name in vain, lightly, or carelessly?
Have I wished evil upon another person?

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays?
Have I tried to observe Sunday as a family day and a day of rest?

Honour your father and your mother.
Do I respect and obey my parents?
Do I try to bring peace into my home life?

You shall not kill.
Have I physically harmed anyone?
Have I abused drugs or alcohol?
Have I been angry or resentful?

You shall not commit adultery.
Do I seek to control my thoughts and imaginations?
Have I respected all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as mere objects?
Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words, actions?
Have I told or enjoyed lewd or obscene jokes and stories?
Am I careful to dress modestly?

You shall not steal.
Have I stolen what is not mine?
Have I returned or made restitution for what I have stolen?
Do I waste time at work, school, home?
Do I seek to share what I have with the poor?

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Have I lied? 
Have I gossiped?
Do I speak badly of others behind their backs?

You shall not desire your neighbour’s wife.
Have I consented to impure thoughts?

You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods.
Am I jealous of what other people have?
Am I greedy or selfish?
Are material possessions the purpose of my life?

Rite Of Reconciliation
Priest: As we prepare our minds and hearts for the coming of Christ into the world, let us ask him to forgive all our sins as we confess them with sincerity of heart.

All: I confess to almighty God…

Individual Confessions and Absolution
(Quiet Music can be played during Confessions)
Concluding Prayer of Thanksgiving

Priest: All-holy Father, You have shown us your mercy and made us a new creation in the likeness of your Son. Make us living signs of your love for all those we meet. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Concluding Rite
Priest:
May God bless you and keep you. R: Amen.
May God smile upon you and be gracious to you. R: Amen.
May God look upon you kindly, and give you peace. R: Amen.
May almighty God Bless you. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. R: Amen
Go in the peace of Christ.

Final Hymn: Christ Be our Light (Bernadette Farrell) or Shine Jesus Shine (Graham Kendrick)

K. Byrne/G. Campbell