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Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer
144 pages
Published August 15, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 30, 2024
Forgiven is as thorough a guide to confession for young people that I’ve ever seen. In easy-to-understand language, it offers practical answers to common questions about the sacrament. It also includes many relevant prayers, all in a compact size that’s easily portable. Full review coming at CatholicMom.com.
November 6, 2024
In a society that frequently suggests one's moral compass ought to be directed by the mantra, “BE TRUE TO YOURSELF” these authors suggest another way. A way in which a person strives to align themselves to the God of the universe in an effort to be True to Him! The authors are the first to admit that alignment is difficult. After all ,
sin disrupts the harmony God intended and replaces it with discord, pain, and chaos”
, and we’re all sinners.
Repentance then, is like a recalibrating pivot, repositioning a person to where they’re facing God again. It takes effort and a constant sort of intention. Much of the hope of the authors seems to be to help their readers utilize and feel more comfortable with the Confessional aspect of the process.
The most prominent takeaway for me was the emphasis on The Examen, which is almost a mindfulness exercise/prayer. There’s sometimes a lazy tendency when it comes to prayer to hastily present God with one’s own hopes and wants, as if He were some sort of genie. The Examen encourages an active review of one’s daily activities to see where mistakes were made, where God was present, and then to recommit. I am benefiting from it.
The authors also share Ezekiel 33:11 among other scriptures. It’s beautiful:
As pointed out in the book, this isn’t the way we see the world handle its justice. It often wants to cancel people for their mistakes. God’s ways are full of hope, and clarity, and cleansing. We can turn from the world and live. We can trust this God.
Repentance then, is like a recalibrating pivot, repositioning a person to where they’re facing God again. It takes effort and a constant sort of intention. Much of the hope of the authors seems to be to help their readers utilize and feel more comfortable with the Confessional aspect of the process.
The most prominent takeaway for me was the emphasis on The Examen, which is almost a mindfulness exercise/prayer. There’s sometimes a lazy tendency when it comes to prayer to hastily present God with one’s own hopes and wants, as if He were some sort of genie. The Examen encourages an active review of one’s daily activities to see where mistakes were made, where God was present, and then to recommit. I am benefiting from it.
The authors also share Ezekiel 33:11 among other scriptures. It’s beautiful:
”As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live”
As pointed out in the book, this isn’t the way we see the world handle its justice. It often wants to cancel people for their mistakes. God’s ways are full of hope, and clarity, and cleansing. We can turn from the world and live. We can trust this God.
November 3, 2024
The Daughters of St. Paul have an awesome spiritual heritage and continue to bear a lot of good literary fruit when it comes to the spiritual life. I would place this book as being one of them. I certainly encourage neophytes but also all Catholics who have an opportunity to dwell deeper into the sacrament of reconciliation to read and use this book.
Srs. Orianne and Allison make this clear: this book is not meant to be a fully exhaustive theological textbook about the sacrament of confession. If you want that, you can go read Dorozno's ''Tractatus dogmaticus de sacramentis in genere'', the Sacrae Theologiae Summa, or St. Thomas on the third part of his Summa. In any case, the purpose of this book is rather to explore the reality of what happens in the sacrament of reconciliation, why we should go to it, and they answer some niche questions in a nice chapter dedicated to frequently asked questions.
I bought this book to support the Pauline Books and Media store in Miami but also because I follow Sister Orianne online and she's such an awesome contemporary Catholic. Among other influencers like Fr. Mike and Bp. Barron, it's very good also that we include those holy women who are dedicated to the Catholic Church and a mission of welfare.
Srs. Orianne and Allison make this clear: this book is not meant to be a fully exhaustive theological textbook about the sacrament of confession. If you want that, you can go read Dorozno's ''Tractatus dogmaticus de sacramentis in genere'', the Sacrae Theologiae Summa, or St. Thomas on the third part of his Summa. In any case, the purpose of this book is rather to explore the reality of what happens in the sacrament of reconciliation, why we should go to it, and they answer some niche questions in a nice chapter dedicated to frequently asked questions.
I bought this book to support the Pauline Books and Media store in Miami but also because I follow Sister Orianne online and she's such an awesome contemporary Catholic. Among other influencers like Fr. Mike and Bp. Barron, it's very good also that we include those holy women who are dedicated to the Catholic Church and a mission of welfare.
January 15, 2026
Yet another book that's impossible to find. Thank you to the University of Michigan, who sent me this book in a little envelope--it is very convenient to fit into a pocket and take with you to the Confessional. But reading it straight through is boring (and not the intent, this is meant to be a working book).
December 17, 2024
A very thoughtful and useful guide to the sacrament of confession.
October 31, 2024
This book helped me immensely! Thankful! ❤️ 📖!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews