🧱 Brick by Brick: The Long Walk Back to the Confessional

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The Return

Going back to the confessional for the first time in over two decades is quite the experience— almost like going for the first time as a child.

That same mix of fear, excitement, and sorrow I felt as a third grader came flooding back.

You never forget that early memory: a mysterious, looming feeling that you're about to do something extraordinary. As a third grader, I didn’t have the words to describe it (I was a little older for my first reconciliation—but more on that later).

Whatever that feeling is, it’s probably a blend of fear, anticipation, and sorrow for the sins you've realized you’ve committed against God.

St. Mary’s, Mount Morris

My first reconciliation took place at St. Mary’s in Mount Morris, Michigan. Our entire catechism class lined up outside the confessional. It was a large, wooden space with two side doors for penitents. Inside, you’d kneel before a screen. When Father Ray Urbanek was ready, he’d slide it open. You couldn’t see him…