Be Renewed A Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Be healed, be reconciled, be forgiven are the usual ways I have thought about the Sacrament of Penance, but Fr. Turner’s title Be Renewed offers more than a one-time experience of this sacrament. His presentation of the extended history shows the efforts through the ages to make this an opportunity of spiritual and personal change, growth and renewal. Beyond the central act of confession of sin and absolution, the various examples of Penance Services and Examination of Conscience opens doorways to invite the kind of blessing, comfort and personal peace offered by the communal prayer of the Church. This is an excellent resource for faith formation for all age groups in the Church.

Fr. Paul Turner's Be Renewed is an essential resource for all who work in pastoral ministry. Practical, informative, and engaging, this book provides the detailed and gentle guidance needed to celebrate the sacrament well. It demystifies terms, concepts, and structures and equips pastoral ministers to confidently provide for and promote reconciliation. Be Renewed will surely become a regular reference for confessors, catechists, directors of religious education, liturgists, and all who contribute to the faithful's understanding and experience of the Order of Penance.

Once again Father Paul Turner has expertly blended fine scholarship with keen pastoral skill. Thoroughly documented, Be Renewed offers parishioners and priests alike a comprehensive study of the new (2023) English translation of the Church’s three rites of sacramental reconciliation and penance services. Father Turner provides a bonus resource by including his translation of the nine forms of an examination of conscience set in the context of a liturgical service—texts found in the draft of the revision but replaced by alternate texts in the published edition. Be Renewed offers much understanding, insight, and encouragement to those approaching the sacrament ‘from either side of the screen.’