The Power of Healing: an Encounter with Jesus Christ

The Diocese of San Jose will be promoting the Sacrament of Reconciliation at all Catholic Churches in Santa Clara County during Lent this year. This 2-day series aims at equipping all the lay faithful of the Diocese of San Jose with tools for their own spiritual health and the spiritual health of others, especially those who may have been away from the Church for many years.

Part I: The Power of Confession: A Relook at the Sacrament of Reconciliation »
Part II: The Power of Forgiveness: 5 Keys to Spiritual Freedom »

The Power of Confession
A Relook at the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Does confession bring happy memories for you? How does confession and happiness go together? Fr. Dennis McManus, priest, theologian, professor and Pontifical advisor, will relook at the Sacrament of Reconciliation from the Church’s teaching and his own experiences as longtime priest and penitent. All those seeking healing, health and happiness for their souls are welcome.

Presented by Rev. Dennis McManus, PhD

The Rev. Dennis McManus is a priest of the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama. He has taught liturgy and sacraments at seminaries throughout the US, including Dunwoodie, the Dominican House of Studies and Conception Abbey. At present, he is professor of liturgy at St. John the Evangelist Seminary in Boston. There, he teaches courses in the sacraments, the liturgical year, the Roman Rite, spirituality and the rites of exorcism. Fr. McManus served for nine years (1997-2005) as Associate Director in the Secretariat for the Liturgy at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC.

He has written widely on liturgical matters and specializes in the language and spirituality of the Roman Missal and the rites of exorcism. Pope Benedict XVI named him as Consultor to the Congregation for Divine Worship (Vatican City) and Peritus for the same Congregation’s commission on liturgical translation. Fr. McManus presented at a two-day workshop for the US Bishops in November of 2012 on the reformed rites of exorcism and their implementation. He is widely consulted on cases of possession, haunting and demonic affliction. He serves as associate professor at Georgetown University in the department of Jewish Studies.