Catholics return to confession focused on grace, not a get-out-of-hell-free card

The Lenten period for penance started this week with Ash Wednesday, and some Catholic priests are happily bracing for long lines outside the confessional. The faithful across the United States are embracing anew the sacrament that has shifted from embarrassing recitation of sin to cathartic quest for grace. The Catholic Church does not gather data on confession, so it’s hard to quantify current trends, according to the Rev. Thomas Gaunt, who leads Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. But U.S. parishes are noticing an uptick, and priests say that, while acknowledging sins and receiving absolution remain core, confession is turning more into a conversation focused on God’s mercy and love.