Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:21-23
In the Catholic Church, we are brought into the community through the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. This is the beginning of our Christian journey and this beginning is a call to live a fuller, more human, sacramental life. In addition to the sacraments of Initiation, the Church offers two sacraments as a sign of the continuing healing power of Christ: Confession and Anointing of the Sick. Through these sacraments the Church is recognized as a healing, forgiving community in the name of the Lord Jesus.