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"All may, none must, some should." In other words, the rite of reconciliation is open to all and good for all of us, but not compulsory. However anyone in serious sin should come and seek God's forgiveness through this means. The sacrament of reconciliation gives Christians an opportunity to confess their sins to God in the presence of another Christian. In the Episcopal Church we believe that while any Christian can hear any other Christian's confession it can be wise and helpful to go to the clergy. This is because clergy take a vow of confidentiality and therefore are bound to not reveal confidences revealed in confession which adds a layer of protection to the person coming for forgiveness. Paul Frey, the pastor, will make time to hear confessions. To make an appointment for the sacrament of reconciliation please call the him at 956-723-5714. The quote from the Wikipedia article on this sacrament is a good overview of how Anglicans understand this sacrament. "The Anglican sacrament of confession and absolution is usually a component part of corporate worship, particularly at services of the Holy Eucharist. The form involves an exhortation to repentance by the priest, a period of silent prayer during which believers may inwardly confess their sins, a form of general confession said together by all present, and the pronouncement of absolution by the priest, often accompanied by the sign of the cross. Private or auricular confession is also practiced by Anglicans and is especially common among Anglo-Catholics. The venue for confessions is either in the traditional confessional, which is the common practice among Anglo-Catholics, or in a private meeting with the priest. This practice permits a period of counselling and suggestions of acts of penance. Following the confession of sins and the assignment of penance, the priest makes the pronouncement of absolution. The seal of the confessional, as with Roman Catholicism, is absolute and any confessor who divulges information revealed in confession is subject to deposition and removal from office. Historically, the practice of auricular confession was originally a highly controversial one within Anglicanism when priests of the Oxford Movement in the ninteenth century began to hear confessions, but they responded to criticisms by pointing to the fact that such is explicitly sanctioned in The Order for the Visitation of the Sick in the Book of Common Prayer, which contains the following direction:
Though still not widely practiced, auricular confession within mainstream Anglicanism became accepted in the second half of the 20th century; the 1979 Book of Common Prayer for the Episcopal Church in the USA provides two forms for it in the section "The Reconciliation of a Penitent." Private confession is also envisaged by the Canon Law of the Church of England, which contains the following, intended to safeguard the Seal of the Confessional:
There is no requirement for private confession, but a common understanding that it may be desirable depending on individual circumstances. An Anglican aphorism regarding the practice is "All may; none must; some should".[3] Compare James 5:16: "Confess your sins to one another"."
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Reconciliation. An old Anglican saying provides rule of thumb about coming to confession in the Episcopal church.