Q: I was raised in a cult where they said the only way to have penance was to offer your blood as a form of covenant, and, if you did something really bad, to rub salt, in reference to Leviticus 2:13. I’ve been trying to find if Catholics think this as well but can’t find anything online. I’m nervous about doing OCIA because I know I have a lot of sins and don’t want to have to do that. So, is that something Catholics also believe? If not, what is confession like then? — Luca

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

A: It’s good to hear that you are interested in the OCIA. The Church has a great treasury of spiritual riches to help you reach heaven.

As to your question: No, the Church doesn’t require that you shed blood to make up for your sins.

Someone did, in fact, shed his blood for our sins, and that was Jesus during his passion and death.

A normal path for Catholics to receive forgiveness of sins is through the sacrament of reconciliation (commonly called confession), where a person tells his sins directly to a priest and receives absolution.

So don’t let fear of seeking forgiveness of your sins dissuade you from entering the Church.

The Church is here to embrace us and to help us understand God’s love and mercy.

Whatever you do, you might want to bolt from that cult as soon as possible.

Count on my prayers.