Colleagues of mine returned from World Youth Day in Sydney with amazing stories — and the most amazing are the stories of the sacramental grace.

Father Michael Sliney and other Legionary priests estimate that they heard 1,000 confessions. Laypeople from the Regnum Christi movement helped facilitate the process.

“It was an incredible experience. I’d never seen anything like it or been part of anything like it,” said Nick Lulli, 18, in an interview for Legionaries.org. “You’d spend three to five minutes just talking to one person about why they should go to confession. They’d be kind of reluctant at first, but then they’d come out crying and thanking you. Then they would help you promote confession.”

This is one of the most gratifying experiences a priest can have: helping give souls the grace they need to come back to life in Christ.