A Short Guide To Confession

A Short Guide to Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation)
How to Make a Good Confession

Confession is not difficult, but it does require preparation. We should begin with prayer, placing
ourselves in the presence of God, our loving Father. We seek healing and forgiveness through
repentance and a resolve to sin no more. Then we review our lives since our last confession,
searching our thoughts, words and actions for that which did not conform to God’s command to love
Him and one another through His laws and the laws of His Church. This is called an examination of
conscience.
To make an examination of conscience:
 Begin with a prayer asking for God’s help.
 Review your life with the help of some questions, which are based on the 10 Commandments (see
below).
 Tell God how truly sorry you are for your sins.
 Make a firm resolution not to sin again.
Examination of Conscience
Recall your sins. Prayerfully ask yourself what you have done with full knowledge and full consent
against God’s and the Church’s commandments.
 Do I pray to God every day? Have I thanked God for His gifts to me?
 Did I put my faith in danger through readings contrary to Catholic teachings or involvement in non-
Catholic sects? Did I engage in superstitious practices: palm-reading or fortune-telling?
 Did I take the name of God in vain? Did I curse or take a false oath?
 Did I miss Mass on Sundays or holy days of obligation through my own fault? Am I attentive at Mass?
Did I keep fast and abstinence on the prescribed days?
 Did I disobey my parents and lawful superiors in important matters?
 Did I hate or quarrel with anyone, or desire revenge? Did I refuse to forgive? Was I disrespectful?
 Did I get drunk? Did I take illicit drugs?
 Did I willfully look at pornography, entertain impure thoughts or engage in impure conversations or
actions? Did I use artificial means to prevent conception?
 Was I unfaithful to my spouse? Did I engage in sexual activity outside of marriage?
 Did I steal or damage another's property? Have I been honest and just in my business relations?
 Have I been responsive to the needs of the poor and respected the dignity of others?
 Did I tell lies? Did I sin by calumny, or detraction, of others? Did I judge others rashly in serious
matters?
 Have I envied other people?
The Rite of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
1. The priest gives you a blessing or greeting.
2. Make the Sign of the Cross and say: “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession
was…” (give the number of weeks, months or years).
3. Confess all of your sins to the priest. The priest will help you to make a good confession. If you are
unsure about how to confess or you feel uneasy, just ask him to help you. Answer his questions
without hiding anything out of fear or shame. Place your trust in God, a merciful Father who wants to
forgive you.
4. Following your confession of sins, say: “I am sorry for these and all of my sins.”
5. The priest assigns you a penance and offers advice to help you be a better Catholic.
6. Say an Act of Contrition, expressing your sorrow for your sins. The priest, acting in the person of
Christ, then absolves you from your sins.
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I fear the loss
of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all
good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to confess my sins, to
do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION

O Almighty and most merciful God, who, according to the multitude of your mercies, has deigned
once more to receive your prodigal child after so many times going astray from you; and to admit me
to this sacrament of reconciliation. I give you thanks with all the powers of my soul for this and all
other mercies, graces and blessings bestowed on me. I beg your blessing upon these, my
resolutions, that they may not be ineffectual like so many others I have made. Without You I am
nothing but misery and sin. Give me the grace to be, now and always, a true penitent, through the
same Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen.

A Short Guide To Confession

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A Short Guide to Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation)

How to Make a Good Confession

PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION

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