The priest will then ask you to make an Act of Contrition. He will give you a penance to do (a prayer or action that expresses your sorrow and your desire to put things right and live a new life). The priest might then talk to you and give you some advice.
When you have finished, say: “I am sorry for all these sins and the sins of my past life”. Don’t make excuses but if it helps, say a little bit about what happened and why. Just put into words what you have done wrong since you last went to confession. “I am at school studying for A-levels” or “I am a wife and mother”. Then tell him very briefly what your ‘state of life’ is, to help him understand your situation e.g. Amen.” Then add: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. In confessionīegin by saying: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. If you are not sure what to say or do, don’t worry – tell the priest, and ask him to help you as you begin. Remember that all our venial sins are forgiven and forgotten whenever we pray for God’s forgiveness, and whenever we receive Holy Communion. It is our duty to mention in confession all our serious (or ‘mortal’) sins and we are encouraged to mention some of our other smaller (or ‘venial’) sins and everyday faults, but we don’t need to list every minor failure. Spend a few minutes before your confession: Pray for God’s help and guidance examine your conscience remember any sins you have committed (write them down if it helps) pray for God’s forgiveness.īut don’t spend forever trying to remember every little sin (this can become an obsession that is called ‘scruples’) – ten minutes is probably a good amount of time an hour is too long. In this way you will become more sensitive to what is really happening in your own life, and you will be more prepared and more honest as you come to confession. Try to go regularly, perhaps every month.īriefly examine your conscience at the end of each day, and make an act of contrition. If your local parish does not have this, then if you prefer you can try and find confession at another parish that does. You have the right as a Catholic to go to confession ‘anonymously’, in a confessional where the priest cannot identify you. The diocesan Cathedral is often a good place to go to confession, with plenty of different times. It is also useful to know the times of confession at other churches nearby, or at churches near where you work or study. Your local parish should have confessions at least once a week. Christ touches our life through each priest, whoever he is and every priest will keep your confession absolutely secret for the rest of his life. But what matters is the presence of Jesus in our life through the ministry of the priest, and not the personality of the priest. Priests are all different and some we like more than others. Remember that it is the Lord we meet in confession. However long it has been, however bad the sin, however embarrassed you feel – don’t let anything stop you from going to confession. But don’t let nerves or fear hold you back. Sometimes we get nervous about going to confession. If you want to know more about the kind of life we should be living as Christians, and what sins we should be avoiding, see the ‘Examination of Conscience’ below. Here is the traditional way of making a confession, which has the very basics of what we need to know and say. There are variations in the way different priests celebrate the sacrament of confession, and they will sometimes introduce different prayers and scripture readings.
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