Many people who have been away from confession for many years have forgotten how to make a proper and good confession. Hopefully this thread will assist them.

There are 5 steps to making a good confession. 1.) Conduct an examination of conscience. 2.) Repent for having offended God. 3.) Have a firm purpose of amendment to sin no more. 4.) Confess your sins to a priest. 5.) Perform the penance given by the priest.

A good confession must be honest, sincere, and contrite. In order to make a good confession you should follow these 10 mechanical steps:

1.) Pray - ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the wisdom and courage conduct a good confession.

2.) Conduct a thorough examination of conscience (see below).

3.) Enter the confessional and kneel (if you haven’t been to confession for awhile some churches now provide the option to sit and face the priest in an open setting).

4.) Begin by saying the following words: “Bless me Father for I have sinned...” make the Sign of the Cross as the priest blesses you. (Sign of the Cross is said as follows: “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”) then say, “It is (give the amount of time in days, weeks, months or years) since my last confession.”

5.) List for the priest out loud all the mortal sins you can remember since last going to confession and the number of times you have committed them. You may list venial sins as well but remember this isn’t necessary (and the priest doesn’t have all day :)). It is recommended that you go to confession whenever you commit mortal sin and at least once a month for the grace and the resolve to control your habit for committing sin. It was always my understanding that one had to go to confession at least once anytime throughout the year and receive the Holy Eucharist at least once during the Easter season (first Sunday in Lent to Trinity Sunday inclusive). To my knowledge these requirements remain to this day and a person knowingly failing to do so, does so under penalty of mortal sin (Baltimore Catechism).

6.) When you have listed all your sins say, “I am sorry for these sins and all the sins of my past life.” In this way the priest will know you are finished.

7.) Listen intently to the advice the priest has to give you about the sins you have committed. Answer any questions he may to clarify matters for himself. Make a note of the penance he assigns to you. At this point if there are any questions you wish to ask about your faith requiring short direct answers feel free to ask the priest. If you wish to speak to him at length, mention it to him now and he will either give you an appointment or recommend you phone the rectory for one.

8.) Recite the Act of Contrition. Many who have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation don’t remember how to say this prayer. In some parishes there is a small card in the confessional to help people recite this prayer. It is highly recommended that you memorize the Act of Contrition. There are several versions of the prayer in existence. The one I use is recited like this:

O’ my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments; but mostly because they offend Thee my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the ever-near occasions of sin. Amen.

9.) At this point the priest will give you absolution for your sins (or in very rare instances explain why he cannot). While absolution is given you should make the Sign of the Cross again as he blesses you.

10.) It is recommended that you carry out the penance assigned as soon as possible after having received absolution (usually this is done before leaving the Church if prayers have been assigned for penance). Occasionally a priest will assign a kind act or deed for you to perform for others or some other similar such action as penance.

Conducting an Examination of Conscience

There have been some good suggestions here in conducting an examination of conscience - use the ten commandments, 7 deadly sins, precepts of the Church, theological/cardinal virtues. In addition, most churches will have literature in the Church to assist you. In our Church they are found in the Sunday Missalette.

Ten Commandments (Ex. 20; Deut. 5) 1.) I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange God’s before me. 2.) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 3.) Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. 4.) Honour thy father and thy mother. 5.) Thou shalt not kill. 6.) Thou shalt not commit adultery. 7.) Thou shalt not steal. 8.) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 9.) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife. 10.) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s goods.

Seven Deadly Sins Pride - boasting, arrogance, self-adoration, rejection of Church teachings Greed - unusual desire for money &/or worldly goods, over-indulgence, parents who neglect family needs Envy - jealousy of others and their possessions, joy in others misfortune, envy of the spiritual life of others Anger - anger at God, blasphemy, spoken or imagined, harbouring thoughts of hatred & revenge, wishing the death of someone Lust - Adultery, fornication, pornography, masturbation, contraception, homosexual acts Gluttony - alcohol & drug abuse, excessive eating & drinking, going against doctor’s orders in the ingestion of certain food Sloth - failing to work when able, spending useless and inordinate amounts of time at useless activity - TV, computer, etc., too preoccupied with worldly duties to go to mass, confession or pray

Three Theological Virtues Faith - loyalty to teachings of the Catholic Church, responsible to seek out the tenets of the faith and to answer any doubts or questions you may have, trusting acceptance of the will of God Hope - to hope in Christ, to have a desire to be with God, avoid discouragement and despondency Charity - love of God, love and respect of oneself, love of others, relief for the poor, almsgiving, indulgence or forbearance in judging others

Four Cardinal Virtues Prudence - chastity, self-denial, self-discipline, sobriety, determination - arriving at a decision, firmness of purpose, proper management of yourself and your resources Justice - fairness, practising moral rightness in thought, word and deed Fortitude - strength of resolve, resisting sin and temptation Temperance - moderation and self-restraint in behaviour or expression

Precepts of the Catholic Church 1.) Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation 2.) Confess sins at least once a year 3.) Receive the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during the Easter season 4.) Keep holy, the Holy Days of Obligation 5.) Observation of the Days of Fasting and Abstinence

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), March 14, 2003

Answers

Bump!

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), March 14, 2003.

You've covered it all Ed. Great work!

-- Isabel (isabel@yahoo.com), March 14, 2003.

this one will be printed off and stored in the wallet! Thank you.

-- Good Guidance Needed (please.nospam@thanks.com), March 14, 2003.

Thank you Ed. If people knew what a great gift this sacrament is, and how much money and time on therapy they would save by going to confession... they'd take advantage of it and go often. It cleanses and heals our souls, and gives us great strength in the face of temptations.

Our priests are there to help and guide with God's wisdom. A good confession enables God's light to penetrate our hearts and help us see clearly, in these times of confusion we're going to need this gift of seeing with clarity. Most priests are willing to see us any time we need confession. What a gift we have been given in this sacrament. Theresa

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), March 14, 2003.

Thanks, Ed, for another outstanding contribution.

I have just one adjustment to make in what you wrote. In the last paragraph, precept #2 reads: "Confess sins at least once a year."

The actual obligation is more clearly stated in the new Code of Canon Law, thusly:
Canon 989 -- All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.

And so, if one has not committed a "grave sin" (aka "mortal", aka "serious"), one is never obligated to go to confession. However, frequent confession, even when one has no mortal sins, is highly recommended by the Church.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), March 15, 2003.

Thanks John! You are quite right, the second precept should read "grave" sins.

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), March 15, 2003.

Indeed Confession is a great gift from God. To insure further the presence of contrition, it is a good practise to confess one of the more serious faults of the past for which we are truly sorry,(a sin that we already were given absolution for) especially a sin that is of the same species of the venial sins we deplore.

The practise of Confession in this manner, the advice of Confessor, and above all, the cleansing power of absolution will be effective means of disentangling our-selves from the meshes of sin and advancing in virtue.

-- David (David@excite.com), March 15, 2003.

bump

-- Anna <>< (flower@youknow.com), March 16, 2003.

I haven't forgotten about Tina's request. I have been busy with many other matters lately and have only now just gotten around to offering her a reply. For those interested you can check it out on a new thread entitled, "Manual For Becoming a Practising Catholic".

-- Ed Lauzon (grader@accglobal.net), March 17, 2003.

Ed

after 17 years of no confession, yesterday the deed was done. an indescribable weight has been lifted off my shoulders. your post was a magnificent aid. the priest commented that it was amongst the most clear and comprehensive confessions that he had heard in years. this is all down to the guidance provided above. absolution was granted despite a terrible 17 years of sinning. i thank you, Sir! next stop, Holy Communion.

-- Good Guidance Needed (please.nospam@thanks.com), April 02, 2003.

Praise God Good Guidance Needed! It’s 5am. I’ve just gotten up, was sitting down to my first cup of coffee and checking out what’s new at the forum. Your post was at the top. What a glorious way to start the day! Thanks for keeping us posted.

Just wait till you receive Our Lord! What a humbling experience it will be. I guarantee you, He’ll blow you away!!! Alleluia! Praise Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

-- Ed (grader@accglobal.net), April 02, 2003.

Ed thankyou for this thread, just what I needed as well.

-- Kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), April 02, 2003.

Loved this thread. Thanks Ed and all others who posted.

Just wanted to add a link to a page that may help people while examining their conscience.

Examination of Conscience

God Bless!

-- Glenn (glenn@nospam.com), April 02, 2003.

Way to go, Ed L.
"Good guidance needed" will be one of many advocates pleading your cause on judgment day. Your mansion will be a glorious one. JFG

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), April 03, 2003.

May God bless you and keep you safe Ed.

Peace & Love

-- Choas (Choas@nomail.com), April 10, 2003.

Yes, your post was wonderful, Ed. Thank you. I should read your post often and before every confession!

Sincerely,

Robert P

-- Robert P (robertp234@hotmail.com), April 10, 2003.