A Guide for Confession

Archdiocese of St. Louis ^ | August 15, 1999 | Archbishop Justin Rigali

[Desdemona]

The basic requirement for a good confession is to have the intention of returning to God like the "prodigal son" and to acknowledge our sins with true sorrow before the priest.

Sin in my Life

Modern society has lost a sense of sin. As a Catholic follower of Christ, I must make an effort to recognize sin in my daily actions, words and omissions.

The Gospels show how important is the forgiveness of our sins. Lives of saints prove that the person who grows in holiness has a stronger sense of sin, sorrow for sins, and a need for the Sacrament of Penance or Confession.

The Differences in Sins

As a result of Original Sin, human nature is weakened. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, takes away Original Sin, and turns us back toward God. The consequences of this weakness and the inclination to evil persist, and we often commit personal or actual sin.

Actual sin is sin which people commit. There are two kinds of actual sin, mortal and venial.

Mortal sin is a deadly offense against God, so horrible that it destroys the life of grace in the soul. Three simultaneous conditions must be fulfilled for a mortal sin: 1) the act must be something very serious; 2) the person must have sufficient understanding of what is being done; 3) the person must have sufficient freedom of the will.

Remember

If you need help–especially if you have been away for some time–simply ask the priest and he will help you by "walking" you through the steps to make a good confession.

Before Confession

Be truly sorry for your sins. The essential act of Penance, on the part of the penitent, is contrition, a clear and decisive rejection of the sin committed, together with a resolution not to commit it again, out of the love one has for God and which is reborn with repentance. The resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future (amendment) is a sure sign that your sorrow is genuine and authentic. This does not mean that a promise never to fall again into sin is necessary. A resolution to try to avoid the near occasions of sin suffices for true repentance. God’s grace in cooperation with the intention to rectify your life will give you the strength to resist and overcome temptation in the future.

Examination of Conscience

Before going to Confession you should make a review of mortal and venial sins since your last sacramental confession, and should express sorrow for sins, hatred for sins and a firm resolution not to sin again.

A helpful pattern for examination of conscience is to review the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church:

1. Have God and the pursuit of sanctity in Christ been the goal of my life? Have I denied my faith? Have I placed my trust in false teachings or substitutes for God? Did I despair of God’s mercy?

2. Have I avoided the profane use of God’s name in my speech? Have I broken a solemn vow or promise?

3. Have I honored every Sunday by avoiding unnecessary work, celebrating the Mass (also holydays)? Was I inattentive at, or unnecessarily late for Mass, or did I leave early? Have I neglected prayer for a long time?

4. Have I shown Christlike respect to parents, spouse, and family members, legitimate authorities? Have I been attentive to the religious education and formation of my children?

5. Have I cared for the bodily health and safety of myself and all others? Did I abuse drugs or alcohol? Have I supported in any way abortion, "mercy killing," or suicide?

6. Was I impatient, angry, envious, proud, jealous, revengeful, lazy? Have I forgiven others?

7. Have I been just in my responsibilities to employer and employees? Have I discriminated against others because of race or other reasons?

8. Have I been chaste in thought and word? Have I used sex only within marriage and while open to procreating life? Have I given myself sexual gratification? Did I deliberately look at impure TV, pictures, reading?

9. Have I stolen anything from another, from my employer, from government? If so, am I ready to repay it? Did I fulfill my contracts? Did I rashly gamble, depriving my family of necessities?

10. Have I spoken ill of any other person? Have I always told the truth? Have I kept secrets and confidences?

11. Have I permitted sexual thoughts about someone to whom I am not married?

12. Have I desired what belongs to other people? Have I wished ill on another?

13. Have I been faithful to sacramental living (Holy Communion and Penance)?

14. Have I helped make my parish community stronger and holier? Have I contributed to the support of the Church?

15. Have I done penance by abstaining and fasting on obligatory days? Have I fasted before receiving communion?

16. Have I been mindful of the poor? Do I accept God’s will for me?

During Confession

After examining your conscience and telling God of your sorrow, go into the confessional. You may kneel at the screen or sit to talk face-to-face with the priest.

Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _________ weeks (months, years) ago."

The priest may read a passage from holy Scripture.

Say the sins that you remember. Start with the one(s) that is most difficult to say. (In order to make a good confession the faithful must confess all mortal sins, according to kind and number.) After confessing all the sins you remember since your last good confession, you may conclude by saying, "I am sorry for these and all the sins of my past life."

Listen to the words of the priest. He will assign you some penance. Doing the penance will diminish the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. When invited, express some prayer of sorrow or Act of Contrition such as:

An Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread 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.

At the End of Confession

Listen to the words of absolution, the sacramental forgiveness of the Church through the ordained priest.

As you listen to the words of forgiveness you may make the sign of the cross with the priest. If he closes by saying, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good," answer, "For His mercy endures forever."

After Confession

Give thanks to God for forgiving you again. If you recall some serious sin you forgot to tell, rest assured that it has been forgiven with the others, but be sure to confess it in your next Confession.

Do your assigned Penance.

Resolve to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. We Catholics are fortunate to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is the ordinary way for us to have our sins forgiven. This sacrament is a powerful help to get rid of our weaknesses, grow in holiness, and lead a balanced and virtuous life.

Imprimatur Justin Rigali Archbishop of St. Louis August 15, 1999

[dsc]

Have you seen this?

http://themissionchurch.com/conformity.htm

Somebody gave it to me when I really needed it. I hope it will be of some value to you.

[Carolina]

Thank you again. I printed it out....people here on the forum have been very kind and supportive. I have so much to learn.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I've been to churches where they did that, that had multiple priests on staff, but it gets harder to do at churches where there's not a lot of time between masses and only one priest, like ours. But if you ask, he will hear your confession just about any time, without even blinking an eye twice...And he has a whole week at advent and during lent when he's available for five hours a day, beyond the days he schedules penitential services (where he gets four or five priests to come over to hear confessions).

I suspect that it counts on how much the priest feels confession is important, how many people are available to hear confessions, and the mass schedule.

[redhead]

I am curious about the rite of confession in the Eastern Rites. How similar are they to the Latin rite? How different? What does one do? How often is one expected to go? As a Roman Catholic, I am encouraged to go frequently, and try to make it about once a month, regardless of the amount of sin I have, simply because I need to hear Father's encouragement. (He's an EXCELLENT confessor!)

[TradicalRC]

This is truly welcome. My daughters catechism book (which is supposedly based on the CCC) had in their chapter on good and evil, prejudice and pollution as evil. Confess That!

[NYer]

I am curious about the rite of confession in the Eastern Rites. How similar are they to the Latin rite? How different? What does one do? How often is one expected to go? As a Roman Catholic, I am encouraged to go frequently, and try to make it about once a month, regardless of the amount of sin I have, simply because I need to hear Father's encouragement.

There are no differences that I am aware of. If anything, the Eastern catholics, like their contemporary Latin brothers and sisters, have fallen prey to secularism. They are "sinless". Father constantly reminds us of this and is available to hear confessions each Sunday up until 1/2 hour before liturgy but I have never noticed anyone taking him up on the offer.

That said, he has gone to the next level by offering two Penance services each year - at Advent and Lent. The Penance Service begins with the hymn posted above. This is followed by an exchange of prayers with in which we ask our Lord for His mercy. Then, as on Sunday, we sit for 2 readings (Baruch 5:1-9) and (Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11), followd by the Gospel (Luke 6:27-38) and Father's homily. After this, we have the Examination of Conscience. Two readers lead us through this. Example:

All: Teach me your paths, O Lord, for you are God and my Savior.

Reader 1: St. Paul reminds us that discipleship involves growth in love and understanding. Do I take the time to nourish my faith in prayer and reflection?

Reader 2: Am I grateful to God for the blessings of my faith, for the support of other believers and for the peace I experience? Do I accept even my doubts as part of the life of the disciple?

All: Do I judge others harshly, assuming the worst about their motives and actions? Do I listen to or spread gossip? Have I tolerated prejudice or slander toward other people?

And we pause for reflection. There are 6 of these reflections, followed by the Act of Contrition and personal confession.

Once confessions are completed, we give thanksgiving to God through an exchange of prayers followed by the sign of peace with our neighbors. This is followed by a Final Blessing and dismissal with a hymn.

(He's an EXCELLENT confessor!)

Give thanks to God for this gift of a priest! While the Eastern Churches acknowledge our sinfulness, greater emphasis is placed on God's mercy. "Your mercy, O God, is as deep as the ocean."

In Eastern Tradition in general, and in Maronite Tradition in particular, due to the rich heritage of monasticism, fasting has played a very important role in the life of the Church. Not only Friday, but Wednesday were seen as days of fasting. Through fasting and other forms of penance, we can realize that interior change of heart that is so necessary for all Christians.

[tlRCta]

"...I need to hear Father's encouragement. (He's an EXCELLENT confessor!)"


What are the marks of a good confessor? How will I know if a priest is a good confessor?

[Coleus]

thanks.

[Salvation]

** I'll making my first Catholic confession soon.**

Wonderful. I knew you were headed in this direction. Welcome!

[technochick99]

bump

[Salvation]

Bumping for all who are going to Confession this week. Warning -- there probably will NOT be Confessions on Holy Saturday!! (At least in the evening.) 2007