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How to Go to Confession
CatholicExchange.com ^ | 07-21-06 | by Fr. William Saunders

Posted on 07/21/2006 7:46:10 AM PDT by Salvation

by Fr. William Saunders

Other Articles by Fr. William Saunders
How to Go to Confession
7/21/2006


I admit I have not been to confession in many years and am no longer sure I know how to properly avail myself of the sacrament. Would you please review how one should go to confession?

A person should always begin with a good examination of conscience. We need to hold up our lives to the pattern of life God has revealed for us to live. For instance, we take time to reflect on the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, the precepts of the Church and the virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice.

The examination of conscience is like stepping back and looking at the picture of one's life in comparison to the masterpiece of life revealed by God. Remember when we were children, we used to trace pictures. Tracing helped us learn to draw. We would take a piece of plain paper, hold it over the original picture and then put it up to the window. The light would enable us to trace the original picture onto our blank sheet of paper. Periodically, we had to stop and step back to see if our paper had slipped and was out of kilter with the original or if we had deviated from the lines.

In a similar way, as we live our lives, we are tracing them in accord with God’s pattern of life. In examining our consciences, we step back and honestly assess how well we fit God’s pattern and have stayed within His boundaries. At this time, we reflect on the progress we have made since our last confession in dealing with weaknesses, faults, temptations and past sins. Hopefully, we see improvement in our spiritual well-being.

However, when we have gone out of kilter or gone out of bounds with God’s masterpiece, we have sinned. We must distinguish the venial sins — those lighter sins which weaken our relationship with the Lord — from the mortal sins — those sins which sever our relationship with the Lord and "kill" the presence of sanctifying grace in our souls. Here we remember the words of Jesus, "Everyone who practices evil hates the light; he does not come near it for fear his deeds will be exposed. But he who acts in truth comes into the light, to make clear that his deeds are done in God" (Jn 3:20-21).

Given this examination of conscience, we have contrition for our sins. While we are sorry for sin because we do fear the fires of Hell and the loss of Heaven, and the just punishments of God, we are sorry most of all because our sins offend God whom we should love above all things. The love for God moves us to repent of sin and seek reconciliation.

All of the great saints regularly examined their consciences and made frequent use of the Sacrament of Penance. (Even our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, confessed his sins weekly, as did Mother Teresa.) One must ask, "Why? What sins did these saints possibly commit?" They loved the Lord so much that even the slightest omission or commission moves them to confession. They do not want even the slightest sin to separate them from the love of God. For love of God, we too are sorry for our sins.

Sorrow for sin moves us to have a firm amendment not to sin again. We probably will sin again, but we try not to do so. We do not plan on leaving the confessional and committing the same sins again.

We then confess our sins. When we enter the confessional in most churches, we have the option of remaining anonymous or facing the priest. Whichever option a person chooses, always remember that whatever is said during the confession is held in secret by the priest.

Remember also that we confess to the priest for three reasons: First, the priest has the authority of the Apostles by virtue of his ordination. On the night of the resurrection, Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound" (Jn 20:22-23). The priest is the minister of the sacrament acting in the person of Christ.

Second, he is a spiritual father. Just as we see a doctor for healing when we are physically sick, we see a priest when our souls are sick and need healing.

Third, the priest represents the Church and the people we have sinned against. In the early days of the Church, people publicly confessed sin at the beginning of Mass and were absolved. Much to our relief, for centuries now we have had private confession.

We proceed by making the sign of the Cross and saying, "Bless me father for I have sinned." One could also simply begin, "In the name of the Father...." We should then state when we made our last confession: "It has been (so long) since my last confession."

We then confess our sins. We must be specific. Sometimes people say, "I broke the sixth commandment," which covers everything from a lustful thought to rape and adultery. We do not need to provide the full-blown story, just the basics to enable the priest to help. We need to give some quantification — missing Mass once is different from several times, which is different from all the time. When we are finished confessing our sins, we state, "I am sorry for these and all of my sins." With this information, the priest may counsel us. He also assigns a penance for the healing of the hurt caused by sin and the strengthening of our souls against future temptation. He then asks us to say an act of contrition, which is generally the traditional prayer: "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all of my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all of my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen."

Finally, the priest imparts absolution. Ponder the beautiful words: "God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This formula emphasizes our merciful Heavenly Father, the saving mystery of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection, and the healing ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church.

The priest then dismisses us, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good," to which we respond, "His mercy endures forever." (Many priests may simply say, "May God bless you.") We then leave the confessional to do the assigned penance.

The sacrament of penance is a beautiful sacrament through which we are reconciled to God, ourselves and our neighbors. Remember the words of St. Paul: "God is rich in mercy; because of His great love for us, He brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin" (Eph 2:4).

Fr. Saunders is pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Potomac Falls and a professor of catechetics and theology at Notre Dame Graduate School in Alexandria. If you enjoy reading Fr. Saunders's work, his new book entitled Straight Answers (400 pages) is available at the Pauline Book and Media Center of Arlington, Virginia (703/549-3806).

(This article courtesy of the
Arlington Catholic Herald.)



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KEYWORDS: catholic; confession; power; reconciliation; sacraments
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A most wonderful sacrament!
1 posted on 07/21/2006 7:46:12 AM PDT by Salvation
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To: All
Examination of Conscience

A Guide for Confession

How To Make a Good Confession (especially if you haven't gone in years)

Why Go to Confession? (Part 1) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Why Go to Confession? (Part 2) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Why Go to Confession? (Part 3) - Pastoral Letter of Archbishop Bruno Forte

Pulling Sin up by the Roots: The Need for Mortification

Reasons for Confession [Sacrament of Reconciliation]

Cardinal Stafford's Homily at Penitential Liturgy With an Examination of Conscience

How to Go to Confession

2 posted on 07/21/2006 7:47:26 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; american colleen; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ...
Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

3 posted on 07/21/2006 7:49:18 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

There are several excellent examples of an examination of conscience in the links above.


4 posted on 07/21/2006 7:53:09 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
At my parish, we no longer have a traditional confessional because we renovated the Church. I don't like the lack of privacy, and I also don't like having the priest be able to see me face to face. I like the old traditional confessionals. This is the only think that keeps me from going to confession on a regular basis (I know I should go before every Mass), but I do got at least twice a year.

I think this is also the same reason why a lot of other do no got to penance regularly, they want more privacy. We are getting a new priest now because of the rotation, so I may bring that issue up with him.
5 posted on 07/21/2006 8:02:45 AM PDT by Theoden (Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum)
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To: Theoden
They don't have a partition with a kneeler for those who prefer the traditional way? Ugh. Lord, deliver us from the modernists!

There are two parishes I go to, one has confessionals with two doors (face-to-face, and traditional), and the other has a room, where the penitent can choose either to walk around the partition for face-to-face, or go to the kneeler for traditional. I always prefer traditional (but I'm slowly morphing into the "old fart" category)... :-)

6 posted on 07/21/2006 8:13:21 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (Freedom isn't free, but the men and women of the military will pay most of your share)
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To: COBOL2Java
We have the partition w/kneeler, but I am afraid that the screen is not very good. You can see each other fairly well. To add to that, I am fairly tall, so I unfortunately have to kneel on the floor if I don't want the top of my head being seen, lol.
7 posted on 07/21/2006 8:18:48 AM PDT by Theoden (Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum)
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To: Salvation

thank you very much for the post and links. They are just in time, I want (have) to go to confession tomorrow.


8 posted on 07/21/2006 8:22:19 AM PDT by Nihil Obstat
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To: Salvation

Thanks for posting this. I'm leaving in about an hour to go take advantage of this blessed sacrament. Now I have some material to help me in my examination.


9 posted on 07/21/2006 8:37:14 AM PDT by al_c
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To: Nihil Obstat
Anyone who doesn't have to go to confession must be super human. Sin is part of our fallen nature.

I do dig the gorgeous human outlet that allows us to move closer to Christ through such a physical means. I feel 100% cleaner and closer to God when I have gone to confession. Thanks God for this great sacrament! What a balm in today's dod-eat-dog world.
10 posted on 07/21/2006 9:16:20 AM PDT by klossg (GK - God is good!)
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To: klossg

Absolutely!


11 posted on 07/21/2006 10:03:55 AM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

I get a 3x guilt trip from this!

1 -- I left the Church because of the hypocrisy

2 -- Being brought up Catholic means constant guilt

3 --I feel like I should go to Confession

Go figger


12 posted on 07/21/2006 10:10:03 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (A Conservative will die for individual freedom. A Liberal will kill you for the good of society.)
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To: COBOL2Java

As a new Catholic I've only been once, but I know I need to go again -- and now I WANT to go, whereas before the first time it seemed like this big ordeal, especially because I had to talk about some sexual stuff. It's funny but now I need to talk about not going to mass the last three weeks, and I realize that's much bigger of a sin because it separates me from God.

Anyway, I kneeled in front of the partition, but afterward I walked around and thanked the Padre. He said I should have just come around and sat down, but I really did want to do it traditionally.

They have beautiful confessionals in this church, but I wish they had the old-timey booth with the little door and the screen. I always thought that was tres cool.


13 posted on 07/21/2006 10:16:46 AM PDT by ichabod1 (I have to take a shower.)
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To: klossg

It seems like I can *know* God forgives me for something but when the Priest says "I absolve you" it kicks it up a notch.


14 posted on 07/21/2006 10:18:03 AM PDT by ichabod1 (I have to take a shower.)
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To: Salvation

Bump for later


15 posted on 07/21/2006 10:18:56 AM PDT by WhiteGuy (It's about the People Who Count the Votes................. - Wally O'Dell)
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To: freedumb2003
Find a church that's free from hypocrisy, join it, and it won't be free from hypocrisy any more.

Come'on home.

16 posted on 07/21/2006 10:19:30 AM PDT by ichabod1 (I have to take a shower.)
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To: freedumb2003
1 -- I left the Church because of the hypocrisy

Pope Benedict XVI is cleaning house, and taking care of this and the other problems. The Church will be as it should in a couple more years. We would always be happy for you to return. Just remember that the Church is perfect, but men are not. The Church is a haven for sinners, as it should be. They need Christ more than the righteous.

2 -- Being brought up Catholic means constant guilt

It's not easy being Christian, especially in these times.

3 --I feel like I should go to Confession

Go for it. It feels like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders afterwords. I admit I don't actually enjoy going through it, but it must be done, and I am always happy I went afterwords. God bless.

17 posted on 07/21/2006 10:20:57 AM PDT by Theoden (Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum)
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To: Theoden
As a new Cathollic I feel I must comment about Confession , the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

It was very difficult to get through my first one, and then I went two more times before I was received into the Church on Easter. I now try to go at least once a month.

The thing I appreciate about it, besides the things already stated, is that the examination of conscience and confession come to your mind when you are going about your week, and often keep me from further sin. (Not always, of course, but I certainly don't want to be confessing the same thing over and over again. )

18 posted on 07/21/2006 10:35:02 AM PDT by Miss Marple (Lord, please look after Mozart Lover's and Jemian's sons and keep them strong.)
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To: klossg
I do dig the gorgeous human outlet that allows us to move closer to Christ through such a physical means. I feel 100% cleaner and closer to God when I have gone to confession. Thanks God for this great sacrament!

Absolutely agree -- feeling clean and also that feeling of finally getting that elephant off your chest. And it's free too!

19 posted on 07/21/2006 10:36:26 AM PDT by Nihil Obstat
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To: Salvation

add me to the ping list, please.


20 posted on 07/21/2006 10:38:02 AM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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