Rachel Evans
The Catholic Sacrament of Confession is a process by which a penitent confesses their sins to a priest, who stands in the name of Christ and the Church, and receives forgiveness for their offenses against God and their fellow humans. The penitent begins by making the Sign of the Cross and saying, Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [time period] since my last confession. They then confess their mortal and venial sins, after which they can say, This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins. The priest will then offer guidance, suggest ways to avoid sin, and assign penance. The penitent will then pray an Act of Contrition, expressing their sorrow and firm intention to sin no more. The priest will then absolve the penitent from their sins through a prayer of Absolution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to start | Make the Sign of the Cross and say, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was... (give weeks, months, or years)" |
| What to confess | Confess mortal sins and venial (everyday) sins. Be honest and thorough, but it's okay if you don't remember every single sin. |
| If you haven't confessed in a long time | Start by saying how long it's been since your last confession and that you have committed sins during that time. |
| If you're nervous or unsure | Ask the priest for help. They will guide you and provide advice. |
| After confessing your sins | Say, "This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins." |
| Penance | The priest will assign a penance, which could be a prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service, or sacrifice. |
| Act of Contrition | Pray the Act of Contrition to express true sorrow for your sins. You can use your own words or a formal prayer. |
| Absolution | The priest will pray for your sins to be forgiven and make the Sign of the Cross, saying, "I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." |
| Conclusion | The priest may offer words of praise and blessing. You can say thank you and goodbye before leaving to complete your penance. |
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What You'll Learn
How to begin a Catholic confession
To begin a Catholic confession, you must first find a priest. If you are uncomfortable going to your own parish, you can try other churches in your area, or even airport chapels if you are travelling. You can also opt for a face-to-face confession or remain anonymous with a screen between you and the priest.
Once you are in the confessional, make the Sign of the Cross and greet the priest with the words: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been [state how long] since my last confession." If it has been a long time since your last confession, you can simply state that fact and then proceed to enumerate your sins. You may also want to discuss the circumstances and root causes of your sins and ask the priest for advice. Be sure to mention venial (everyday) sins and mortal sins, which are more serious.
Remember, the priest is there to help you make a good confession. If you are unsure or uneasy, ask for help.
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What to say if you've forgotten your sins
It is understandable if you forget to confess a sin or are unable to recall every single sin during confession. Your sins do not exist in God's memory, and your confession is still considered valid as long as you did not deliberately omit any sins. If you remember a forgotten sin after leaving the confessional, you can either return to the confessor and inform them, or wait until your next confession to mention the sin and receive advice and penance.
If you are nervous about confessing your sins, remember that it is not a memory test. Your priest will understand that you cannot remember every single sin, especially if it has been a long time since your last confession. It is recommended that you prepare with the help of an examination of conscience sheet, which can guide you in reflecting on moments when you may have sinned. However, it is not necessary to obsess over every small thing that could be considered a sin. Instead, focus on major actions that could be considered sinful through the lens of the 10 Commandments.
During confession, begin by greeting the priest and making the sign of the cross, stating how long it has been since your last confession. Then, list your venial (everyday) sins and mortal sins, which are more serious. It is important to be thorough, but it is not necessary to provide a non-stop list of sins. The priest may ask questions or offer guidance and suggestions for avoiding sins in the future. When you are done confessing, conclude by saying, "I'm sorry for these and all my sins."
If you are still concerned about forgetting sins, you can add a statement such as, "For all the sins of my past life" or "For any sins which I may have forgotten." This acknowledges the fallibility of human memory and ensures that any forgotten sins are included in the absolution granted by the priest.
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What to say if you're embarrassed
If you are embarrassed about going to confession, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, remember that it is natural to feel nervous or uneasy about confessing your sins, but do not let embarrassment or fear stop you from doing so. God is merciful and wants to forgive you, and the priest is there to help you receive God's forgiveness.
Secondly, if you are worried about being recognised or seen by someone you know, consider going to a different parish or church for your confession. You can also look for churches with anonymous confessionals, where you are not visible to the priest. Some churches even offer written confessions, where you can write down your sins instead of saying them out loud.
When it comes to what to say during your confession, start by making the sign of the cross and saying, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [state the length of time] since my last confession." Then, briefly describe your current situation or "state of life", such as "I am a student" or "I am a parent". After that, list your sins, including both mortal sins (serious sins) and venial sins (everyday faults). You don't need to list every minor failure, but try to be as thorough as possible. If it helps, you can also provide some context or explanation for your sins.
Finally, conclude your confession by expressing remorse for your sins. You can say something like, "I am sorry for these and all my sins" or "I am very sorry that I have sinned against you, and I promise that with your grace, I will not sin again." Remember, the priest is there to guide and help you, so don't be afraid to ask for assistance if you're not sure what to say or do.
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What to say when you're done confessing
Once you have finished confessing your sins, you should express your sorrow and conclude by saying:
> "This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins."
Or:
> "I am sorry for these sins and all the sins I cannot remember."
> "My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin."
The priest will then give you a penance, which could be a prayer, an offering, a work of mercy, a service, or a sacrifice. You can then pray an Act of Contrition, expressing your true sorrow for the sins confessed.
Remember, it is okay if you don't remember every single sin. The priest is there to help you make a good confession and guide you.
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What to say if you've not confessed for a long time
If you haven't been to Catholic confession in a long time, the process remains the same. It is important to remember that you should not spend too much time trying to remember every little sin. Instead, focus on the serious or 'mortal' sins and mention some of the smaller or 'venial' sins.
First, you can choose to confess anonymously behind a screen or face-to-face with the priest. After the priest greets you in the name of Christ, make the sign of the cross. You can then say something like: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [state how long] since my last confession. These are my sins." You can then tell your sins honestly and simply, and even discuss the circumstances and root causes of your sins. You can ask the priest for advice or direction.
If you are unsure of what to say or do, you can ask the priest for help. You can tell them that it has been a long time since your last confession and that you are unsure of how to proceed. You can then do your best to remember and tell your sins. If you are having trouble enumerating how many times you have committed each sin, you can give an estimation of the scope of the problem. For example, you can say something like: "It has been 10 years since my last confession, and in that time I've been sexually promiscuous on an almost daily basis with a total of about 25 different partners."
After you have confessed your sins, the priest will offer consoling words and then assign you a penance. This penance could be a number of prayers or something related to your sins. After this, the priest will invite you to make an Act of Contrition, a prayer expressing your sorrow for your sins.
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Frequently asked questions
Begin by making the Sign of the Cross and saying, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [state how long] since my last confession."
You should then list your sins. It is recommended to reflect on your actions through the lens of the Ten Commandments. You can also discuss the circumstances and root causes of your sins.
It's okay if you don't remember every single sin. You can simply conclude by saying, "I am sorry for these and all my sins."
The priest will assign you a penance, which could be a prayer, an offering, or a good deed. They may also offer guidance and advice to help you become a better Catholic Christian.
Pray the Act of Contrition, expressing your sorrow and firm intention to do penance and avoid sin. You can use your own words or a formal prayer of sorrow.
