Sacrament of Reconciliation

Before Confession:

- Prepare by making an Examination of Conscience

- A prayer before Confession:

Dear Jesus,

help me to make a good Confession,

help me to find out my sins,

help me to be sorry for them,

help me to make up my mind not to sin again.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, and forgive me.

Mary, my mother, pray for me.

During Confession:

- Greeting: Make the Sign of the Cross in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

- Say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been ____ (weeks, months, years) since my last

confession.”

- Confess your sins using the Examination of Conscience. If you are unsure of what to say, ask the priest

for help. When you are finished, conclude with these or similar words: “I am sorry for these and all my

sins.”

- Penance: The priest will propose an act of penance. The penance might be a prayer, a work of mercy,

or an act of charity. He might also counsel you on how to better live a Christian life.

- Act of Contrition: Say an Act of Contrition, expressing sorrow for your sins and resolving to leave sin

behind and live more like Jesus Christ. Say:

My God, I am sorry for my sins with my whole heart.

In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,

I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.

With your help, I firmly indent to do penance,

to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us.

In his name, my God, have mercy.

- Absolution: The priest then blessed you in the person of Christ as he says the prayer of Absolution

which frees you from your sins.

After Confession:

- Rejoice that through the grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation God has reminded you of his

unending love!

- Follow through with the penance the priest gave you