May God bless your effort at going to confession!
–Make an examination of conscience
–Make a confession
The following is how to use this recommended examination of Conscience:
1) Ask God in prayer to help you make an Examination of Conscience:
“Dear Lord, please help me to make an examination of conscience.”
2) Going commandment by commandment, either make a mental or written list of which sin you need to confess, and how many times you’ve committed it. If it has been a long time since your last confession, you can say during Confession,
“…for all occasions in my life of [kind of sin]”
3) Examination of conscience complete
The following is the procedure to complete a Confession:
1) Kneel at the kneeler, make the Sign of the Cross, and say:
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”
or
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”
2) Tell the priest when your last confession was
“My last confession was … days/weeks/years ago”
3) Share your sins.
-If it has been many years since confession, say:
-If it hasn’t been a long time since you last confessed, say:
– you can either say the kind of sin, and the number of times, or say along the lines of, “for all the occasions in my life of [kind of sin]”
– when done, say, “For these and all the sins of my life I am sorry.“
– say the kind of sin, and the number of them
– when done, say, “For these and all the sins of my life I am sorry.“
My Jesus, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee
and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven
and the pains of hell, but most of all
because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good
and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve
with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins,
to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen
5) The priest, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, will forgive your sins.
6) Confession is complete; please remember to do assigned penance.