PRAYERS FOR CONFESSION

--------§-------Prayers for Confession--------§--------
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BEFORE CONFESSION

O loving and merciful God! help me to make a good Confession. Help me to examine my conscience, that I shall be able to tell the priest what sins I have committed and how often. Let me feel a deep sorrow for all my sins and give me the grace to firmly resolve not to sin again.

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, my dear Guardian Angel, and all ye blessed Angels and Saints in Heaven, pray for me, that I shall make a good Confession, and from now on lead a good life, so that I shall join thee in Heaven to praise our dear Lord, forever and ever. Our Father, Hail Mary.

Now examine your conscience. Try to recall all your sins and how often you have sinned; also whether you have performed the penance given in your last Confession. The following list may help you:

1. How often have you missed your morning prayers? Your table prayers? Your evening prayers? How often have you prayed without devotion?

2. Have you cursed or taken the name of God in vain? Have you willfully made others so angry that they cursed or took the name of God in vain?

3. How often did you miss Mass on Sundays or on Holy Days of Obligation? How often did you come late through your own fault? How late did you come? How often did you talk, laugh, or misbehave during Mass?

4. How often have you disobeyed your parents, teachers or superiors? How often have you acted stubbornly?

5. Have you been angry; refused to speak to others; hurt them bodily, or hurt their feelings? Have you hated anyone? Have you led others to sin? Have you sinned by eating or drinking too much?

6 and 9. Have you had immodest thoughts or desires? Have you done anything immodest with yourself or others?

7 and 10. Have you stolen anything? If so, have you returned it? Have you damaged anything belonging to others? Have you desired to steal anything?

8. Have you told a lie? Have you said anything bad about others? Have you made known without need the hidden faults of others?

Did you eat meat on Friday or any other day of abstinence? [the Church now permits the Friday penance to be something other than meat during Fridays not falling in Lent; if the person prefers. But many Catholics still perform the traditional form of penance.-----the Web Master]

Have you been proud, jealous, or lazy?

Try to remember all your sins. Repeat them to yourself so you will not forget any of them when you confess to the priest.

Now try to make a good act of contrition Think of the great loving God Whom you have offended by your sins, and tell Him how sorry you are. Say the Act of Contrition slowly and with devotion.

AN ACT OF CONTRITION

O MY GOD, 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 art 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.

When you enter the confessional, kneel down and say:

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."

If this is your first Confession, tell him so. If, not, tell him how long since your last Confession. Then tell him your sins as you remember them. Listen carefully to the advice of the priest, and also to the penance he gives you. While he gives you absolution, again make an act of contrition.

After leaving the confessional, thank God, and say the penance given by the priest as soon as possible.

PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION

O Almighty and most merciful God, I give Thee thanks for this and all other graces and blessings. Overlook in Thy mercy the defects of this Confession. Give me the strength to keep my good resolutions. I wish to renew the promise I made in Baptism, and from this moment I give myself entirely to Thy love and service. Let nothing in life or death separate me from Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

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