A Guide to Confession

1. Preparing for confession. Before going to confession, examine your conscience. 

2nd-3rd Grade 

4th-5th Grade

6th-8th Grade

High School-Adults

2. Arriving in the confessional. Begin with the Sign of the Cross and then say, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been….(weeks, months, years) since my last confession."

3. Confess your sins. Confesses sins to the priest. Following the confession of sins, you may also say, “This is all I can remember. I am sorry for these and all my sins,” if you cannot remember more.

4. Penance. The priest will assign you a penance. Penance prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service, or sacrifice.

5. After receiving Penance. The penitent will pray an Act of Contrition. 

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.
Our Savior Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.

6. Absolution. The priest will then absolve you from your sins by saying the prayer of Absolution.

7. Ending prayer. Make the Sign of the Cross at the end of the prayer and say, "Amen."

8. Preparing to exit confessional. The priest will express final words of praise and blessing.

9. Exit the confessional. The penitent leaves and sets off to complete the assigned penance.