CONFESSION 2p LETTER 20251120The Structure of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
The four traditional parts of Reconciliation are:
• Contrition… internal attitude of sorrow and repentance.
• Confession… clear telling of sin for which absolution is requested.
• Absolution… emphasizing healing power of Jesus.
• Satisfaction… penance, reform of life, amends.
The three elements of contrition are:
- Hatred of the sin (mind)
- Grief(heart)
- Firm purpose of amendment (will)
The four qualities of genuine contrition are:
- Internal
- Supernatural
- Universe (extending to all sins)
- Sovereign (recognition of sin as the greatest evil) Sacramental Seal:
- The obligation of secrecy enjoined on the minister of reconciliation.
The Penitential Rite:
This is not to be confused with the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Lacking sacramental absolution, it is an understated, preparatory and optional rite to help the assembly reflect on their spiritual condition and bring a humble attitude to worship. At times, a sprinkling rite may replace it, recalling the waters of Baptisms well as the tears of repentance.
- Catholic Source Book, edited by Rev. Peter
A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
FIVE STEPS FOR A GOOD CONFESSION
1.Examine your conscience.
2.Besincerely sorry for your sins.
3.Confess your sins.
4.Resolve to amend your life.
5.After your confession, do the penance the priest assigns.
PRAYER SAID IN THE CONFESSIONAL (THE ACT OF CONTRITION)
“Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having off ended Thee; and I detest all my sins, because of Thy just punishments. But, most of all, because they off end Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid then ear occasions of sin. Amen.
PROCEDURE IN THE CONFESSIONAL
The priest may begin with a Scripture reading. After he finishes, you say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (one week, or one month, or one year, etc.) since my last confession.” Then tell your mortal sins and the number of times committed. If you have no mortal sins to confess, then confess stow three venial sins you have committed since your last confession.
When you have finished telling your sins, you should say:
“I am sorry for these sins and for all the sin so f my life.”
The priest now gives the necessary advice, assigns your penance, and ask you to say the Act of Contrition. Then wait and listen as the priest gives the Absolution.
Then say, “Thank you, Father,” and leave the confessional, and perform the penance assigned by the priest.
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENSE
Many of these sins are mortal, and receiving the Eucharist is forbidden until a good confession is made to a priest. If in doubt whether a sin is mortal or venial, confess it and consult a good catechism or priest. A mortal sin involves a serious matter if there is sufficient reflection, and it is committed with full consent of the will.
Did I deny or doubt God’s existence?
Did I refuse to believe in God’s revelation?
Did I believe in horoscopes, fortune telling, dreams, good luck charms, reincarnation or visit a psychic?
Did I deny that I was Catholic?
Did I leave the Catholic faith? Did I despair of or presume on God’s Mercy?
Did I neglect prayer for a long time?
Did I blaspheme God or take God’s or Jesus’ name in vain, curse or break an oath or vow?
Did I miss Mass on Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault?
Am I always reverent in the presence of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament of the alter?
Was I inattentive at Mass? Did I come to Mass late? How late?
Did I leave Mass early? Did I do unnecessary physical work on Sunday?
Did I disobey or disrespect my parents or legitimate superiors?
Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?
Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children? Have I failed to educate myself on the true teachings of the Catholic Church?
Did I give a full day’s work in return for my full day’s pay? Did I give a fair wage to my employee(s)?
Did I give scandal by what I said or did, especially to the young? Was I the cause of anyone leaving the faith? Was I impatient, angry, envious, unkind, proud, jealous, revengeful or hateful toward others; lazy? Did I give bad example, abuse drugs, drink alcohol to excess, fight or quarrel? Did I physically injure or kill anyone? Have had or advised for an abortion? Regarding abortion, check with your priest to see if you were automatically excommunicated. (Canon 1398 states that a person who successfully procures an abortion is automatically excommunicated; also excommunicated are all persons involved in a deliberate and successful effort to bring about an abortion.) Did I participate in or approve of the grave evil known as “mercy killing”? Did I attempt suicide?
Importance of Confession In the Divine Mercy Message
In the area of deliberate sexual sins listed below, all are mortal if there is sufficient reflection and full consent of the will: Did I will fully entertain impure thoughts and desires? Did I dress immodestly? Did I use impure or suggestive words? Tell impure stories? Or listen to them? Did I deliberately look at impure TV, plays, pictures or movies? Or deliberately read impure material? Did I commit an impure act by myself or with another? Which acts? Did I marry or advise another to marry outside the Catholic Church? Did I abuse my marriage rights? Was I unfaithful to my marriage vows? Have I kept company with someone else’s spouse? Did I practice artificial birth control, or was I or my spouse sterilized? Did I steal, cheat, help or encourage others to steal, or keep stolen goods? Have I made restitution for stolen goods? Did I fulfill my contracts; give or accept bribes; pay my bills; rashly gamble or speculate; deprive my family of the necessities of life? Did I tell lies? Deliberately to deceive? Or injure others by lies? Did I commit perjury? Was I uncharitable in word or deed, gossip or reveal others’ faults and sins? Fail to keep secrets I should have? Did I eat meat on Fridays during Lent or on Ash Wednesday? Did I fast as required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? Did I fail to receive Holy Communion during Easter time? Fail to confess at least once a year? Did I go to Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin? Without fasting (water and medicine permitted) for one hour from food and drink? Did I make a bad confession? Did I fail to contribute to the support of the Catholic Church?
Words of Jesus to Sister Faustina
“When you go to confession, to this fountain of mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flow down upon your soul…In the Tribunal of Mercy [the sacrament of Reconciliation]…the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated…Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy…”
Come with faith to the feet of My representative…I myself am waiting there
for you. I am only hidden by the priest… I Myself act in your soul… Make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is, for Me, only a screen. Never analyze what sort of a priest it is that I am making use of; open your soul in confession as you would to Me, and I will fill it with My light…
Were a soul like a decaying corpse, so that from a human standpoint, there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full… From this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity.”
Our Lord has emphasized the need for us to go to confession and to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist in order to obtain the greatest gifts of His Mercy. We as Catholics have the source of Mercy in the confessional and in the Precious Blood of the Eucharist. Let us proclaim this message.
“Confession is more powerful than an exorcism. One is a sacrament and the other is a blessing. One confession is worth 100 exorcisms. The devil wants to destroy the soul and the soul is healed by confession. If people want to decrease the work of Satan, they should increase the use of confession. Once the confessional line gets thin, the activity of Satan increases. To decrease the work of Satan, increase the use of confession”
Msgr. John Esseff (Exorcist 40 years)
7 Deadly Sins – 7 Lively Virtues
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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.
An Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
Prayer Before Confession
Come Holy Spirit, into my soul. Enlighten my mind that I may know the sins I ought to confess, and grant me your grace to confess them fully, humbly, and with a contrite heart. Help me to firmly resolve not to commit them again. O Blessed Virgin, Mother of my Redeemer, intercede for me through the Passion of Your Son, that I may obtain the grace to make a good confession. All you blessed Angels and Saints of God, pray for me, a sinner, that I may repent from my sins, and that my heart may be forever united with yours in eternal love. Amen.
Prayer Before Confession
Oh my God, without You I can do nothing. You have told me, “Ask and you shall receive.” In full confidence in Your promise, therefore, I beg You to accept the confession I am about to make and grant me true contrition for my many offenses. Saviour of the world who gave Yourself to the death of the cross to save sinners, look with mercy on me, a sinner. Regard not my wickedness in such a manner to forget Your pardon. For my offenses I deserve condemnation, but presuming upon the ransom of Your blood, I ask forgiveness. Heal my wounds, Lord Jesus. Send the light of Your truth into my soul so that I may worthily confess my shortcomings. Give me a contrite heart and true sorrow for my offenses. Although I am unworthy of Your love, because of it I come to You for forgiveness. Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy! Amen.
The Prayer Be Sorry for Sins
Oh my God, I don’t want to go to hell. I know that because of my many sins I deserve to go there. Help me get rid of my sins. I don’t want to lose my soul in everlasting torment, without all happiness, banished from You forever. Help me realize that I shall have to make up for my venial sins, too, and that some of the punishment due to all sin, even if we escape hell, must be paid in purgatory. Help me do some real penance to make up for my sins, and get rid of part of my purgatory before I die.
Oh my God, now I see very clearly that I have not given You the service that I owe You for so many reasons. I have abused Your wonderful gifts, using them to offend You who are so good and so lovable. I sinned even in Your presence. I saddened Your Heart at the very moment when You were looking on me with perfect love. I was so blind and ungrateful as to love creatures more than You, my creator, who because You are infinitely good and lovable deserve all my love; I preferred my own pleasure to do Your will. Pardon me, O my God, for all the sins of my whole life. I am sorry for them. I hate them from the bottom of my heart because You hate them. I beg of You, say to me, “Your sins are forgiven.” Amen.
Prayer Before Confession
Receive my confession, O most loving and gracious Lord Jesus Christ, only hope for the salvation of my soul. Grant to me true contrition of soul, so that day and night I may by penance make satisfaction for my many sins. Savior of the world, O good Jesus, Who gave Yourself to the death of the Cross to save sinners, look upon me, most wretched of all sinners; have pity on me, and give me the light to know my sins, true sorrow for them, and a firm purpose of never committing them again.
O gracious Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of Jesus, I implore you to obtain for me by your powerful intercession these graces from your Divine Son.
St. Joseph, pray for me.
My dearest Jesus, I have told all my sins to the best of my ability. I have sincerely tried to make a good confession and I know that you have forgiven me. Thank you dear Jesus! Your divine heart is full of love and mercy for poor sinners. I love You dear Jesus; you are so good to me. My loving Saviour, I shall try to keep from sin and to love You more each day. Dearest Mother Mary, pray for me and help me to keep all my promises. Protect me and do not let me fall back into sin. Dear God, help me to lead a good life. Without Your grace, I can do nothing. Amen.
Prayer Before Going to Confession
O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, worthy of all my love, I humbly present myself before You. Look upon me with merciful eyes and help me to be reconciled to You by a good confession. But as I can do nothing if You do not help me, I implore You in Your tender mercy to enlighten me, that I may know all my sins and detest them with my whole heart.
O Jesus, ever flowing fountain of compassion, I approach You to cleanse me from all my sins. O Divine Physician heal my soul. O infinite Love, enkindle the flames of Your Love in my soul that it may love nothing but You. May this Confession bring about in me an entire change in my life so that I may be fully reconciled to You.
Mother of God, You are so charitable to sinners who desire repentance, assist me to make a good Confession. My Guardian Angel, help me to discover the sins I have committed. My Patron Saint and all you Saints of Heaven, pray for me that I may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance. Amen.
Prayer After Confession
God, I thank you for your abundant mercies. No sin of mine is beyond your power to forgive, and your forgiveness has restored my soul to friendship with you. Thank you for never ceasing to love me even when my actions show that I do not love you fully. Thank you for seeking me out as the shepherd seeks the lost sheep. Amen.
Prayer After Confession
O almighty and most merciful God, I give You thanks with all the powers of my soul for this and all other mercies, graces, and blessings bestowed on me, and prostrating myself at Your sacred feet, I offer myself to be henceforth forever Yours. Let nothing in life or death ever separate me from You! I renounce with my whole soul all my treasons against You, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. I renew my promises made in Baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself eternally to Your love and service. Grant that for the time to come, I may detest sin more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and companies as have unhappily brought me to it. This I resolve to do by the aid of Your divine grace, without which I can do nothing. Amen.
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.
Prayers After Confession
What thanks do I not owe to Thee, my God! not only for having created me, redeemed me, and called me into the bosom of Thy Church, but still more for having waited for my return whilst I was wandering from Thee in the miserable paths of sin; for having so often pardoned me, as I hope Thou hast done this day, and for having preserved me from so many other sins, into which I should have fallen had I not been preserved by Thy gracious hand. But my enemies will not cease to tempt until death, and if Thou support me not, alas! I shall soon begin again to offend Thee more grievously than ever. Grant me then, through the merits of Jesus Christ the precious grace of final perseverance. The Divine Saviour has assured us that whatever we ask in His Name, Thou wilt grant it to us. I entreat Thee, therefore, through all that Thy dear Son suffered for me, never to let me forsake Thee any more. I feel the greatest confidence that, if I continue to pray for this grace, I shall obtain it, because Thou hast promised to hear our prayers. But I tremble with fear lest, in some unguarded moment, I should forget my dependence on Thee, fail to invoke Thy help, and thus relapse into my former misery. Grant, therefore, that in all my temptations I may have instant recourse to Thee, by invoking the holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Thus, O my Lord, I may confidently hope to die in Thy grace, and to love Thee forever in heaven, where I shall be sure never to be separated from Thee, and to be consumed in the fire of Thy holy love for all eternity. Amen. https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1494
Take me from the dark
Lord, with your bright and open heart forgive me for showing darkness to the light. Putting my back, to what is right was wrong and i have sinned against you. Forgive me O merciful one because i have relished my wrong and i am sorry for what i have done. Lord i am ready to continue following in your footsteps. Take my from the dark. Hear me now O lord. Amen
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