A Guide to the
Sacrament of Reconciliation
A wellspring of mercy awaits us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is a gift, a means of grace, a way to God, and a way back to God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you light as you begin your Examination of Conscience."Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind and soften my heart, so that I can know my sins and be truly sorry for them."
Examination of Conscience
(Based on the Ten Commandments)
Pray:
Ask God for the grace to make a good confession.Examine your conscience:
Reflect on your actions, words, and thoughts since your last confession, using the following examination of conscience to help you recall any sins.1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
- Do I give God time every day in prayer?
- Do I seek to love Him with my whole heart?
- Have I been involved with superstitious practices or have I been involved with the occult?
- Do I seek to surrender myself to God´s word as taught by the Church?
-Have I ever received communion in the state of mortal sin?
- Have I ever deliberately told a lie in Confession or have I withheld a mortal sin from the priest in Confession?
- Are there other "gods" in my life? Money, Security, Power, People, etc.?2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Have I used God´s name in vain: lightly or carelessly?
- Have I been angry with God?
- Have I wished evil upon any other person?
- Have I insulted a sacred person or abused a sacred object?3. Remember to keep holy the Lord´s Day.
- Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation?
- Have I tried to observe Sunday as a family day and a day of rest?
- Do I do needless work on Sunday?4. Honor your father and your mother.
- Do I honor and obey my parents?
- Have I neglected my duties to my spouse and children?
- Have I given my family good religious example?
- Do I try to bring peace into my home life?
- Do I care for my aged and infirm relatives?5. You shall not kill.
- Have I had an abortion or encouraged or helped anyone to have an abortion?
- Have I physically harmed anyone?
- Have I abused alcohol or drugs?
- Did I give scandal to anyone, thereby leading him or her into sin?
- Have I been angry or resentful?
- Have I harbored hatred in my heart?
- Have I mutilated myself through any form of sterilization?
- Have I encouraged or condoned sterilization?
- Have I engaged, in any way, in sins against humanlife such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization?
- Have I participated in or approved of euthanasia?6. You shall not commit adultery.
- Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action?
- Have I engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage?
- Have I used any method of contraception or artificial birth control in my marriage?
- Has each sexual act in my marriage been open to the transmission of new life?
- Have I been guilty of masturbation?
- Do I seek to control my thoughts and imaginations?
- Have I respected all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as mere objects?
- Have I been guilty of any homosexual activity?
- Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words, actions?
- Am I careful to dress modestly?8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- Have I lied? Have I gossiped?
- Do I speak badly of others behind their back?
- Am I sincere in my dealings with others?
- Am I critical, negative or uncharitable in my thoughts of others?
- Do I keep secret what should be kept confidential?
- Have I injured the reputation of others by slanders?9. You shall not desire your neighbor´s wife.
- Have I consented to impure thoughts?
- Have I caused them by impure reading, movies, television, conversation or curiosity?
- Do I pray at once to banish impure thoughts and temptations?
- Have I behaved in an inappropriate way with members of the opposite sex: flirting, being superficial, etc.?10. You shall not desire your neighbor´s goods.
- Am I jealous of what other people have?
- Do I envy the families or possessions of others?
- Am I greedy or selfish?
- Are material possessions the purpose of my life?
During Confession
1. Bless yourself
with the Sign of the Cross2. Say “Bless me, Father,
for I have sinned. It has been [days/months/years]
since my last confession.”3. Say “My sins are...”
[Tell the priest your sins]4. Say “I will try not to do these things that are wrong anymore. For these and all of my sins,
I am truly sorry”5. Listen to the penance and advice that the priest
accords to you.6. When invited by the priest,
say 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”.7. The priest will then give an Absolution and Final Blessing8. Say "Amen"
and thank the priest9. Return to the pew to do the assigned Penance and prayers. Resolve to receive Sacrament of Confession often.
Closing Prayer
Lord, source of our hope, help me to walk with you and with my brothers and sisters in a spirit of communion, participation and mission.Forgive my sins and strengthen my faith, so that I may be a faithful witness of your love in the world. May this Jubilee Year renew my heart and inspire me to live with joy and hope, always trusting in your mercy. Amen.
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