Guide to Confession

“Return to Me with all your heart.”

— Joel 2:12

When you enter the confessional, you may begin:

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
It has been  [length of days, weeks, months]
since my last confession.”

Speak simply and honestly.
Confess mortal sins;

Confess venial sins

or
patterns of struggle.

When finished, say:


“For these and all my sins,
I am truly sorry.”

The Church identifies two kinds of sin:

Mortal sin: 
“destroys charity in the heart of man
by a grave violation of God’s law.”

Venial sin: 
“allows charity to subsist,
even though it offends and wounds it.”

A sin is mortal only when all three conditions are Present:

For a more detailed account for how we sin against
the 10 commandments please see the following
paragraphs in the catechism of the catholic church
CCC 2083-2550

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 they offend 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 the amend my life
amen.

Pray your penance as soon as possible.

Thank God for His mercy.

Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your mercy.

Renew my heart, heal my wounds,

and help me walk in Your love and freedom.