Reconciliation

Prepare. Before going to Confession, take time to pray and reflect on your life since your last confession. This reflection, often called an Examination of Conscience, helps you notice where you have fallen short in loving God, others, and yourself.

Click here to find several examples of Examinations of Conscience for different stages of life, including children, young adults, and married people.

Celebrate the sacrament. During Confession, the priest welcomes you, you confess your sins, receive a penance, pray an Act of Contrition, and receive absolution. If it has been a long time, simply tell the priest; he will gently guide you through the process.

• Greeting: the priest greets the penitent (the person making a confession) and may offer a short blessing or scripture reading
• Sign of the Cross: the priest and penitent make the Sign of the Cross together, then the penitent says something like "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [give days, months, or years] since my last confession."
• Confession: the penitent confesses the sins identified in his or her examination of conscience.
• Penance: the priest will propose an act of penance, like a prayer, a work of mercy, or a work of charity
• Act of Contrition: the penitent expresses sorrow for sins and resolves to sin no more, using one's own words or a common prayer such as, "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 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." (Order of Penance, no.45)
• Absolution: the priest extends his hand over the head of the penitent, calls on God in prayer, and says, "And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Order of Penance, no. 33). The penitent responds, "Amen."
• Praise: the priest usually offers praise to God and invites the penitent to do the same
• Dismissal: the priest concludes the sacrament by saying, "Go in peace."

Complete your penance. After Confession, complete the prayer, work of mercy, or act of charity given by the priest. This penance helps repair what has been harmed by sin and renews your relationship with God and others.