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Going toCONFESSION

The general way to make confession is:

1. Go into the confessional and kneel.

2. Make the sign of the cross.3. Say to the priest:Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.This is my first confesssion.OR {It has been (say how many days,weeks, months, years) since my lastconfession.}4. Tell the priest all your sins, such as:

These are my sins....(tell your sins).

If there is any sin you find hard to confess, say,Father, help me, for there is a sin I do not know howto confess. The priest will help you anytime you ask during your confession. When you have finished, say:

Father, these are all the sinsI remember.

Prayers often Given for Penance

THE SIGN OF THE CROSSIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, andof the Holy Spirit. Amen.

THE LORDS PRAYER Our Father, Who art in heaven,hallowed be Thy name;Thy kingdom come, Thy will be doneon earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive thosewho trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL MARYHail Mary, full of grace!the Lord is with thee;Blessed art thou among women,and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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The confessor-priest may ask you questions or say afew words to you, and will give you your PENANCE.Ask if you do not understand something about yourpenance.

5. The priest will then say, Make an act of contritionor Are you sorry for your sins?

6. Say loud enough for the priest to hear: I am sorry forall my sins; or an act of contrition, such as:

O my God, I am heartily sorryfor having offended You,and I detest all my sins,because of Your just punishments,but most of all,because they offended You, my God,who are all-goodand deserving of all my love.I firmly resolve,with the help of Your grace,to sin no more and to avoidthe near occasions of sin. Amen.

Or say the following, bowing your head and strikingyour chest (*) three times as you say:*God, be merciful to me, a sinner.*God, cleanse me of my sins and

have mercy on me.*Innumerable are my sins; forgive me,

O God.In the name of the Father, and of the Son,and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

7. The priest will be saying a prayer of absolutionwhile you say your act of contrition.

When you are done praying and the priest is done withthe absolution, say:

Thank you, Father.and leave the confessional.

8. Go to a pew, kneel down and say your penance. If there is any other penance that you need to do outsideof church, remember to do it as soon as possible.Another good prayer to say in thanksgiving to Jesus is:

Dear Jesus, I thank youfor taking away my sins.From now on, I wish to livefor You alone, love Youwith my whole heart, obey You andplease You. I will never hurt youagain, because that would make Yourwounds bleed all over again. Dear

Mother Mary and my GuardianAngel, always keep me close to Jesus,because I do not want to offend Himagain. Amen.

If you forget at any time how to make your confession and do not have a prayer

book to help you, please just ask your confessor-priest to help you.