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A GUIDE TO CONFESSIONConfession Times: Thursday after the 6 PM evening Mass Saturday 10 AM - 12 Noon or by appointment call 567-5812 (Fr. Peter or Fr. Charles) (you can also download this booklet in English - click here) Examine your conscience before you see the priest! Penitent: “Please bless me Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was .............. (days, weeks, months) ago.” Priest: blesses you by making the sign of the Cross Penitent: make the sign of the Cross (forehead, chest, left shoulder, right shoulder). Penitent: “And these are my sins: ....................” All mortal sins have to be confessed by telling the priest the kind of sin, number of times the sin was committed and the circumstance of the sin. It is good to confess venial sins for it really helps us to grow in self-knowledge and God gives us special graces to overcome these sins = sacramental grace. The confession must be humble (no excuses), sincere (no falsehood) and entire (no omissions). If I deliberately omit (= don’t tell) a mortal sin in confession, none of my sins will be forgiven - besides, I add another mortal sin to my list: the sin of SACRILEGE. After telling the priest all sins, the Penitent says: “And for these and all my sins I ever committed, I am heartily sorry.” Then the priest will give some advice or talks about some of the things you mentioned - and then will give you a Penance (this can be a prayer that you say or a good deed for you to do). You may either say your Act of Contrition at this time or right after you leave the confessional. For the Confession to be good, you must be sorry for your sins, examine your conscience well, tell your sins to the priest, do your Penance and your Act of Contrition and make up your mind not to sin again (Purpose of Amendment). EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE I am the Lord your God - You shall not have strange gods before me * do I give God time every day in prayer and seek to love Him with my whole heart? * have I been involved with superstitious practices or have I been involved with the occult? * have I received holy Communion in a state of mortal sin? * have I ever deliberately told a lie or have withheld a mortal sin from the priest in Confession? 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? Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day * have I deliberately missed holy Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation? * have I tried to observe Sunday as a day of rest and as a family day? Honor your father and your mother * do I honor and obey my parents, legal guardians, teachers or those in authority over me? * have I been a good example of Christ to my family, my friends? * do I try to bring peace wherever I am? * do I care for the aged, infirm or handicapped? You shall not kill * have I had an abortion or encouraged anyone to have an abortion? * have I physically harmed anyone or killed anyone? * have I abused alcohol or drugs? * do I give scandal to anyone or did I lead anyone into sin? * have I been angry or resentful? * have I harbored hatred or a grudge against others in my heart? * have I mutilated myself or brought about sterilization to me or others? You shall not commit adultery * have I engaged in premarital sex, used contraceptive devices or use birth control? * have I been guilty of masturbation? * have I sought to control my thoughts / imaginations? * have I respected all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as objects? * have I been guilty of any homosexual activity? * do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words and actions? * am I careful to dress modestly? You shall not steal * have I stolen, taken what is not mine? * have I made restitution for what I have stolen? * have a damaged things that do not belong to me? * do I waste time at school, work, or at home? * do I pay my debts promptly? * do I share what I have with the poor and needy? You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor * have I lied, gossiped; have I lied while I was under oath? * have I spoken behind someone’s back? * am I sincere in dealing with others? * am I critical, negative, or uncharitable in my thoughts and words of others? * do I keep a secret what should be kept confidential? You shall not desire your neighbor’s wife * have I consented to impure thoughts? * have I caused impure thoughts by impure reading, movies, conversation or curiosity? * do I seek to control my imagination? * do I pray at once to banish impure thoughts and temptations? You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods * am I jealous of what other people have? * do I envy other persons or possessions of others? * am I greedy or selfish? * do I find that I desire material possessions and they are my sole purpose of my life? * do I trust that God will care for all my material and spiritual needs? * do I support my Church with time, talent and treasure? HELPS TO GROW IN HOLINESS * do I consciously seek to imitate Christ in all of my dealings with others? * do I have a confessor who gives me spiritual direction? * do I go to confession at least once a month? * do I examine my conscience daily and have a daily determination of doing good? * do I seek to lead others to holiness and to make frequent use of the Sacraments? ACT OF CONTRITION O 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. Our Father Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be Your name Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women And blessed is the fruit of your womb: Jesus Holy Mary, Mother of God Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory Be Glory Be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. |
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