Every confession should begin with a thorough examination of conscience since your last confession and Communion: Whether a grievous sin was forgotten through want of proper examination; concealed or disguised through shame. Whether you confessed without a true sorrow, a firm purpose of amendment and of repairing the evil done to your neighbor.
See whether you received Holy Communion without devotion, or neglected to offer a proper thanksgiving. Whether the penance was performed without voluntary distractions. Whether you have neglected your confessor’s counsel, and fallen at once into habitual sins. Whether you have renounced all affection to mortal sin, or remained long in sin without eliciting acts of contrition and returning to confession. Then examine yourself on the ten Commandments; the Commandments of the Church; the Seven Capital Sins; the duties of your state in life; and your ruling passion. Calmly recollect the different occasions of sin which have fallen in your way, or to which your state and condition in life expose you; the places you have frequented; the persons you have associated with, etc. Do not neglect to consider the circumstances which alter the grievousness of the sin, nor the various ways in which we become accessory to the sins of others. The link above will help you in your examination.
After having examined your conscience, excited yourself to sorrow for your sins, and made a firm purpose of amendment, go and make your confession to the priest who, in virtue of the power and commission which he has received to that effect, is either “to forgive or retain, to loose or bind,” according to the preparation of your heart, the nature of your transgressions, their number, their gravity, etc. Let your confession be plain, entire, and prudent; neither obscuring your faults, nor concealing anything willfully, nor saying what would be prejudicial to a third person.—Being on your knees, say first: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” Then proceed: “Since my last confession (mention the time) I accuse myself of…”—Having finished the declaration of your sins, add “For these and all other sins that have escaped my memory, I am heartily sorry, humbly ask pardon of God and penance and absolution of you, Father.”—After this, listen to the instruction and advice of your confessor, answer his questions and humbly accept the penance which he will enjoin. As he absolves you, say the Act of Contrition.
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Confiteor/I Confess
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Confiteor Deo
omnipotenti, beatæ Mariæ semper
Virgini, beato Michæli Archangelo, beato
Ioanni Baptistæ, sanctis Apostolis Petro et
Paulo, et omnibus Sanctis, quia peccavi nimis
cogitatione, verbo et opere: strike the breast three
times mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima
culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem,
beatum Michælem Archangelum, beatum Ioannem
Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, et
omnes Sanctos, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum
nostrum. Amen. |
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I confess to
almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to
blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the
Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and
to all the saints that I have sinned exceedingly in
thought, word, and deed: strike the breast three
times through my fault, through my
fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I
beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael
the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy
apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to
pray for me to the Lord our God. Amen. |
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Actus Contritionis/Act of
Contrition
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Deus meus, ex toto
corde pænitet me omnium meorum peccatorum,
eaque detestor, quia peccando, non solum poenas a
Te iuste statutas promeritus sum, sed
præsertim quia offendi Te, summum bonum, ac
dignum qui super omnia diligaris. Ideo firmiter
propono, adiuvante gratia Tua, de cetero me non
peccaturum peccandique occasiones proximas
fugiturum. Amen. |
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Oh my God, I am
heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I
detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments,
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
who art all good and deserving of all my love. I
firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin
no more and avoid the near occasions of sin.
Amen. |
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Oratio Præparatoria ad Confessionem
Sacramentalem/Preparatory Prayer before
Sacramental Confession
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Conditor cæli
et terræ, Rex regum et Dominus dominantium,
qui me de nihilo fecisti ad imaginem, et
similitudinem tuam et me proprio tuo sanguine
redemisti, quem ego peccator non sum dignus
nominare, nec invocare, nec corde
cogitare. |
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O almighty God,
Maker of heaven and earth, King of kings, and Lord
of lords, who hast made me out of nothing in Thine
image and likeness, and hast redeemed me with Thine
own Blood; whom I, a sinner, am not worthy to name,
to call upon, or to contemplate. |
Te suppliciter deprecor, et humiliter exoro,
ut clementer respicias me servum tuum nequam. Et
miserere mei, qui misertus fuisti mulieri
Cananeæ, et Mariæ Magdalenæ: qui
pepercisti publicano, et latroni in cruce
pendenti. |
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I humbly beg Thee, I earnestly beseech Thee, to
look mercifully on me, Thy wicked servant. Thou who
hadst mercy on the woman of Canaan and Mary
Magdalene; Thou who didst spare the publican and
the thief upon the cross, have mercy upon me. |
Tibi confiteor, Pater piissime, peccata mea,
quæ si volo abscondere, non possum tibi,
Domine. Parce mihi, Christe, quem ego nuper multum
offendi cogitando, loquendo, operando, et in
omnibus modis, in quibus ego fragilis homo et
peccator peccare potui, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea
maxima culpa. |
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To Thee, most compassionate Father, I confess my
sins, which even if I wished to hide, I could not.
O Lord. Spare me, O Christ, whom I not long ago
greatly offended by thought, by word, by deed, and
in every way in which I, a weak human being and
sinner, have been able to do so through my most
grievous fault. |
Ideo, Domine, precor tuam clementiam, qui de
cælo pro mea salute descendisti, qui David a
peccati lapsu erexisti, parce mihi, Domine, parce
mihi Christe, qui Petro te neganti pepercisti. Tu
es Creator meus et Redemptor meus, Dominus meus et
Salvator meus, Rex meus et Deus meus. |
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Therefore, O Lord, I ask Thy clemency, Thou who
descended from heaven for my salvation, who raised
up David from his fall to sin. Spare me, O Lord.
Spare me, O Christ, Thou who spared Peter who
denied Thee. Thou art my Creator and my Redeemer,
my Lord and my Savior, my King and my God. |
Tu es spes mea et fiducia mea, gubernatio
mea et auxiliatio mea, consolatio mea et fortitudo
mea, defensio mea et liberatio mea, vita mea, salus
mea et resurrectio mea, lumen meum et desiderium
meum, adiutorium meum et patrocinium
meum. |
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Thou art my hope and my trust; my guide and my
succor; my comfort and my strength; my defense and
my deliverance; my life, my health, and my
resurrection; my light and my longing; my help and
my protection. |
Te deprecor et rogo adiuva me, et salvus
ero: guberna me et defende me: conforta me et
consolare me: confirma me et lætifica me:
illumina me et visita me. Suscita me mortuum, quia
factura et opus tuum sum. |
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I pray and entreat Thee, help me and I shall be
safe; direct me and defend me; strengthen me and
comfort me; confirm me and gladden me; enlighten me
and come unto me. Raise me from the dead; for I am
Thy creature, and the work of Thy hands. |
Domine, ne despicias me, quia famulus et
servus tuus sum, quamvis malus, quamvis indignus et
peccator: sed qualiscumque sim, sive bonus, sive
malus, semper tuus sum. Ad quem ego fugiam, nisi ad
te vadam? Si tu me eiicis, quis me recipiet? Si tu
me despicis, quis me aspiciet? |
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O Lord, despise me not, for I am Thy servant, ever
so bad, ever so unworthy and a sinner: but without
exception, whether good or bad, I am always Thine.
To whom shall I flee, unless I come to Thee? If
Thou rejecteth me, who will receive me? If Thou
despiseth me, who will look at me? |
Recognosce me ergo indignum ad te
refugientem, quamvis sim vilis et immundus: quia si
vilis et immundus sum, potes me mundare: si
cæcus sum, potes me illuminare: si infirmus
sum, potes me sanare: si mortuus et sepultus sum,
potes me resuscitare ; quia maior est misericordia
tua, quam iniquitas mea: maior est pietas tua, quam
impietas mea: plus potes dimittere, quam ego
committere: et plus parcere quam ego peccator
peccare. |
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Recognize me therefore as unworthy, flying to Thee
ever so worthless and unclean. For if I am
worthless and unclean, Thou canst cleanse me. If I
am blind, Thou canst enlighten me. If I am infirm,
Thou canst heal me. If I am dead, Thou canst revive
me. For greater is Thy mercy than my iniquity.
Greater is Thy piety than my impiety. Thou art able
to dismiss more than I can commit, and spare more
than I, a sinner, can sin. |
Non ergo despicias, Domine, neque attendas
multitudinem iniquitatum mearum: sed secundum
multitudinem miserationum miserere mei, et
propitius esto mihi maximo peccatori. |
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Therefore, despise me not, O Lord, neither regard
my iniquities; but according to the multitude of
Thy tender mercies have mercy upon me, the chief of
sinners, and be gracious unto me. |
Dic animæ meæ, «Salus tua
ego sum.» Qui dixisti, «Nolo mortem
peccatoris, sed magis ut convertatur et
vivat»: converte me, Domine, ad te, et noli
irasci contra me. |
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Tell me soul, “I am Thy salvation.” For
Thou hast said, “I do not wish the sinner to
die, but to repent and live.” Turn Thou unto
me, O Lord, and be not angry with me. |
Deprecor te, clementissime Pater, propter
misericordiam tuam, supplico et exoro, ut perducas
me ad bonum finem, et ad veram pænitentiam,
puram confessionem, et dignam satisfactionem omnium
peccatorum meorum. Amen. |
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I implore Thee, most compassionate Father, on
account of Thy mercy, I beg Thee and pray Thee,
that Thou wouldst lead me to a good end, to true
penance, to a perfect confession, and to worthy
satisfaction for all my sins. Amen. |
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Oratio Ante Confessionem
Sacramentalem/Prayer before Sacramental
Confession
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Suscipe confessionem
meam, piissime ac clementissime Domine Iesu
Christe, unica spes salutis animæ meæ,
et da mihi, obsecro, contritionem cordis et
lacrimas oculis meis, ut defleam diebus ac noctibus
omnes neglegentias meas cum humilitate et puritate
cordis. |
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Receive my
confession, o most compassionate and clement Lord
Jesus Christ, my soul's only hope of salvation.
Grant me, I beseech Thee, contrition of heart and
tears for my eyes, so that I may weep day and night
with humility and purity of heart for all my
shortcomings. |
Appropinquet oratio mea in conspectu tuo,
Domine. Si iratus fueris contra me, quem adiutorem
quæram? Quis miserebitur iniquitatibus meis?
Memento mei, Domine, qui Cananæam et
Publicanum vocasti ad pænitentiam, et Petrum
lacrimantem suscepisti. Domine, Deus meus, suscipe
preces meas. |
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Let my prayer come before Thee, O Lord. If Thy
anger hast turned against me, whom shall I seek to
help me? Who will have mercy on my iniquities?
Remember me, O Lord, Thou who calledst the
Canaanite woman and the Publican to repentance, and
accepted Peter's tears. O Lord, my God, accept my
prayers. |
Salvator mundi, Iesu bone, qui te crucis
morti dedisti, ut peccatores salvos faceres,
respice me miserum peccatorem, invocantem nomen
tuum, et noli sic attendere malum meum ut
obliviscaris bonum tuum. Et si commisi unde me
damnare potes, tu non amisisti unde salvare
soles. |
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Savior of the world, good Jesus, who gavest Thyself
over to death on the Cross to save sinners, look
upon me, a wretched sinner invoking Thy Name, and
do not regard my wickedness such wise as to forget
Thy goodness; and thus if I have done that which
deserves condemnation, Thou hast not lost that
whereby Thou art wont to save. |
Parce ergo mihi, qui es Salvator meus, et
miserere peccatrici animæ meæ. Solve
vincula eius, sana vulnera. Domine Iesu, te
desidero, te quæro, te volo: ostende mihi
faciem tuam et salvus ero. |
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Spare me, therefore, Thou who art my Savior, and
have mercy upon my sinful soul. Loose its bonds and
heal its wounds. O Lord Jesus, I desire Thee, I
seek Thee, I want Thee, show me Thy face and I
shall be saved. |
Emitte igitur, piissime Domine, meritis
purissimæ et immaculatæ semper Virginis
Genetricis tuæ Mariæ, et Sanctorum
tuorum, lucem tuam et veritatem tuam in animam
meam, quæ omnes defectus meos in veritate
mihi ostendat, quos confiteri me oportet, atque
iuvet et doceat ipsos plene et contrito corde
explicare. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in
unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus, per omnia
sæcula sæculorum. Amen. |
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Therefore, o most gracious Lord, by the merits of
Thy most pure, immaculate, and ever-virgin mother
Mary and all Thy Saints, send forth Thy light and
Thy truth into my soul. May it show me all my
shortcomings in truth which I am bound to confess,
and also may it aid and teach me to reveal them
fully with a contrite heart. Thou who livest and
reignest with God the Father in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. |
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Oratio Post Confessionem/Prayer After
Confession
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Sit
tibi, Domine, obsecro, meritis beatæ semper
Virginis Genetricis tuæ Mariæ et omnium
Sanctorum, grata et accepta ista confessio mea, et
quidquid mihi defuit nunc, et de sufficientia
contritionis, de puritate et integritate
confessionis, suppleat pietas et misericordia tua
et secundum illam digneris me habere plenius et
perfectius absolutum in cælo. Qui vivis et
regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti,
Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.
Amen. |
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I beseech Thee, O
Lord, that my confession may be made acceptable and
pleasing to Thee by the merits of Thy blessed and
ever Virgin Mother and all the Saints. May Thy
compassion and mercy fulfill whatever may be
lacking in me in contrition, purity, or
completeness of confession. Mercifully pardon all
my deficiencies that according to this greatness of
mercy, I may be fully and perfectly absolved in
heaven. Thou who livest and reignest with God the
Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God,
forever and ever. Amen. |
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