The Sacrament of Reconciliation

“Sin is before all else an offense against God, a rupture of communion with him. At the same time it damages communion with the Church. For this reason conversion entails both God’s forgiveness and reconciliation with the Church.” (CCC 1440).

To make a good confession, we need to go through the following:

1- Examination of Conscience

2- Contrition: Contrition is sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.

3- Confession: Confession to a Catholic priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Reconciliation.

4- Absolution: The priest gives the Absolution: “God the Father of mercy, through the death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church may God grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

5- Penance: It consists of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

I- Did I commit any sin against the Ten commandments? (Exodus 20:2-17).

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind:

1- I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.

2- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

3- Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself:

4- Honor your father and your mother.

5- You shall not kill.

6- You shall not commit adultery.

7- You shall not steal.

8- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

II- Did I commit any sin against the Church’s commandments?

1- Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation

2- Confess your sins at least once a year

3- Receive Holy Communion during Easter time

4- Keep abstinence on Fridays and fasting during Lent (Read Dispensation)

5- Contribute to the support of the Church.

III- Did I commit any sin against Faith, Hope, and Charity?

Faith:

1- Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

2- Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?

3- Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?

4- Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

5- Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic faith?

6- What have I done today to externally profess my faith?

7- Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?

8- Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith?

9- Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

10- Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

Hope:

1- Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged?

2- Do I daily say a short act of hope?

3- Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?

4- Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?

5- Do I try to see God’s providence in everything that “happens” in my life?

6- Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?

7- Am I confident that, with God’s grace, I will be saved?

8- Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God’s mercy?

9- Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?

10- How often today have I complained, even internally?

Charity:

1- Have I told God, Jesus, that I love him with my whole heart?

2- Do I see God’s love for me in allowing me to prove my love for Him in the crosses He sent me today?

3- Have I failed in Charity by speaking unkindly about others?

4- Have I dwelt on what I considered someone’s unkindness toward me today?

5- Is there someone that I consciously avoid because I dislike the person?

6- Did I try to carry on a conversation today with someone who is difficult to talk to?

7- How thoughtful have I been today in doing some small favor for someone?

8- Am I given to dwelling on other people’s weaknesses or faults?

9- Have I been cheerful today in my dealings with others?

10- Do I control my uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise?

IV- Other things to avoid:

1- Pride: Inordinate desire for honor and distinction.

2- Avarice: Inordinate desire for temporal goods.

3- Lust: Inordinate desire for sexual pleasure.

4- Envy: Sadness because of the good fortune of our neighbor.

5- Gluttony: Inordinate longing for food or drink.

6- Anger: Disorderly outburst of emotion connected with the inordinate desire for revenge.

7- Sloth: A sluggishness of the soul regarding the exertion necessary for the performance of a good work. A tedium over the friendship of God because of the efforts necessary to maintain that friendship.

V- Things to do:

1- Forgiveness of self

2- Forgiveness of others

CONFESSION

The penitent goes to the confessional to confess his sins to a Catholic priest. The penitent says: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Bless me Father for I have sinned. It’s been (length of time) since my last confession. My sins are…”

Then, the priest gives words of encouragement. The penitent might have a question to the priest.

The priest gives the penitent a penance. Then he says: “Say the act of contrition.”

The penitent recites the act of contrition:

“My Lord and my God, I am heartily sorry for all my sins, because through sin, I dread the loss of myself and the eternal goods and I deserved the pains of hell. But most of all I am sorry because I offended you, my Lord and my God, who deserves all honor and love. For this reason I detest sin over every evil, and I want to die in your grace before I offend you one more time. I resolve to avoid the occasions of sin and to make satisfaction for my sins as much as I can. Amen.”

Then, the priest gives the absolution:

“God the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church may God grant you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

The penitent leaves the confessional.