Roman Catholic: How do you do confessions with a priest?

Question

I am a Roman Catholic, I havent confessed in such a long time and now I feel the need to do it.. im emotionally crashing down...please help me..

Answer 1

Hi Roman Catholic,, Dont delay your confession . You will feel a great burden lifted once you do it. And make up your mind to make a good confession once a month at least ,after that. God bless!
P.S. I find it helpful to note down my sins on a piece of paper to read out to the priest if Im too nervous.

How to make a good Confession
[From the Catechism of Pope St Pius X:]

Q. How many conditions are necessary to make a good confession?
A. To make a good confession five things are necessary: (1) Examination of Conscience; (2) Sorrow for having offended God; (3) A resolution of sinning no more; (4) Confession of our sins; (5) Satisfaction or penance.

Q. What should we do first of all to make a good confession?
A. To make a good confession we should first of all earnestly beseech God to give us light to know all our sins and strength to detest them.

Q. How do you present yourself to the confessor?
A. I kneel at the feet of the confessor and I say: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."

Q. What do you do while the confessor blesses you?
A. I humbly bow my head to receive the blessing and I make the Sign of the Cross.

Q. Having made the Sign of the Cross what should you say?
A. Having made the sign of the Cross, I say: "I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to all the Saints, and to you, my spiritual Father, that I have sinned."

Q. And then what must you say?
A. Then I must say: "I was at confession such a time; by the grace of God I received absolution, performed my penance, and went to Holy Communion." Then I accuse myself of my sins.

Q. Whey you have finished the accusation of your sins what must you do?
A. When I have finished the accusation of my sins I say: "I accuse myself also of all the sins of my past life, especially of those against such or such a virtue" -- for example, against purity or against the Fourth Commandment, etc.

Q. After this accusation what should you say?
A. I should say: "For all these sins and for those I do not remember, I ask pardon of God with my whole heart, and penance and absolution of you, my spiritual Father."

Q. Having thus finished the accusation of your sins what remains to be done?
A. Having finished the accusation of my sins I should listen respectfully to what the confessor says, accept the penance with a sincere intention of performing it; and, from my heart, renew my act of contrition while he gives me absolution.

Q. Having received absolution what remains to be done?
A. Having received absolution I should thank the Lord, perform my penance as soon as possible and put in practice the advice of the confessor.

Answer 2

Hi, hon. Confession is good for the soul, you'll see. It's a little scary, yes, because you don't want to be judged, but it's a relief when it's over and you realize that you're now free.

1. Find out when confession is at your chuch
2. Kneel before the confessional
3. Say you are sorry for sinning
4. State your sins
5. Say the Act of Contrition (it'll be on the wall since no one has it memorized)
6. Recieve your pennance
7. Do your pennance

And importantly, relax. You'll do fine.

Answer 3

I am not RC. I am Episcopalian. Follow what the person above me said. I wanted to add that if you are 'emotionally crashing down' you may want to talk to your priest in his office instead of a quicky confession. In my church we do our confessions face to face and with an appointment. But then most Episcopalians don't go to confessions so there is not a long line.

Answer 4

Go to the confessional and choose either screen or face to face.

Start of with bless me father for I have sinned.

Tell them how long it's been since your last confession.

Then confess your sins.

The priest will help you along if you don't remember what to do.

Maybe you should do a practice confession in private first.

Answer 5

SEAL OF CONFESSION The grave duty of protecting fairly secret all sins that are advised in sacramental confession and some thing else it is advised through the penitent and is on the concern of the confession. it is a duty binding interior the organic regulation, the divine regulation of Christ, and interior the constructive regulation of the Church. It binds the confessor and the different human being who in any respect discovers what became confessed. less than no situations would any of this preparation be printed until eventually the penitent freely provides permission.

Answer 6

Just walk in and tell the priest, "Father forgive me for I have sinned, my last time since confession has been......... that I've forgotten how to do this right." Most priests will gently and happily guide you along, so don't worry about it.

_()_

Answer 7

Repent and confess to Jesus Christ....He will forgive you. Then you can tell anyone else if you like....a preist or anybody. Bring it to Jesus feet first I suggest.

In the cofessional, you say "bless me for I have sinned, It has been ____ years since my last confession, I broke the following commadments...#1,2,5,7,8,10." Done.

Answer 8

confess to God himself in private for only he can forgive sin a priest cannot since he is just a man !

(Matt.6:6. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. )