What are the steps to penance? (Read Ahead)HELLPPP!?

Question

I have to go to penance and I'm not quite sure what to do..i know you have to start by telling the priest how long your last confession was..but thats it! Please be specific,

Answer 1

God bless you, and congratulations for returning back to the sacrament of Reconciliation. Before you go, you will want to make a good examination of your conscience. You might want to go here: http://www.theworkofgod.org/library/examine.htm for an example. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your confession.

The first step as you remember is to say, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been _______ since my last confession." Then tell the priest what sins you have committed since then. Start with the most serious ones first and if there is time then say the lesser ones as well. You can write them down if you are afraid that you will be too nervous, but know that if you forget to say a sin, if you are sorry then you will still be forgiven.

After you tell your sins the priest may ask you some questions to clarify, may talk to you about how to do better, give you some suggestions on how to make amends, etc. Then he will give you a penance, normally a prayer or set of prayers.

Next you will need to say an Act of Contrition. You can write that down and bring it with you if you don't remember. The most common one is here: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/contrit.htm but you can also just say in your own words that you are sorry for your sins and want to do better.

Finally the priest will say a prayer over you and you will receive absolution for all your sins.

Good luck! If you haven't been in awhile ask some other people from your church who a good priest to go to confession is. You will receive absolution just the same, but some priests really have a gift for hearing confessions.

Answer 2

You go in tell him how long since your last confession. He asks you what sins you've come to pay penance for then he tells you how many prayers, hail marys, etc. you have to do

Answer 3

How to go to confession:

1. You always have the option to go to confession anonymously, that is, behind a screen or face to face, if you so desire.
2. After the priest greets you in the name of Christ, make the sign of the cross. He may choose to recite a reading from Scripture, after which you say: "Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (state how long) since my last confession. These are my sins."
3. Tell your sins simply and honestly to the priest. You might even want to discuss the circumstances and the root causes of your sins and ask the priest for advice or direction.
4. Listen to the advice the priest gives you and accept the penance from him. Then make an Act of Contrition for your sins.
5. The priest will then dismiss you with the words of praise: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. You respond: "For His mercy endures forever." The priest will then conclude with:"The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace." And you respond by saying: "Thanks be to God."
6. Spend some time with Our Lord thanking and praising Him for the gift of His mercy. Try to perform your penance as soon as possible.


PRAYER BEFORE CONFESSION

O most merciful God! Prostrate at your feet, I implore your forgiveness. I sincerely desire to leave all my evil ways and to confess my sins with all sincerity to you and to your priest. I am a sinner, have mercy on me, O Lord. Give me a lively faith and a firm hope in the Passion of my Redeemer. Give me, for your mercy´s sake a sorrow for having offended so good a God. Mary, my mother, refuge of sinners, pray for me that I may make a good confession. Amen.


AN ACT OF CONTRITION
Oh 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. Amen.

Answer 4

Hindu Religion says for "Penance" you have to directly talk to GOD and no need for a middleman and middleman can not help!-"Avvali Kidakka "--A Hindu Preist can NOT talk to GOD on anybody's behalf except his own.The Preist can only guide.

Answer 5

You say "bless me father for I have sinned, it's been forever since my last confession, since then I've been a dirty little tramp, you want me to get specific? hey! what are you doing under those robes?!!?!"

Answer 6

You don't go to a preist... confessing to a preist is COMPLETELY unbiblical.