I have not been to confession for years and I want to go and have forgotten how to do it. Can somebody please?

Question

I just dont know what prayers to say

Answer 1

This is one way how to go to Confession

+ Get yourself ready by making your examination of conscience.

You enter the confessional. You can choose to talk to the priest face to face or anonymously behind a screen.

+ After the priest greets you with the Sign of the Cross make the Sign of the Cross and say: “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been (say how long) since my last confession. These are my sins…”

+ Tell your sins simply and honestly to the priest. Don’t be embarrassed.

+ When you are done listing your sins please say: “…I am sorry for these sins and all the sins I can’t remember.”

+ Listen to the advice the priest gives you and accept the penance from him. Then make an Act of Contrition for your sins:

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.
Amen.

+ The priest will then conclude with the words: “Your sins are truly forgiven, Go in Peace”. You respond: “Thanks be to God.”

+ Perform your penance as soon as possible.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

You might want to make a private appointment ahead of time so that you and the priest can take some time to discuss any issues you might have with the church and confession in general. I know that sometimes it's hard to go back after being away from the sacrament for a while. You're doing a GOOD THING!

1. Pray and examine your conscience. There are many different ways to do this. A common one is to take a list of the 10 commandments and consider what each ones means and how you have lived up to the principles expressed in the commandments. (Ex. It not enough to simply not have committed adultery but you should have respected sexuality in general. No porn. No lusting after someone else's wife. Etc.) After you have examined your conscience and made a mental list (or write it down, I frequently take a written list with me into the confessional so I don't forget anything.)

2. Get in line for a confessional or make an appointment with a priest.

3. Enter the confessional. This can be either face-to-face with a priest or anonymously (like you normally see in the movies) Greet each other. And when you respond make the sign of the cross. The priest will invite you to have confidence in God and may read a short passage of scripture and you answer. "Amen"

4. Tell the priest how long it has been since your last confession and tell your sins. You must confession all mortal (serious sins) and th most pressing of your venial sins. The priest may ask you some questions, give you some encouragement or advice, and then assign you a penance and may ask you to say an Act of Contrition.

5. Then the priest will extend his hand toward you and pronounce absolution: "God, the Father of mercies, through the death an 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 o the Church may God give 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."

And the penitent says: "Amen"

He will dismiss you with some variation of "Go in peace." and you say "Thanks be to God."

6. Do your penance.

Answer 3

You don't need to say wrote prayers or go to confession to confess repent and be forgiven.... Jesus is the only mediator between God and man... Speak to him directly tell him your sins ask him to reveal any sins that you may not be conscious of. Ask him to help you to repent that is to turn from these sins and not do them again... if you are truely sorry you will be forgiven....

But if you really desire to go to confession... most catholic churches offer reconciliation a few times a week just call your church office or local church and ask when it is... go during the alloted time. Some churchs have a service then the reconcilition..... when you get up to the priest you say "Bless me father for I have sinned it has been ___ years or days or what have you since my last confession. and tell him you don't remember how it works and he will explain it to you.

But remember you don't need a priest to be forgiven you just need Jesus

Answer 4

I haven't been for a long time either. But it starts out like this..."Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been ___ since my last confession." Then, recite your "sins".

The priest will give you your penance...usually a collection of Our Fathers & Hail Marys, to say when you leave the confessional. Say "Thank you Father", and exit.

If you can't remember those specific prayers...your heartfelt personal prayers reflecting on your specific transgressions will be as good, if not better.

Answer 5

I always ask the priest to guide me through the prayers, then start with my confession, after ask for the closing prayers with his help? Every time.

Answer 6

You go into the confessional, kneel down, make the sign of the cross and say, "Forgive me father, for I have sinned....my last confession was......" Then you tell the priest all the sins you remember committing....then you tell him to also forgive you for the ones you forgot. After he forgives you, he will tell you to say so many Our Fathers and so many Hail Marys....the amount depending on how serious your sins were and the mood he is in! He will also ask you to say "The Act of Contrition."

Answer 7

Confession of sins is as simple as this get on your knees and ask God to forgive you of all sins,ask him to come into your heart and be the Lord of your Life,he knows what you have done but he wants you to come from the heart sincerely sorry its called repentance,no man can save you from your sin so it would not do any good telling a priest your sins,just tell Jesus and watch him change your Life,he will give you direction on where he wants you to go to church and pray and get in the word,the truth shall set you free,he is the one who died for your sins,and shed his blood so you might have Life and have it more abundantly,Read Psalm 51 its a repentance prayer and he will take it from there God Bless Lisa

Answer 8

i was the exact same but u explain to the priest and he will guide u through it he will have people like urself there all the time that forget.
bless me father for i have sinned its been ? so long since my last confession and then tell ur sins,im sorry for these sins and all the sins of my past life hell tell u ur penance and then say an act of contrition and thank the priest and leave
hope this helps

Answer 9

Wow... I didn't think it was possible to forget. I haven't been to confession since I was 10. (haven't been Catholic for over 25 years...) but I still remember the entire thing.

Provided they haven't changed anything....

start with: (sign of the cross) 'Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was on (date).'
tell him your sins... then say: ' I am sorry for these sins and all the sins of my past life.'
You'll get your penance then say the act of contrition.
He may or may not say a blessing... or scripture... then go do your penance)
(I googled the prayer for you:
An Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.)

Answer 10

No man can forgive you for you sins. Some will tell you that you have to go through Jesus (pbuh). I am not telling you to become a Muslim, but you are asking how. A Muslim offers Salaat (prayer) five times a day. I just wanted you to know when you do it that way there is no need for a question like yours. Peace and blessings be unto you.