Confession Step-By-Step

Friends

Peace be with you. 

The season of Lent is one of two penitential seasons along with Advent in the church. The difference between them is that I tend to think of Advent’s Penitential quality primarily associated with the second coming of Jesus and being prepared for that day. Lent, I feel, is much more mundane and about the present. It’s like the difference between cleaning your house because you expect company and cleaning your house because you just can’t take it being this dirty any more. After all, Lent begins by smudging our heads with ashes with a call to repentance. 

In these penitential seasons, we tend to emphasize the importance of going to confession. One of the things that keeps people from going the once-per-year time the church expects us all to go is concern about the order of things when they go. People are concerned that they are going to mess up if it has been a while since they last went to confession. That is understandable. We put a small pamphlet outside the confessional for just such occasions but I am not always good about making sure they haven’t all been taken. So, with that in mind, here is my step-by-step guide for how to go to confession. 

1. Spend some time with a good examination of conscience thinking about the sins that you need to confess. You may want to write them down on a piece of paper you will destroy after the confession. I’m not a big fan of smartphone apps that allow you to write things down to bring to confession because Big Brother is always listening on those things. But, if you do bring it in, that’s your choice. It’s allowed but not encouraged. In case you are worried, I will never bring mine in. 
2. Enter the confessional and choose to either kneel behind the privacy screen or sit in the chair and go face-to-face. It’s your choice and neither is better than the other. 
3. Make the sign of the cross. Usually I do this to indicate this is a prayer we’re doing and not a guilt trip. 
4. Tell the priest how long it’s been since you last went to confession. Some of you may have learned a formula such as “Bless me Father (or Forgive me Father) for I have sinned, it has been _____ years/months/days since I last went to confession…” This is a good formula but it’s not mandatory. In fact, when someone is clearly not sure what to do, I simply ask “When was the last time you came to confession?” This is meant to let the priest know how much help he’s likely going to have to give you. My heart warms a little when someone says it has been years since they last went. 
5. Confess all your sins. Get them all off your chest. If you forget something but don’t deliberately withhold it, that is fine. It is forgiven. Bring the sheet you will eventually destroy with you. 
6. I may ask a question or give you some advice but I will for sure give you a penance. 
7. I’ll ask you to pray the Act of Contrition. I have three versions on a laminated sheet in the confessional so don’t feel like you have to have it memorized. 
8. I’ll give you the absolution
9. You’re all done. 

Next week, I’ll talk about how to make a good examination of conscience before you enter. Go to the fish fry and have a good week!