HOW TO GO TO CONFESSION.

Kneeling down at the side of your confessor, make the sign of the Cross, saying,

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then ask his blessing in these words.

Pray, Father, give me your blessing, for I have sinned.

Then say:

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, [strike your breast thrice,] through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.

Then say:

Since my last confession, which was so many weeks or months ago, J accuse myself, etc.

Then accuse yourself of your sins, the number of times that you have been guilty of each sin, and such circumstances as may aggravate the guilt of the sins. After you have confessed all that you can remember, say,

For these and all my other sins, which I cannot now remember, I am very sorry, and beg pardon of God, and penance and absolution of you, my ghostly father.

Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray to the Lord our God for me.

Then listen to the instructions and advice of your confessor, and accept the penance he gives you, and say an Act of Contrition, page 265.

NOTE

When the priest has not much time for hearing confessions, or when a large number of persons are waiting their turn to go to confession, he will sometimes tell the penitents not to say the Confiteor or I confess. In such cases the following form may be used.

SHORT FORM OF CONFESSION. Kneeling down at the side of the priest, say:

Pray, Father, give me your blessing, for I have sinned.

Since my last confession, which was-(here tell how long it is since) I accuse myself of, &c., (here tell the priest your sins).

After confession, while the priest is giving you the pardon of your sins, which is called Absolution, say this Short Act of Contrition.

OMY God, I am very sorry that I

have sinned against thee, because thou art so good, and I will not sin again.

A Prayer after Confession.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, who according to the multitude of thy tender mercies hast vouchsafed once more to receive this prodigal child, after so many times going astray from thee, and to admit him into this sacrament of reconciliation, I give thee thanks with all the powers of my soul, for this and all other mercies, graces

and blessings bestowed on me, the most unworthy of all sinners: and prostrating myself at thy sacred feet, I offer myself now to be henceforth for ever thine. Oh! let nothing in life or death ever separate me from thee. I once more renounce with my whole soul all my treasons against thee, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. I renew my promises made in baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself eternally to thy love and service. Oh! grant that for the time to come I may ever fly and abhor sin more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and companies as have unhappily brought me to it. I resolve henceforth to fly them all, by thy divine grace, without which, of myself, I can do nothing. I resolve to perform such and such devotions for obtaining this grace. I resolve to fly idleness, and to set myself a regular order and method of life, for the time I have yet to come. I beg thy blessing upon these my resolutions, that they may not be ineffectual, like so many others I have formerly made: for, O Lord, without thee I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply, also, by

thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession. I am sensible that it hath been very imperfect, and that I was far from having that true sorrow which the heinousness of my sins required; but let the precious blood of thine only Son make up this defi ciency. Accept of my poor performance, such as it is, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent, through the same Jesus Christ thy Son. Amen.

A Prayer after Confession when Absolution has been deferred.

MY God, now painful, how afflicting is it to me that I am not duly prepared to receive from thee the pardon of my sins! O Lord, I acknowledge my unworthiness, and I humbly submit to the decision of thy minister. But how long, O Lord, how long shall this afflicting separation from thee continue? Oh! assist me, I beseech thee, to begin fro:n this moment a new life. I will endeavour by thy grace daily to excite in my heart a more sincere and earnest sorrow for my offences. I will carefully avoid all occasions of sin, and