Sacraments--Reconciliation con't

How To Go To Reconciliation(Confession)

Prayer Before Confession

Come Holy Spirit into my soul.  Enlighten my mind that I may know the sins I ought to confess, and grant me your grace to confess them fully, humbly, and with a contrite heart.  Help me to firmly resolve not to commit them again.  O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of my God, intercede for me through the Passion of your Son, that I may obtain the grace to make a good confession.  All you blessed Archangels, Angels and Saints of God, pray for me, a sinner, that I may repent from my sins, and that my heart may be forever united with yours in eternal love.  Amen

RITE OF RECONCILIATION

Priest: In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen (When you enter)

Penitent: Bless me Father for I have sinned.  It has been (how long?) since my last confession.   These are my sins (tell the priest those sins weighing heavily on you).

Priest: Listens, may counsel you or may ask you to make an appointment with him at a later time.  Gives you a penance to perform; i.e., prayers, good deeds, reparation for theft, etc...He then asks you to make a "good act of Contrition".

Penitent: You say the act of Contrition.

Oh, my God, I am heartily sorry for my sins.  Because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee my God who art all good and deserving of all my love.  I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to avoid the near occasions of sin.  Amen  NOTE:There are several versions of this prayer, this just happens to be the one I learned.

Priest: Gives you absolution taken from the Gospel of John 20:19ff.  Then he offers you the sign of peace and dismisses you.  Say or do your penance as soon as possible or at his direction.

Next--Eucharist