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Fr. Z’s 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession - reprise
We should…
1) ...examine our consciences regularly and thoroughly;
2) ...wait our turn in line patiently;
3) ...come at the time confessions are scheduled, not a few minutes before they are to end;
4) ...speak distinctly but never so loudly that we might be overheard;
5) ...state our sins clearly and briefly without rambling;
6) ...confess all mortal sins in number and kind;
7) ...listen carefully to the advice the priest gives;
8) ...confess our own sins and not someone else’s;
9) ...carefully listen to and remember the penance and be sure to understand it;
10) ...use a regular formula for confession so that it is familiar and comfortable;
11) ...never be afraid to say something "embarrassing"... just say it;
12) ...never worry that the priest thinks we are jerks…. he is usually impressed by our courage;
13) ...never fear that the priest will not keep our confession secret… he is bound by the Seal;
14) ...never confess "tendencies" or "struggles"... just sins;
15) ...never leave the confessional before the priest has finished giving absolution;
16) ...memorize an Act of Contrition;
17) ...answer the priest’s questions briefly if he asks for a clarification;
18) ...ask questions if we can’t understand what he means when he tells us something;
19) ...keep in mind that sometimes priests can have bad days just like we do;
20) ...remember that priests must go to confession too … they know what we are going through.
Here is one Act of Contrition I recommend:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell; [This is attrition, sufficient for absolution.]
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. [This is contrition, more perfect.]
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
This is also good:
Latin
Deus meus, ex toto corde poenitet me omnium meorum peccatorum, eaque detestor,
quia peccando, non solum poenas a te iuste statutas promeritus sum,
sed praesertim quia offendi te, summum bonum, ac dignum qui super omnia diligaris.
Ideo firmiter propono, adiuvante gratia tua, de cetero me non peccaturum peccandique occasiones proximas fugiturum. Amen.
English
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins,
because of thy just punishment, [Again, this is attrition.]
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all-good and deserving of all my love. [Again, this is contrition.]
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
At the risk of sounding like a wise guy, father, how does one go about confessing the alleged sin of polluting the environment?
Comment by Will — 10 March 2008 @ 1:52 pmThank you, Father. I note, with a certain smile, that this is the Act of Contrition I was taught.
Now, does anyone know where one can get nice little cards printed? I know a lot of people who want to use the older form of Confession (the one with the confession inside a Confiteor) but keep forgetting the form, and I thought little cards would be nice.
Comment by Mark M — 10 March 2008 @ 1:55 pmWill
Comment by jh — 10 March 2008 @ 2:00 pmI suppose if you are dumping PCP into the river and things like that then you confess it just like everything else
The topic at hand does not merit the somewhat snide remarks about the comments about sin made by the Apostolic Penitentiary. But while we’re at it, and at the risk of fitting myself for a seamless garment: to the extent that damage to the environment jeopardizes human life and is an abuse of the job of stewardship of creation given to us by God, yes it is sinful. It may not be as dramatic and provocative as lust in the heart or as obviously offensive as murder, but it is sin nonetheless.
Failing to recycle a soda can, however, is not a mortal sin, and I don’t think the Pentitentiary said that or even suggested it. But an executive at Dow Chemical may have to do an examen.
Comment by Brian — 10 March 2008 @ 2:23 pmI think you mean PCBs.
What happened to “the near occasion of sin”?
I think a disclaimer should come with “in kind and in number” This would scare off people that haven’t been to confession in years. Who could remember how many times if you were living in sin for 23 years? If you were high for 34 years?
Comment by Jack — 10 March 2008 @ 2:29 pmUntil a few weeks ago, I hadn’t been to confession in years. Since then, I’m disinclined to go back again soon.
Maybe I’m a cynical 21st Century American, but it just seems a little contrived. I agree with the philosophy, theology and spirit of confession. But it just seems a little peculiar.
Perhaps its because I’ve been so estranged from the sacrament for so long. Perhaps here, familiarity could breed comfort. Perhaps.
Comment by gjoe — 10 March 2008 @ 2:31 pmI was not aware that there were any forms of the Act of Contrition other than the two Fr. Z. quotes. The first one is used by everyone (as far as I know) and the second shows up in some handmissals. I am curious: what other forms are there?
P.K.T.P.
Comment by Peter Karl T. Perkins — 10 March 2008 @ 2:38 pmFather, thank-you for your “20 Tips!” Will be confessing this week.
Joe, most of my life I’ve spent trying to keep twirling plates in the air on slender sticks like on Ed Sullivan. Not any more. I love the Sacrament of Reconciliation because I want to be reconciled. I can’t do it on my own. Things fall into place now that I’m not spinning plates.
Comment by Richard Oliver — 10 March 2008 @ 2:44 pmA little humour.
When I saw Fr. Z.’s list of procedures, the second item, “Wait in queue patiently” reminded me of a humorous story in a book about St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Now, some of the ladies from Calabria and Sicily who used to go to him for confession were, in