Prayers before Confession

Each confession should be made as carefully as if it were to be the last one of our lives. First, we should beg God’s mercy, and ask Him to give us light to know our sins, and grace to detest them: then diligently examine our conscience.

A Prayer

I have sinned against God and man and I am sorry. Increase my sorrow O Lord and encourage true contrition in my soul and a firm purpose of sinning no more. Enlighten my understanding and assist me in bringing to mind my transgressions that I can make a worthy confession and again be pleasing in Thy sight. In Thy goodness assist me dear Lord, because without Thee I am helpless.

Examination of Conscience

It is necessary to tell in confession all the mortal or grievous sins we have been guilty of since our last worthy confession, adding also any venial sins we can remember.

Preliminary Examination

When did you make your last confession? Did you have real sorrow for the sins then told? Did you conceal or forget any mortal sin? Have you performed your penance, and done as your confessor directed? Have you really tried to keep your good resolutions?

Table of Sins against the Commandments

First Commandment: Have you doubted in matters of faith? Consulted fortune-tellers? Believed in dreams? Made use of superstitious practices? Gone to places of false worship? Belonged to forbidden societies? Read anti-Catholic books and papers? Neglected your religious instruction? Omitted religious duties through human respect? Have you murmured against God, or despaired of His mercy? Or have you rashly presumed on His goodness in committing sin? Have you neglected your daily prayers? Been irreverent toward God, sacred persons, places, or things?

Second Commandment: Have you taken the name of God in vain? Spoken disrespectfully of the Saints or holy things? Sworn falsely, rashly, or in slight trivial matters? Have you cursed, blasphemed, or caused others to do so?

Third Commandment: Have you kept holy the Sunday and holydays by assisting at Mass with devotion? Have you performed or commanded unnecessary servile work? Bought or sold without necessity, or in any other way profaned these days?

Fourth Commandment: Have you shown due honor and obedience to your parents, pastors, and other superiors? Have you been respectful to aged persons? Have you had proper care for your children and those dependent upon you, in particular as regards religious training and duties? Have you given them good example?

Fifth Commandment: Have you procured, desired, or hastened the death of any one? Have you been guilty of anger, hatred, quarreling, revenge? Used provoking language, insulting words, ridicule? Refused to speak to others? Caused enmities? Given scandal?

Sixth and Ninth Commandments: Have you been guilty of impurity or immodesty in thoughts, words, or actions? Have you put yourself in an occasion of sin by reading bad books, keeping bad company, attending immoral performances, and the like? Have you been an occasion of sin to others by your conversation, dress, actions?

Seventh and Tenth Commandments: Have you stolen or retained ill-gotten goods? Cheated? Refused to pay your just debts? Damaged or wasted the property of others? Accepted bribes? Neglected to make restitution, or to help the poor? Have you coveted what belongs to others?

Eighth Commandment: Have you borne false witness for or against another? Been guilty of detraction, flattery, hypocrisy, lying, rash judgment?

Table of Sins against the Precepts of the Church

1. Have you observed the Sundays and holydays by hearing Mass and avoiding servile works?

2. Have you neglected prescribed fasts and abstinences without sufficient reason?

3. Have you confessed your mortal sins at least once a year?

4. Have you gone to Holy Communion during the Easter time?

5. Have you contributed according to your means to religion and the Church?

6. Have you married not in accordance with the laws of the Catholic Church, or aided others in doing so?

Table of Capital Sins

1. Have you been guilty of pride, vainglory, love of applause, contempt of others?

2. Have you been too eager in seeking the goods of this world, or had your heart set on them?

3. Have you violated the Sixth and Ninth Commandments in any way?

4. Have you been guilty of unreasonable anger, or disagreeableness of disposition?

5. Have you eaten or drunk to excess, or caused others to do so?

6. Have you rejoiced at the misfortune, or been grieved at the success of others?

7. Have you wasted time in idleness and self-indulgence? Have you neglected the duties of your state of life, or performed them remissly? Have you desired to commit sin, or gloried in sin committed?

For other classes of sins which may have been committed, or for virtues which have been neglected, see A Brief Statement of Christian Doctrine.

An Act of Contrition

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, 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 amend my life.