Prayers before Confession

In order to prepare well for Confession, we must strictly fulfil these five following conditions ;—

I. An examination of conscience, that we may know all our sins.

II. A heartfelt sorrow for having committed them.

III. A firm resolution never to commit them again.

IV. A candid and humble confession of them to a priest empowered to absolve us.

V. A desire or intention of satisfying God, and our neighbour also, if injured.

PRAYERS BEFORE THE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.

Beg of God to make your sins known to you, and to give you a true sense of their malice. Prostrate yourself in spirit at the feet of your Redeemer, as Magdalen did when she washed them with her tears; or, imagine yourself on Mount Calvary, and there, beneath His cross, pour forth your prayers to Him, resolving to acquit yourself of this confession as if it were to be your last.

O HOLY Spirit, Eternal Source of Light, mercifully vouchsafe to enlighten the darkness of my understanding, that I may clearly perceive the true state of my conscience. Thou who hast created me, and art to be my Judge, dost fully behold the most secret recesses of my heart; show me now, therefore, my sins in as conspicuous a manner as I shall behold them when on the point of appearing at Thy tremendous tribunal. My object at present is, to prevent the rigorous account I must there give of all my thoughts, words, and actions; for, were I now deficient in that sincere exactness which is necessary in the examination and confession of my sins, Thou wouldst infallibly correct, at Thy unerring tribunal, the injustice and iniquity of such a proceeding. Discover, then, to me, O God, all those secret thoughts, irregular desires, criminal words and actions, or omissions of my duty, by which I may have violated Thy sacred law or scandalised my neighbour. Oh! do not permit self-love to seduce and blind me; but rather remove the veil it places before my eyes, that, beholding the true state of my interior, I may make a humble and sincere confession of my sins to Thy minister.

I desire, like the prodigal child, to enter seriously into myself, and without delay to forsake my evil ways, in which I have been wearied out in the pursuit of empty toys and mere shadows, seeking in vain to satisfy my thirst with muddy waters, and my hunger with the husks of swine. I ardently desire to return to Thee, O Fountain of Life! But, O my God, though I can go astray from Thee fast enough when left to myself, yet I cannot make one step towards returning to Thee, unless Thy divine grace stir up and assist me. This grace, then, I most humbly emplore, prostrate before Thy throne of mercy. I beg it for the sake of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, who died upon the cross for me and all sinners. Thou hast said: There is joy in heaven for one sinner that does penance; give me now the grace of true repentance, and let heaven rejoice at my conversion. Assist me in this great work by Thy heavenly light, in order that I may discover all my imperfections, see all my sins in their true colours, and sincerely detest and confess them. I know Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live; I know that Thy mercies are above all Thy works; and I confidently hope, that as in Thy mercy Thou hast spared me so long, and hast now given me this desire of returning to Thee, so Thou wilt finish the work Thou hast begun, by assisting me, in every part of my preparation for it, and bringing me to a perfect reconciliation with Thee.

O most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, intercede for me to Him. Obtain for me the full remission of my sins, and perfect amendment of life, to the salvation of my soul, and the glory of His name. Amen.

I implore the same grace of thee, O my angel guardian; of you, my holy patron N.N.; of you, O holy Peter and holy Magdalen, and of all the saints of God. Intercede for me a sinner, repenting of my sins, and resolving to confess and amend them. Amen.

Examine yourself attentively, not only on the sins you have committed since your last confession, but also on the faults you may have committed in making it; beware of scrupulosity or anxiety, for in this examination it is only necessary that you shall use such a moral diligence as any temporal concern might require; when it is neither your intention nor your interest to be deceived. For this purpose calmly remember the different occasions of sin which have since fallen in your way, or to which your state or condition of life exposes you; the places you have frequented; the persons you have conversed with, &c., &c., in the doing of which the following table of sins will greatly assist you :—