Rite of Reconciliation

The priest greets us and invites us to trust in God.

Make the Sign of the Cross and say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confessions was ….(Give a number of weeks, months, or years).

We confess our sins.  The priest will help you to make a good confession. If you are unsure about how to confess or you feel uneasy, just ask him to help you. Answer his questions without hiding anything out of fear or shame.

Place your trust in God, a merciful Father who wants to forgive you.

Following your confession of sins, say “ I am sorry for these and all of my sins.”

The priest may help and counsel and then will assign a penance to perform. Penance may be an act of kindness or prayers to pray or both.

The priest will then ask us to express our sorrow, usually by reciting the Act of Contrition. An example of an Act of Contrition is placed in the confessionals but a penitent may also use a form in which he or she may have learned from childhood or one of personal expression.

Absolution is received when the priest, acting in the person of Christ, says; “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

We respond, “Amen.”