The First Commandment. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
The Second Commandment. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
The Third Commandment. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
The Fourth Commandment. Honor your father and your mother.
The Fifth Commandment. You shall not kill.
The Sixth Commandment. You shall not commit adultery.
The Seventh Commandment. You shall not steal.
The Eighth Commandment. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
The Ninth Commandment. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
The Tenth Commandment. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
The Precepts of the Church. The least the Church asks of every Catholic.
The priest will greet you. Together, you make the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Introduce yourself and state how long it has been since your last confession. Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [days/weeks/months/years] since my last confession.
Confess your sins in your own words. There is no required format. These are my sins:
The priest may offer spiritual guidance, encouragement, or ask a clarifying question. He will then assign a penance — a prayer, action, or reflection to complete after confession.
When the priest asks you to pray the Act of Contrition, pray it aloud or read it below. O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
The priest extends his hands and prays the prayer of absolution. When he finishes, respond: Amen.
The priest will dismiss you with a blessing. You may respond: Thank you, Father.