The Sacrament of Confession
Whether you went to confession last week or it has been years, I hope you find this examination a gentler, simpler way to approach the sacrament. Remember, Confession is about an encounter with the mercy of God; we're not here to beat ourselves up.
​
The Catholic Church does not prescribe one single, approved examination of conscience. Instead, she encourages each person to examine their life “in light of the Word of God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1454). This particular examination is based on the commandment of Jesus to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ [and], ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mark 12:30-31).
What is Conscience?
The Church describes conscience as a judgment of reason that allows us to recognize the good from the bad (CCC 1778). In Gaudium et Spes, it teaches that conscience is a “secret core and sanctuary” within each person where the voice of God “echoes” within our hearts (Gaudiem et Spes, 16). Conscience is both deeply personal and ordered toward the universal good. It is something we possess naturally, yet something that must be formed and educated over time (CCC 1783).
The Church further teaches that a person “must not be forced to act contrary to [one’s] conscience… especially in religious matters” (CCC 1782). Conscience does not replace truth, but it is the way we personally encounter and respond to it. It is the place where a person seeks to respond faithfully to the good as they understand it. As St. John Henry Newman argued, sincere obedience to conscience is not opposition to God, but one of the ways a person is gradually led more deeply into The Truth (The Development of Christian Doctrine Chapter 6).
What Is the Nature of Sin?
Sin is fundamentally a failure to love. It wounds our dignity as children of God and turns us away from our ultimate purpose in God. The Catechism speaks of this when it says, “sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor” (CCC 1849). It is not enough to simply look at sin as rule-breaking. Instead, an examination of conscience is an examination of how we love.
​
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
An Examination of Conscience
Find a place with as few distractions as possible and give yourself time to move through this peacefully. Each section begins with a broad question. Pause with it before moving on to the more specific questions. Notice what rises to the surface.
​
Opening Prayer: Take time to remember that you are in the presence of God. Begin by imagining God looking upon you with love. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember where you have fallen short, and invite in the love and mercy of God.
​
How have I failed to love God?
-
Have I deliberately turned away from God or chosen something over God?
-
Have I ignored God’s voice in my life?
-
Have I treated God as a tool rather than the One who loves me?
-
Have I refused to make space for prayer and worship?
-
Have I done something in the name of being Christian that is contrary to who God is?
​
How have I failed to love my neighbor?
-
Take a moment to consider who has been entrusted to your care: friends, family, a spouse or partner, work, community
-
Have I neglected the people and responsibilities entrusted to me?
-
Have I used or taken advantage of others?
-
Have I been indifferent to the sufferings of others?
-
Have my words harmed others through slander, harshness, or dishonesty?
-
Have I refused to acknowledge the ways I have failed to love others and apologize (when possible)?
-
Have I neglected my responsibility to care for the created world entrusted to me?
​
How have I failed to love myself?
-
Have I ignored or refused to care for my physical, emotional, and spiritual needs?
-
Have I treated myself in ways that harm me physically or emotionally?
-
Have I refused to take time to rest?
-
Have I allowed shame or self-hatred to define me instead of God’s truth?
-
Have I believed that I am beyond God’s mercy?​
​
Closing Prayer: Take a moment and breathe. Return to where you started this examination by considering the experience of God looking upon you with love. Whenever you are ready, entrust what you have found to God’s mercy and bring it into the sacrament of Confession.
A Guide to Confession
1. Examine Your Conscience
Some people find it helpful to briefly write down the sins they want to confess or a few words or phrases to help them remember.
​
2. Enter the Confessional
Most places allow you to choose whether to go face-to-face or behind a screen. Do whatever will make confession easier for you.
​
3. Beginning the Sacrament
The priest will open with the Sign of the Cross and sometimes a brief prayer or Scripture passage. After that, you may begin by saying:
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [approximate time] since my last confession.”
Then confess your sins.
​
4. Confess Your Sins
When confessing your sins, a little context can be helpful, but you do not need to explain every detail. Clearly naming the sin is enough.​​
Example: “I lost my temper and reacted out of anger. I yelled at my friend and spoke in a way that was unkind."
​
Gentle Reminder: We cannot deliberately withhold sins. At the same time, it is very common to forget something unintentionally. If you later remember a sin, simply mention it at your next confession.
​
You may conclude with:
“For these and any sins I may have forgotten, I am sorry.”
​
5. Pastoral Advice and Absolution
The priest will often offer brief advice and assign a penance. If the penance is unclear or not possible for you to complete, you may ask for clarification or a different penance.
​
The priest will then pray the Prayer of Absolution, raising his hand and making the Sign of the Cross as he says:
“…and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Go in peace.”
​
6. Penance
If possible, complete your penance soon after confession. Penance is not a task to check off, but part of the healing that begins in the sacrament. In confession, God truly forgives our sins. Yet sin still wounds relationships, weakens trust, and harms the world around us. Consider whether there are practical ways you can repair harm, restore relationships, and grow in love.
​
7. Celebrate
Confession can be difficult. Afterward, consider doing something small and tangible to mark the experience of God’s mercy.