CAPG's Blog 

On the Sacrament of Penance.

PENANCE is a sacrament instituted by Christ, in which, by the ministry of the Priest, actual sins are remitted, and the conscience is released from all bonds by which it may be bound. In this sacrament, also, the eternal punishment due to sin is remitted, and part or the whole of the temporal punishment, according to the disposition of the penitent.

Hence we see the great necessity of this sacrament; and the Council of Trent has decreed, that it is not less necessary for salvation to those who have fallen into mortal sin after baptism, than baptism to those who have never been baptized. And although penance may, at first sight, and in itself, seem to be a bitter and painful thing, yet, viewed in its fruits and consequences, it is full of consolation; and every Christian, as soon as he is conscious that he has fallen into a mortal sin, ought at once to have recourse to this fount of divine mercy.

The evil consequences of delay are manifold.

1. In a state of mortal sin, every other mortal sin committed becomes more aggravated in its character.

2. The commission of one mortal sin makes a second easier, and this leads to a third, and so on.

3. In a state of mortal sin, a man loses the value of all the good works that he may do. They avail nothing for everlasting life. Neither alms, nor prayers, nor fasts, nor even martyrdom itself, can profit a man, if he has not repented of his sins.

4. Sin, continued in, shuts by degrees the door of divine mercy, until at last scarce any hope is left of obtaining pardon from God. Lastly. Just as the longer a stain remains upon a garment, the more difficult it is to remove, and the longer we neglect to cleanse our chambers or our persons the more defiled they become; so the longer the soul neglects to purge itself by confession, the more difficult the work becomes, and the more intricate, on account of the number of sins and anxiety of mind, until at last even an experienced confessor may be unable to extricate the soul from its miserable state ; and thus the worm of conscience is begotten and nourished, which, though it may not be felt in life, will assuredly sting cruelly in the hour of death, and much more in that place where the worm never dieth, and the fire is not quenched.

The Parts of Penance.

It is not necessary here to enter at any length upon the parts of penance. It will be sufficient to mention that they are three: contrition, confession, and satisfaction, which are absolutely necessary for the perfection of the sacrament and for salvation.

True contrition consists in a hearty sorrow and detestation of our sins, because by them we have offended God, whom we ought to love above all things. To this sorrow must be joined a firm purpose of amendment of life, and of never willfully sinning again.

In order that confession may be valid, it must be,

1. entire; that is, all mortal sins, as to their number and character, must be laid open to the priest;

2. faithful, that is, true and sincere ;

3. diligent, that is, it must be preceded by due diligence and care in the examination of conscience ;

4. obedient, that is, the penitent must fully intend to obey whatever the priest commands him. By satisfaction is meant the performance of the penance enjoined by the priest, as well as other penitential works, which we may do in satisfaction for the sins which we have committed ; and which works are of three kinds, prayer, alms-giving, and fasting, or other corporeal austerities.

Causes which render Confession invalid:

1. When any mortal sin is omitted willfully, from shame or any other motive.
2. When a falsehood is told in confession concerning any mortal sin, known to be mortal.
3. When any mortal sin is forgotten, which might have been remembered with proper diligence in self-examination.
4. When there is not a full purpose of abandoning sin, and avoiding all dangerous occasions of sin.
5. When the penitent is under any sentence of excommunication, and has not been absolved from it previously to confession.
6. When the penitent, having sins of some consequence to confess, deliberately chooses a young or unskillful confessor, who is not experienced in cases of conscience.

Prayer before Examination of Conscience.

 O most merciful God, I give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy mercies unto me, and, particularly at this time, for thy forbearance and long-suffering with me, notwithstanding my many and grievous sins. It is of thy great mercy that I have not fallen into greater and more grievous sins than those which I have committed, and that I have not been cut off and cast into hell. O my God, although I have been so ungrateful to thee in times past, yet now, I beseech thee to accept me returning to thee with an earnest desire to repent, and devote myself to thee, my Lord and any God, and to praise thy holy Name for ever.

Enlighten me, O God, for thou knowest all my ways and observest all my footsteps. Come, thou true light, and dispel the darkness of my heart, that I may see what in me is displeasing unto thee, and that with a contrite heart I may bewail my sins, rightly confess them, and effectually forsake and amend them.

Receive my confession, and spare me, O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ, whom I, an unworthy sinner, am not worthy to name, because I have so often offended thee through my fault, through my own fault, through my own most grievous fault. Behold, O God, I humbly bow my knees before thee. I blush and am confounded, and am ashamed to lift up my face unto thee; for my iniquities are multiplied, and as a heavy burden oppress me. But thou, O most merciful Jesus, be merciful unto me a sinner. Rebuke me not in thine anger, and cast me not away from thy face, O good Jesus, who hast said that thou willest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Receive me, I beseech thee, returning to thee with a penitent and contrite heart. Thou art my Savior and my God; I am thy servant, although a wicked one, and a most unworthy sinner. Spare me, O most kind Jesus, who didst die upon the cross that thou mightest save sinners. To whom shall I fee but unto thee, my only hope and my salvation? If thou dost reject me, who will receive me? To whom shall I look for assistance ? Who will heal my iniquities? Have mercy upon me, O most gracious Lord, and despise not the humble and contrite heart of thy servant. Grant me, I beseech, thee, perfect contrition for my sins, that I may detest them with the deepest sorrow of heart. Send forth thy light into my soul, and discover to me all those sins which I ought to confess at this time.

Assist me by thy grace, that I may be able to declare them to the priest thy vicar, fully, humbly, and with a contrite heart, and so obtain perfect remission of them all through thine infinite goodness. Amen.

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 patrons 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.

An Examination of Conscience for those who confess their sins regularly and frequently, according to the threefold duty we owe to God, to our Neighbor, and to ourselves.

I. IN RELATION TO GOD.
1. Have you omitted morning or evening prayer, or neglected to make your daily examination of conscience ? Have you prayed negligently, and with wilful distractions ?                                                                                          2. Have you spent your time, especially on Sundays and holidays, not in sluggishly lying a-bed, or in any sort of idle entertainment, but in reading, praying, or other pious exercises; and taken care that those under your charge have done the like, and not wanted the instructions necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or to prepare for the sacraments?
3. Have you spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have you taken his name in vain, or told untruths ?
4. Have you omitted your duty through human respect, interest, compliance, ect. ?
5. Have you been zealous for God's honor, for justice, virtue, and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise ?
6. Have you resigned your will to God in troubles, necessities, sickness, ect. ? Have you faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption, impurity, ect. ?

II. IN RELATION TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.
1. Have you disobeyed your superiors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously?
2. Have you been troubled, peevish, or impatient, when told of your faults, and not corrected them ? Have you scorned the good advice of others, or censured their proceedings ?
3. Have you offended any one by injurious threatening words or actions ?
4. Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detraction, or in any matter of importance ?
5. Or spread any report, true or false, that exposed your neighbor to contempt, or made him undervalued ?
6. Have you, by carrying stories backward and forward, created discord and misunderstanding between neighbors ?
7. Have you been froward or peevish towards any one in your carriage, speech, or conversation ?
8. Or taken pleasure to vex, mortify, or provoke them to swear, curse, or any ways offend God ?
9. Have you mocked or reproached them for their corporal or spiritual imperfections ?
10. Have you been excessive in reprehending those under your care, or been wanting in giving them just reproof?
11. Have you borne with their oversights and imperfections, and given them good counsel ?
12. Have you been solicitous for such as are under your charge ; and provided for their souls and bodies ?

III. IN RELATION TO YOURSELF.
1. Have you been obstinate in following your own will, or in defending your own opinion in things either indifferent, dangerous, or scandalous ?
2. Have you taken pleasure in hearing yourself praised, or yielded to thoughts of vanity ?
3. Have you indulged yourself in over much ease, or any ways yielded to sensuality?
4. Has your conversation been edifying and moderate ; or have you been froward, proud, or troublesome to others ?
5. Have you spent over much time in play, or useless employments, and thereby omitted or put off your devotions to unseasonable times ?

Another Examination of Conscience upon the Ten Commandments. To be used for a general Confession, and occasionally at other times.

Have you been guilty of heresy or disbelief, or wilful doubting of any article of faith ? How often ? and for how long a time? Or have you rashly exposed yourself to the danger of infidelity, by reading bad books, or keeping wicked company? How often?
Have you, by word or deed, denied your religion, or gone to places of false worship, so as to join in any way in the worship, or to give scandal? How often?
Have you been ignorant of the articles of your creed, of the commandments, or of any of those things which Christians in your station are bound to know ? For how long a time?
Have you despaired of salvation, or of the forgiveness of your sins ? Or have you rashly presumed upon finding mercy; going on in your sins, without any thoughts of amendment; or depending upon a death-bed repentance ? How long have you been in this way?
Have you, after falling into mortal sin, neglected for a long time to turn to God by repentance ? and for how long a time?
Have you committed any thing that you judged or doubted to be a mortal sin, though perhaps it was not so ? How often ? Or have you exposed yourself to the evident danger of mortal sin? How often ? and of what sin ?
Have you been negligent in the worship of God ? seldom or never adoring and praising him, or giving him thanks ; praying but little, or with little attention; and neglecting to make acts of faith, hope, or love of God? How long has this negligence continued ?
Have you made a sacrilegious confession or communion, by concealing some mortal sin in confession, or what you doubted might be mortal; or for want of a hearty sorrow for your sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; or by being grossly negligent in the examination of your conscience? How often?
Have you received any other sacrament, for example, confirmation, or matrimony, in mortal sin ?
Have you neglected to perform the penance enjoined in confession ? or said it with wilful distractions ? How often ?
Have you presumed to receive the blessed sacrament after having broken your fast ?
Have you been guilty of idolatry, or of giving divine honors to any thing created, or used any witchcraft, or charms, or spells, or such like other diabolical inventions ? How often ? and with what scandal or ill example to others ? · Have you employed prayers or sacred names to superstitious uses ? How often?
Have you consulted fortune-tellers, or made use of any superstitious practices, to find out things to come, recover things lost, &c. ? How often?
Have you given credit to dreams, taken notice of omens, or made any other superstitious observations ? How often ?
Have you blasphemed God or his saints? How often ? · Have you abused the holy Scriptures, or scoffed at holy things? How often ?

The Second Commandment. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."

Have you taken God's name in vain, or used it without respect in common discourse? Have you taken a false oath, or sworn to what you did not certainly know whether it was true or false? Have you taken a rash oath, or without a sufficient reason ? Have you taken an oath to do any thing that was wicked or unlawful? or broken your lawful oaths ? How often?
Have you had a custom of swearing rashly and inconsiderately by the name of God, by your soul, or by the way of imprecation upon yourself? How long have you had this custom ? How many times a day have you sworn in this manner ? Have you sworn by the blood or wounds of God, or any other blasphemous oath? How often?
Have you cursed yourself or others, or any thing else ? and if so, was it from your heart? How often?
Have you been accessory to others swearing, cursing, or blaspheming? How often?
Have you made a rash vow, without sufficient knowledge or deliberation ?
Have you broken any vow or solemn promise made to God? How often?

The Third Commandment. “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.”

Have you neglected to keep holy the Sunday?
Have you, when prevented from hearing mass on Sundays and holidays, supplied the omission by prayers at home, and taken care that those under your charge did the same?
Have you done any servile work without necessity upon those days ? or been accessory to others so doing? How often ?
Have you spent those days in idleness or in sin ? or been accessory to others spending them so ? How often?

The Fourth Commandment. “Honor thy father and thy mother.”

If a Child.
Have you been wanting in your duty to your parents, by not loving them, or not shewing them due respect; or by disobeying them ? and was it in any matter of moment? Or have you been disobedient or disrespectful to any other lawful superiors ? How often?
Have you desired your parents' death, or cursed them? Or given them injurious language? Or lifted up your hand against them? Or threatened them? Or provoked them to swear, or otherwise to offend God? Or caused them any considerable trouble or uneasiness? How often ?
Have you stolen from your parents, or otherwise wronged them? Or squandered away their substance ? How much, and how often?
Have you neglected to succor your parents in their necessities, either corporal or spiritual ?

If a Parent.
Have you been negligent in procuring that your children should be speedily baptized? Or that they should be timely instructed in their prayers and the Christian doctrine? Or have you been wanting in giving them early impressions of the fear and love of God? Or in taking care of their discharging their duty with regard to the sacraments ? Have you neglected to correct them; or been excessive in your correction ?
Have you neglected to remove from them the occasions of sin, such as wicked companions, bad books, romances, ect ; or suffered them to lie in the same bed with one another, with danger to their chastity ?
Have you flattered them in their passions, or indulged them in their evil inclinations ?
Have you given them bad example? How often, and in what kind ?

If a servant. (Employee)
Have you disobeyed your (employer) Master and Mistress? Have you been wanting in diligence or industry ? Have you injured or destroyed their property through carelessness or neglect ? or suffered others to injure them?
Have you stolen from them, or given any thing away with. out their knowledge ?
Have you betrayed their confidence by revealing their secrets, by tale-bearing, by lies, ect. ?
Have you obeyed or flattered them in any thing sinful ?

If a Master.(Employer)

Have you neglected to watch over the conduct of your servants ?
Have you refused, without necessity, to allow them time to hear mass on Sundays and holidays, or to frequent the sacraments ?
Have you overburdened them with work, or treated them injuriously?

The Fifth Commandment. “Thou shalt not kill.” ·

Have you been guilty of anger or violent passion ? And if so, what scandal was given ?
Have you desired any one's death, through hatred or malice ? or for your temporal interest ? How often ? · Have you revenged yourself of any one by word or action, or desired revenge, or taken pleasure in the thoughts of it? How often?
Have you provoked, challenged, or struck others, or been guilty of quarreling or fighting with them? How often ? And what mischief have you done them?
Have you borne malice to others, or refused to be reconciled to them? For how long a time? And what sort of evil had you in your heart against them ?
Have you procured, or thought to procure, a miscarriage ? or given any counsel, aid, or assistance thereunto ? How often?
Have you done any thing to shorten your own or any other's life, or to hasten death ? or rashly exposed yourself or others to danger? How often?
Have you desired your own death, through passion or impatience? or entertained any thoughts of making away with yourself? or attempted or designed any such thing? How often ?
Have you neglected to give alms according to your condition and ability ? Or to reclaim sinners when it lay in your power? How often?
Have you been guilty of any spiritual murder, by drawing others into mortal sin? Or have you been accessory to the sins of others, by counsel, or command, or provocation, or any other way? How often ? And what sins ?
Have you given scandal, or occasion of sin to others, by lewd or irreligious discourse; by drunkenness or swearing ; by immodesty of dress or behavior, &c. ?

N.B.—The circumstance of scandal is generally found in all sins that are known to others, by reason of the force of ill-example, which encourages others to sin.

The Sixth Commandment. “Thou shalt not commit adultery."

Have you been guilty of any acts of impurity? (Under this head, all sins against purity must be carefully examined ; as well as whatsoever leads to their indulgence or commission.)
Have you been guilty of filthy talking ? of reading immodest books? of indecency of dress? of looking at unchaste objects? of taking any dangerous or improper liberties ?

N.B.-As the sins against this and the Ninth Commandment are most grievous, and, at the same time, most various, the prudent counsel of your director will assist you, if necessary, in a more particular examination.

The Seventh Commandment. “Thou shalt not steal.”

Have you been guilty of stealing, or cheating, or in any way wronging your neighbor in buying or selling, or in any other bargains or contracts ? Or have you been accessory to another's committing any such injustice? How often ? and to what value?
Have you unjustly retained what belonged to another ? How long ? and to what injury?
Have you caused any damage to your neighbor in his house, cattle, or other goods ? How often?
Have you contracted debts without design of paying them ; or without any prospect of being able to pay them? Or have you delayed or refused to pay your just debts when you were able? Or have you, by prodigal expenses, rendered yourself unable; and so wronged your creditors, or your own family? How often?
Have you been guilty of negligence in the securing or ad. ministering of trusts confided to your care, whether for ecclesiastical, charitable, or other purposes ? Has any actual loss resulted from this negligence? To what extent ? Have you been negligent in the administration of property otherwise entrusted to you, as guardian or administrator ? If so, have others thereby suffered ? To what extent ?
Have you been guilty of usury, in the loan of money? How often ?
Have you put off false money? How much ? How often ?
Have you professed any art, or undertaken any business, without sufficient skill or knowledge ? And what injury has your neighbor suffered from it ?
Have you bought or received stolen goods ? or taken of those who could not give? How often?
Have you neglected your work or business to which you were hired, or by contract obliged ? How often ? and to what injury ? Or have you broken your promises in matters of consequence ?

N.B.-In all sins of injustice, whereby you have done any wrong to your neighbor, either in his person, or in his goods, or in his character, honor, or good name, you are strictly obliged to make full satisfaction and restitution, if it be in your power, otherwise the sin will not be forgiven.

Have you, then, neglected or delayed, without just cause, to make satisfaction and restitution, when it was in your power? How long ?


The Eighth Commandment. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Have you been guilty of telling lies ? And whether in any matter of consequence, or to the injury of any one? How often ?
Have you been guilty of hypocrisy or dissimulation? How often?
Have you entertained a bad opinion of your neighbor without grounds, or judged rashly of his actions or intentions ? How often ?
Have you been guilty of backbiting, or uncharitable conversation, by speaking of the known faults of your absent neighbor ? How often ?
Have you been guilty of the sin of detraction, which consists in taking away or lessening your neighbor's reputation, by publishing his secret faults or defects? How often have you done so ? From what motive ? and before how many ?
Have you been guilty of calumny, which consists in saying of your neighbor what is false or uncertain ? How often? and before how many ?

N.B.-In either case, you are obliged to restore his character, as far as you are able.

Have you willingly given ear to detraction or calumny? Have you taken pleasure in it? Or in any way encouraged it? Or not hindered it when you might ? How often ?
Have you injured your neighbor's honor, by reproaches and affronts, or robbed him of his peace of mind, by scoffs and derision? How often ?
Have you, by carrying stories backwards and forwards, or in any other way caused misunderstanding or quarrels betwixt others? How often ? and to what prejudice ?

N.B.-Here, also, judges, lawyers, solicitors, ect., ought to examine themselves, what injustice they may have been guilty of in managing causes, ect.; as well as accusers, witnesses, ect.

The Ninth Commandment. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.”

Have you taken pleasure in any unchaste thoughts or imaginations ? Have you entertained any impure desires or feelings?

The Tenth Commandment. “ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods."

Have you desired your neighbor's goods, not caring whether you had them right or wrong? Or been in a disposition of stealing, or otherwise wronging him, if it lay in your power ? How often ?
Have you desired your neighbor's loss or misfortune, or any public calamity, that you might be the gainer by it? How often?

The Commandments of the Church.
I. Have you neglected to keep holy the days of obligation ? Have you worked on those days without necessity, and without leave from your pastor ?
II. Have you neglected to hear mass on Sundays and holidays of obligation? or have you heard it with wilful distractions ? or not taken care that your children and servants should hear it? How often?
III. Have you broken the days of abstinence commanded by the Church ? or eaten more than one meal on fasting days ? or been accessory to others so doing? How often?
IV., V. Have you neglected to confess your sins once a year? or to receive the blessed sacrament at Easter ?
VI. Have you solemnized marriage at the forbidden times ? Have you married within the forbidden degrees of kindred ? or with any other known impediment ?

The Capital or Deadly Sins.

Pride.
Have you been guilty of pride, or complacency in yourself, or contempt of others? How often?
Have you been guilty of vainglory, by doing your actions to procure esteem? How often?
Have you taken delight in the esteem and applause of others ? or have you been uneasy and discontented when you did not receive such esteem or applause? How often?

Covetousness.
Have you been guilty of covetousness, in desiring or loving too much the things of this world? Have you sought after them too eagerly? or been too much distressed at the loss of them ? How often ?
For the sins of Lust, see the Sixth Commandment.
For the sins of Anger, see the Fifth Commandment.

Gluttony.
Have you been guilty of gluttony, by eating or drinking to excess, so as to endanger or injure your health or reason? How often ? and with what scandal ?
Have you indulged an inordinate gratification of your appetite? How often?
Have you made others drunk ? or sought to make them so ? or boasted of having made them so ? How often?

Envy.

Have you envied or repined at your neighbor's good, either spiritual or temporal ?" or rejoiced at his harm? How often ?
Have you been guilty of jealousy, in consequence of any attention or preference shewn to others ? Have you rejoiced to see them disappointed or mortified?

Sloth.

Have you been guilty of sloth, or laziness of mind or body, which has prevented you from discharging your duty ? How often?
Have you neglected your spiritual duties? or discharged them with tepidity or indolence? Have you studied too much your own ease, leading an unmortified and unchristian life?
Have you squandered away much of your time in idleness or useless occupation ?
Have you entertained with pleasure the thoughts of saying or doing any thing which it would be a sin to say or do? How often ?
Have you had the desire or design of committing any sin ? Of what sin? How often ?
Have you gloried in any sin whatsoever ? How often? and before what company ? and what sin ?

N.B.--Here, also, masters and servants, husbands and wives, lawyers and physicians, ecclesiastics and magistrates, &c. ought to examine into the sins which are peculiar to their states, and how far they may have neglected the duties of their respective callings.

Considerations to excite in our Mind true Contrition for our Sins.

1. Place before yourself, as distinctly as you can, all the sins that you are going to confess.
2. Consider who He is, and how good and gracious He has been to you, whom you have so often and so much offended by these sins. He made you— he made you for himself, to know, love, and serve him, and to be happy with him for ever. He redeemed you by his blood. He has borne with you and waited for you so long. He it is who has called you and moved you to repentance. Why have you thus sinned against him? Why have you been thus ungrateful ? What more could he have done for you? Oh, be ashamed, and mourn, and hate yourself, because you have sinned against your Maker and your Redeemer, whom you ought to have loved above all things.
3. Consider the full consequences of even one mortal sin. By it you lose the grace of God. You destroy peace of conscience; you forfeit the felicity of heaven, for which you were created and redeemed; and you prepare for yourself eternal punishment. If we grieve for the loss of temporal and earthly things, how much more for those which are eternal and heavenly? If we grieve at the departure of a soul from the body, how much more at the death of a soul, which is the loss of the presence of the grace of God?“ What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" And – who can dwell with everlasting burnings?” Who can endure to be cast out from the presence of God for ever?
4. Consider how great has been and is the love of God for you, if only from this, that he hath so long waited for you, and spared you, when he might have so justly cast you into hell. Behold him fastened to the cross for love of you! behold him pouring forth his precious blood to be a fountain to cleanse you from your sins! Hear him saying, “I thirst," as it were with an ardent desire for your salvation. Behold him stretching out his arms to embrace you, and expecting you, until you should come to yourself and turn unto him, and throw yourself before him, and say, “ Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." Let the consideration of these things touch your heart with love for him who hath so loved you, and love will beget true contrition, most acceptable to God.

A Prayer for obtaining Contrition.

I have now here before me, O Lord, a sad prospect of the manifold offenses by which I have displeased thy divine Majesty, and which I am assured will appear in judgment against me, if I repent not, and my soul be not disposed, by a hearty sorrow, to receive thy pardon.

But this sorrow, O Lord, this repentance, must be thy free gift; and if it comes not from the hand of thy mercy, all my endeavors will be in vain, and I shall be for ever miserable. Have mercy, therefore, on me, O Father of mercies, and pour forth into my heart thy grace, whereby I may sincerely repent of all my sins ; give me a true contrition, that I may bewail my past misery and ingratitude, and grieve from my heart for having offended thee so good a God. Permit me not to be deluded with a false sorrow, as, I fear, I have been too often, through my own weakness and neglect; but let it be now thy gift, descending from thee, the Father of lights, that so my repentance may be accompanied with amendment and change of life, and I may be fully acquitted from the guilt of all my sins, and once more received into the number of thy servants. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

An Act of Contrition.

O Lord Jesus Christ, lover of our souls, who, for the great love wherewith thou hast loved us, wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I have offended thee, my most loving Father and Redeemer, unto whom all sin is infinitely displeasing; who hast so loved me that thou didst shed thy blood for me, and endure the bitter torments of a most cruel death. O my God! O infinite Goodness! would that I had never offended thee. Pardon me, O Lord Jesus, pardon me, most humbly imploring thy mercy. Have pity upon a sinner for whom thy blood pleads before the face of the Father.

O most merciful and forgiving Lord, for the love of thee I forgive all who have ever offended me. I firmly resolve to forsake and flee from all sins, and to avoid the occasions of them; and to confess, in bitterness of spirit, all those sins which I have committed against thy divine goodness, and to love thee, O my God, for thine own sake, above all things and for ever. Grant me grace so to do, O most gracious Lord Jesus.

Aspirations before or after Confession.

My Lord and my God, I sincerely acknowledge myself a vile and wretched sinner, unworthy to appear in thy presence ; but do thou have mercy on me, and save me.

Most loving Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am unworthy to be called thy child; make me as one of thy servants, and may I for the future be ever faithful to thee. It truly grieves me, O my God, to have sinned, and so many times transgressed thy law; but wash me now from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. I detest my sins, O Lord: 'I abhor my wickedness: I confess my ingratitude, and seek refuge in thy mercy.From this moment I purpose never more to offend thee : oh, let me suffer all kinds of pain and infamy, nay even death itself, rather than return to my former course of life, and live thy enemy.O loving Father, assist me by thy grace, that I may bring forth worthy fruits of penance, and not suffer my sins to go unpunished.Now, O Lord, I begin to live, not trusting in my own strength, or in the resolutions I make, but in the multitude of thy mercies. Perfect, O God, the work which thou hast begun in me. Thou hast given me peace and understanding ; but, wretched sinner that I am, how ungratefully have I abused all thy gifts. And yet now, with all the tenderness of a loving Father, thou recallest me from sin, and rescuest me from hell and everlasting damnation.Alas! my soul is full of anguish and confusion at the recollection of the many sins whereby I have offended thee, my merciful Redeemer, made myself a slave to the devil, and provoked thy anger.Oh, that I had never transgressed thy commandments, nor fallen into such an abyss of misery and calamity! Oh, that I had never sinned! Happy those souls who have preserved their innocence: oh, that I had been so happy!

But now I am resolved, with the help of thy grace, to be more watchful over myself, to amend my failings, and fulfill thy law. Look down on me with the eyes of mercy, O God, and blot out my sins.Forgive me what is past, and, through thine infinite goodness, secure me, by thy grace, against all my wonted failings for the time to come.

My sins surpass in number the sands of the sea, and I confess myself, O Lord, unworthy of thy mercy; but thy goodness is above all my offenses.Thou hast declared, O Lord, that there is joy in heaven for the conversion of a sinner; grant me, then, the grace of true repentance, and let heaven rejoice at my amendment.
Thou willest not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live ; grant me, then, that spiritual life which I need; for behold, O Lord, I sincerely desire to live to thee.Thou didst come, O dear Redeemer, not to call the just, but sinners, to repentance; behold a miserable sinner here before thee: oh, draw me powerfully to thyself.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my iniquities. Sprinkle me with thy precious blood, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let not thy precious blood, my dear Savior, be shed for me in vain ; but may it now bring forth in me the fruit of sincere repentance, and open to me the way to life everlasting. How great is thy goodness, O Lord, in having so long spared such a worthless servant, and waited with so much patience for his amendment. What return shall I make for thy infinite mercies ? Oh, let this mercy be added to the rest, that I may never more offend thee : this single favor I earnestly beg of thee, O Lord, viz. that I may for the future renounce my own way to follow thine.
Help me, O Lord my God, and have compassion on my sinful soul. Amen.

Directions for Confession.

Approach the confessional in a humble and contrite spirit, and, with your head and hands uncovered, kneel down by your confessor. Then, making the sign of the cross, say, Benedicite, or, “ Father, give me thy blessing." After he has given the benediction, say the Confiteor, as far as the words, “ mea culpa ;' then say, “ Since my last confession, I accuse myself of — ." Here name all the sins which you have recalled to mind since your last confession ; and, in confessing them, be sure to observe these rules :

1. Let your confession be entire; i.e. do not knowingly conceal any one sin, otherwise, so far from obtaining absolution, you do but add to your sins. State the kind of sins you have committed, and, as far as you can, their number; and mention any circumstances which you think aggravate the character of your sins : as, e.g. sins of thought are worse in church than out of it; anger may be felt for a longer or shorter time, or with more or less consent of the will ; and so on.

2. Let your confession be pure. Let every thing be mentioned sincerely and exactly, without any disguise or dissimulation ; let certain things be mentioned as certain, doubtful as doubtful. Avoid all excuses for yourself, either direct or indirect; and take the greatest care not to throw blame on any one else, or to mention or point at any third person. Avoid all superfluous words and matter, and every thing which does not directly concern the integrity of the confession. Be as concise as you can, consistently with fullness and candor.

3. Let your confession be humble, remembering that you are, in an especial manner, in the presence of God, from whom, through his priest, you are seeking and expecting pardon. The thought of God at this moment will be your best protection against all false shame, insincere trifling, and affectation.

After you have confessed all your sins, according to these rules, say, “ For these and all my sins which I have ever at any time committed against God, my neighbor, or myself, I am heartily sorry, for the love of God; I purpose amendment, and seek pardon of God, and penance and absolution from thee, my ghostly Father; Ideo precor, or, “ Therefore I beseech, Blessed Mary,” &c., to the end of the Confiteor.

Then listen attentively and humbly to the direction and advice of your confessor, and be fully resolved to do whatever he bids you to do, either in the way of penance, or restitution, or reparation, or for the avoiding of sin in future.

After Confession.
1. As soon after confession as you conveniently can, perform your penance, and renew your resolutions of avoiding all sin, and of adopting all the means for so doing, by avoiding the occasions and temptations of sin; and then you may have a perfect confidence, with devout thankfulness, that all your sins, through the mercy of God, are forgiven.

2. Consider how you can amend your life. This will be best done by fixing your attention on one or two of your more prominent defects of character, and directing your chief efforts to overcome these by such means as the following:

1. Conceive a strong desire to overcome these faults, frequently renew your resolution, and examine yourself particularly upon them.

2. When you commit them, punish yourself in some way for it.

3. Endeavor always to have the thought of Christ present in your mind, and direct short prayers to him, especially when you are attacked by temptations, or when you are necessarily exposed to the danger of sinning.

4. Meditate frequently on those subjects most calculated to excite your fears, hopes, and affections, as death and judgment, the love of God, his kindnesses to you, his promises, &c. Be earnest, and persevere, with a good hope of victory, through the grace of Christ.

Prayers after Confession.

1. Accept, O Lord, I beseech thee, this my confession, and mercifully pardon all my deficiencies, that, according to the greatness of thy mercy, I may be fully and perfectly absolved in heaven; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ect.

2. O almighty and most merciful God, who, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, hast vouchsafed once more to receive this prodigal child, after so many times going astray from thee, and to admit him to this sacrament of reconciliation; I give thee thanks with all the powers of my soul for this and all other mercies, graces, and blessings bestowed on me, the most unworthy of all sinners; and prostrating myself at thy sacred feet, I offer myself now to be henceforth for ever thine. Oh! let nothing in life or death ever separate me from thee. I once more renounce with my whole soul all my treason against thee, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. I renew my promises made in baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself eternally to thy love and service. Oh! grant that for the time to come I may ever fly and abhor sin more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and companies as have unhappily brought me to it. I resolve henceforth to fly them all, by thy divine grace, without which, of myself, I can do nothing. I resolve to perform such and such devotions for obtaining this grace. I resolve to fly idleness, and to set myself a regular order and method of life, for the time I have yet to come. I beg thy blessing upon these my resolutions, that they may not be ineffectual, like so many others I have formerly made; for, O Lord, without thee I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply, also, by thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession. I am sensible that it hath been very imperfect, and that I was far from having that true sorrow which the heinousness of my sins required; but let the precious blood of thine only Son make up this deficiency. Accept of my poor performance, such as it is, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent, through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son. Amen.

A PROTESTATION,

Recommended by St. Francis of Sales, to be made by the penitent in presence of his Director, by way of engraving in his soul a firm resolution of serving God. It may be used also in private.

I, N. N., placed in the presence of the eternal God, and of all the court of heaven, having considered the exceeding mercy of his divine goodness towards me, a most unworthy and wretched creature, whom he hath made out of nothing, preserved, maintained, and delivered from so many dangers, and loaded with so many benefits; but, above all, having considered the incomprehensible sweetness and clemency with which this most good God hath so graciously spared me in my iniquities, so frequently called upon me, inviting me to amend, and so patiently expected my repentance and conversion until this present time, notwithstanding all my ingratitude, disloyalty, and infidelity, whereby deferring my conversion, and despising his graces, I have so unadvisedly offended him; having, moreover, considered that, upon the day of my holy baptism, I was so happily and holily vowed and dedicated to my God to be his child; and that, contrary to the profession then made in my name, I have so many times, so execrably and detestably, profaned and violated all the powers of my soul and senses of my body, applying and employing them against his divine Majesty; at length, returning to myself, prostrate in heart and mind before the throne of the divine justice, I acknowledge, confess, and avow myself lawfully attained and convicted of high treason against his divine Majesty, and guilty of the death and passion of Jesus Christ, by reason of the sins which I have committed, for which he died, and suffered the torments of the cross; so that I am worthy to be cast away, and condemned for ever.

But turning myself towards the throne of the infinite mercy of the same eternal God, having detested, from the bottom of my heart and with all my power, the many transgressions of my past life; I most humbly beg and crave pardon, grace, and mercy, with an entire absolution from my offenses, by virtue of the death and passion of the same Savior and Redeemer of my soul; on which relying, as on the only foundation of my hope, I confirm again and renew the sacred profession of allegiance made in my behalf to God at my baptism; renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh; abominating their horrible suggestions, vanities, and concupiscences, for all the time of this present life, and for all eternity. And converting myself unto my most gracious and merciful God, I desire, purpose, determine, and resolve irrevocably to serve and love him now and for ever. And to this end I give and consecrate to him my spirit with all its faculties, my soul with all its powers, my heart with all its affections, and my body with all its senses; protesting that I will never more abuse any part of my being against his divine will and sovereign Majesty ; to whom I offer up and sacrifice myself in spirit to be perpetually a loyal, obedient, and faithful creature, without ever unsaying, revoking, or repenting me of this resolution.

But if, alas! by the suggestion of the enemy, or through human frailty, I chance to transgress, in any thing whatsoever, this my purpose and resolution, I protest and determine from this very hour, by the assistance of the Holy Ghost, to arise again as soon as I shall perceive my fall, and to return anew to the divine mercy, without any delay or protraction whatsoever. This is my will, intention, and resolution, inviolable and irrevocable, which I profess and confirm without reservation or exception, in the same sacred presence of my God, and in sight of the whole triumphant Church, and in the face of the Church militant my mother (who hears this my declaration, in the presence of him who, as her officer, hears me in this action].

May it please thee, O my eternal God, almighty and gracious Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to confirm me in this my resolution, and to accept this inward sacrifice of my heart, in the odor of sweetness. And as it hath pleased thee to give me inspiration and will to do this, so grant me power and grace to perform it. O my God, thou art my God, the God of my heart, the God of my soul, and the God of my spirit. So I acknowledge and adore thee now and for ever. Live, O Jesus!

A Thanksgiving after Confession.

I return unto thee, O Lord Jesus, and give thee thanks that thou hast been pleased to cleanse me from the foul leprosy of my sins. Blessed be thy Name, O Lord, for ever and ever. Truly thou art a Savior who rejectest none that come unto thee seriously desiring to repent, but receivest them into thy favor, and numberest them with thy children. I acknowledge and adore thy mercy, and dedicate myself wholly to thy service hereafter. Assist my weakness, and suffer me not again to fall into my past sins and be separated from thee; but so bind my heart and soul to thee with the cords of thy love, that I may say with the Apostle, Who shall separate me from the love of Christ?

Psalms lxxxiv. cii., pp. 561, 610, may also be used here.

Source:The Golden Manual: Being a Guide to Catholic Devotion, Public and Private p166. 1850