How to Go to Confession at Easter
Many practicing Catholics don't go to confession regularly. If that's the case for you, Easter is an ideal time to renew your spiritual commitment, and the first step can be confessing your sins to a priest. Confession, especially at Easter, is an opportunity for atonement, forgiveness and recommitting yourself to your faith and your relationship with God. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prepare for Confession
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Examine your conscience deeply, as well as the recent events in your life, to acknowledge your sins. Determine which of your sins are venial and mortal. See the Nazareth Resource Library for more information on venial and mortal sins (see Resources below).
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Recall the number of times you committed each sin to the best of your ability.
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Find out when the priest is available for confession. You can make an appointment or go to confession during a regularly scheduled time.
Visit the Priest
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Make the sign of the cross or some other sign to mark when you enter the confessional in church. It is usually located at the side of the pews, although you can make a confession anywhere, including outside a confessional.
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Tell the priest how long it has been since your last confession. You might use the tradional opening: "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been X days (or weeks, months or years) since my last confession."
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Confess your sins and how many times you have committed each.
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Tell the priest when you are done confessing your sins.
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Receive the penance from the priest, which often involves a number of prayers or prescribed actions to atone for your sins.
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Make your act of contrition. There is no one required prayer, but you can simply ask God or Jesus for forgiveness. Your priest can give you some suggestions for what to say.
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Thank the priest after he gives you absolution, and then leave the confessional and perform your penance.
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Tips & Warnings
Only practicing Catholics who have already made their first confessions may go to confession at Easter.
Don't worry if you can't remember every sin you've committed. They all will be forgiven as long as you make a conscious effort at confessing the ones you do remember.
Although confession offers you the opportunity to resolve not to sin again, it is human nature to falter still. The important thing is to be sincere in your act of contrition and to avoid committing the same sin again.
