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How to go to Confession
How to go to Confession
Here are the basic steps for confession:
Prepare: Examine your conscience and be sorry for your sins. See the link “How to prepare for confession.”
Enter the confessional: Make the sign of the cross and say, “Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was on…”
Confess: Tell the priest your sins. All mortal sins must be told, and you can also share your venial sins. Remember that the priest is bound by the “seal of the confessional.” That is, he ABSOLUTELY CANNOT reveal your sins.
Listen: Accept any guidance from the priest.
Pray: Pray the Act of Contrition.
An Act of Contrition
"Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I fear the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but more 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, to avoid the near occasions, and to amend my life.”
Receive absolution: The priest will forgive your sins through a prayer. The Lord Jesus granted to priests the power to forgive sins.
Complete your penance: Do the penance assigned by the priest. Penance is a prayer, service, or work of mercy that expresses your sorrow and desire to change.
How to prepare for Confession
How to prepare for Confession
The following is taken from https://www.universitycatholic.net/resources/how-to-go-to-confession/
(Text by Fr Stephen Wang, adapted from the booklet “A Way of Life for Young Catholics”, published by the Catholic Truth Society)
This Examination of Conscience is not to be used every day, or even at every confession – we do not need to go through a checklist every time. It is here for us to look at every now and then. It is based around the Ten Commandments. As we reflect on it, we can ask the Lord to shine his light into our hearts. Some things will not apply to us; but if something in particular touches our conscience, then we can bring it to confession.
Above all, let us remember God’s mercy and his love for us. His love never fails or changes. He loves us passionately, with infinite kindness and tenderness. The only reason we remember our sins is so that we can turn to him and receive his forgiveness, and learn to love him in a new and deeper way.
[1st Commandment] I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
[2nd Commandment] You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Do I seek to love God with all my heart?
Do I stay faithful to Jesus, even when I have difficulties or doubts?
Do I make at least some time for prayer every day?
Do I hold on to the practice of my Catholic faith, or have I turned away from it, or spoken against the teachings of the Church?
Have I been involved with the occult, e.g., with ouija boards, séances, tarot cards, fortune telling, or the like? Have I put faith in horoscopes?
Have I received Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I lied to the priest in confession or deliberately not confessed a mortal sin
Have I used God’s holy name irreverently?
When things are difficult, do I hope in God, or do I give in to self-pity and despair? Do I get angry and resentful with him?
[3rd Commandment] Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation?
Do I make a sincere effort to come to Mass on time, and to listen and pray during the Mass? Do I fast for an hour before receiving Holy Communion (apart from water and medicine)? Am I reverent in church?
Do I try to keep Sunday as a day of prayer, rest and relaxation, avoiding unnecessary work?
[4th Commandment] Honor your father and your mother.
Do I honor and respect my parents? Do I show kindness to my brothers and sisters?
Do I treat my children with love and respect? Do I carry out my family duties
Do I support and care for the well-being of all family members, especially the elderly and the sick?
Do I honor and obey my lawful superiors, and follow the just laws of my country?
[5th Commandment] You shall not kill.
Do I love my neighbor as myself? Do I try to be kind and generous with everyone I meet? Do I help those in need?
Do I harbor hatred or anger against anyone?
Do I try to forgive those who have hurt me? Do I pray for my enemies?
Have I deliberately tried to hurt anyone – physically or emotionally?
Have I had an abortion or encouraged another to have an abortion?
Have I attempted suicide?
Have I abused alcohol or used illegal drugs?
Have I led anyone to sin through bad example or through direct encouragement?
Do I care for my own physical, emotional, and spiritual health?
[6th Commandment] You shall not commit adultery.
[9th Commandment] You shall not desire your neighbour’s wife.
Am I faithful to my husband or wife, in my actions, my words, and my thoughts?
As a Catholic, was I married outside the Church?
Has our marriage been open to new life, or have I used contraception, or been sterilized?
Have I engaged in sexual activity before marriage or outside of marriage?
Do I view pornography on the TV or internet, or through videos or magazines
Have I masturbated?
Have I used impure language or told impure jokes?
Do I dress and behave modestly? Am I respectful and chaste in my relationships?
Do I try to turn away from impure thoughts and temptations?
[7th Commandment] You shall not steal.
Have I stolen or accepted stolen goods?
Have I cheated anyone of what I owe them?
Am I lazy? Do I waste time at work or at school or college?
Do I gamble excessively?
Do I share what I have with the poor and with the Church according to my means?
Have I copied or used pirated material: videos, music, software?
[8th Commandment] You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Do I tell the truth, even if it is inconvenient? Or do I lie or mislead people?
Am I a trustworthy and sincere person? Do I keep my word and my promises, and keep confidential things confidential?
Have I cheated in exams or been dishonest in any way in my studies?
Have I gossiped or spread rumors or spoken badly about people in any way?
Have I ridiculed or humiliated anyone?
[10th Commandment] You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods.
Am I grateful for the things I have and for the blessings God has given me? Or am I always complaining?
Am I jealous of other people: jealous of their possessions, talents, beauty, success or relationships?
Am I greedy or selfish? Am I too caught up with material things?
(Text by Fr Stephen Wang, adapted from the booklet “A Way of Life for Young Catholics”, published by the Catholic Truth Society)
Receive Holy Communion Well
Receive Holy Communion Well
To receive Holy Communion properly during the Mass, approach with faith and reverence, ensuring you are in a state of grace, and prepare spiritually through prayer and perhaps confession if needed.
Faith and Reverence:
Approach the Eucharist with a strong belief in the Real Presence of Christ and a sense of awe and respect.
State of Grace:
Ensure you are in a state of grace, meaning you have no knowledge of having committed any unconfessed mortal sins. If you have, seek reconciliation through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).
Prayer and Reflection:
Spend time in prayer before Mass, reflecting on the meaning of the Eucharist and your relationship with Christ.
Fasting:
Observe the Eucharistic fast, which typically involves abstaining from food and drink (except water and medication) for at least one hour before receiving Communion.
Immediate Consumption:
Consume the Host immediately and reverently, and then return to your seat.
After Communion:
Spend time in prayer and thanksgiving after receiving Communion, reflecting on the great gift you have received.
How to pray the Rosary
How to pray the Rosary
Follow these steps to pray the Rosary:
Begin with the Sign of the Cross and say the Apostles' Creed
Pray the Our Father on the first bead
Say three Hail Marys, then pray the Glory Be
For each decade, announce the mystery, then pray the Our Father
Pray ten Hail Marys on each of the ten beads in the decade
Pray the Glory Be
Pray the Fatima Prayer after each decade
Pray the Hail, Holy Queen
Conclude with the Sign of the Cross
The rosary is a devotion that includes prayers based on the Bible. It involves meditating on the mysteries of Jesus' life with Mary.
The mysteries of the rosary are grouped as follows:
Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
Other prayers of the Rosary
Apostles' Creed: "I believe in God, the Father almighty"
Our Father: Also known as the Lord's Prayer
Hail Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace"
Glory Be
Fatima Prayer: "Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins…
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Fatima Prayer
Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Your mercy.
Reference: https://marian.org/mary/rosary/how-to-pray
Mysteries of the Rosary
Mysteries of the Rosary
JOYFUL MYSTERIES
These are traditionally for Mondays, Saturdays, and, during the season of Advent, on Sundays:
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation in the Temple
The Finding in the Temple
LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
These are traditionally for Thursdays:
The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
The Wedding Feast at Cana
Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God
The Transfiguration
The Institution of the Eucharist
SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
These are traditionally for Tuesdays, Fridays, and, during the season of Lent, on Sundays:
The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion and Death
GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
These are traditionally for Wednesdays and, outside the seasons of Advent and Lent, on Sundays:
The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption
The Coronation of Mary
Reference: https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary
For meditating on the Rosary mysteries: select Scripture readings
For meditating on the Rosary mysteries: select Scripture readings
Our Lady asks us, for the First Saturday devotion, to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary. This is outside praying the Rosary and should last at least 15 minutes. Reading these Bible passages serves as an aid to meditation.
JOYFUL
The Annunciation
“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.” - Luke 1:26-27
The Visitation
“During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, 'Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.'” - Luke 1:39-42
The Nativity
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” - Luke 2:1-7
The Presentation in the Temple
“When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
"When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,' and to offer the sacrifice of 'a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,' in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.” - Luke 2:21-24
The Finding in the Temple
“Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.” - Luke 2:41-47
LUMINOUS
The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
“After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'” - Matthew 3:16-17
The Wedding Feast at Cana
“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' [And] Jesus said to her, 'Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servers, 'Do whatever he tells you.'” - John 2:1-5
Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God
“'This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'” - Mark 1:15
The Transfiguration
“After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” - Matthew 17:1-2
The Institution of the Eucharist
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, 'Take and eat; this is my body.'” - Matthew 26:26
SORROWFUL
The Agony in the Garden
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.' He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.'” - Matthew 26:36-39
The Scourging at the Pillar
“Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.” - Matthew 27:26
The Crowning with Thorns
“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'” - Matthew 27:27-29
The Carrying of the Cross
“They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. They brought him to the place of Golgotha (which is translated Place of the Skull).” - Mark 15:21-22
The Crucifixion and Death
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. [Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.'] They divided his garments by casting lots. The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, 'He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.' Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, 'If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.' Above him there was an inscription that read, 'This is the King of the Jews.' Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.' The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, 'Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' He replied to him, 'Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'
"It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit'; and when he had said this he breathed his last.” - Luke 23:33-46
GLORIOUS
The Resurrection
“But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, 'Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised.'” - Luke 24:1-5
The Ascension
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” - Mark 16:19
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” - Acts 2:1-4
The Assumption
“Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” - Luke 1:48-49
The Coronation of Mary
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” - Revelation 12:1
Reference: https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary
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