About to make my first confession

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Hi all. I was baptized into the Church at Easter Vigil this year. I’m going to make my first Confession in a few weeks and I’m SO nervous! I’ve never done it before and don’t know what to say, what to expect, etc. Luckily, both of our priests are absolutely wonderful so I’m not worried about that part…but do you still have to start with “Forgive me Father for I have sinned” or do you just talk? Advice from seasoned Catholics would be very appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Ask these questions of the priest who will hear your confession. Sometimes for first confessions the priest takes a big role in structuring it for you. You should not have to be concerned with the details; they should be provided for you to help you prepare.

May it be the best day of your life!
 
I say “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. Since my last confession ___ week(s)/months ago, I accuse my self of …”

Make sure you tell the priest how many times you committed the sin. It is a very joyful experience and one that removes all the weight from your shoulders.
 
RHisComingHome said:
Hi all. I was baptized into the Church at Easter Vigil this year. I’m going to make my first Confession in a few weeks and I’m SO nervous! I’ve never done it before and don’t know what to say, what to expect, etc. Luckily, both of our priests are absolutely wonderful so I’m not worried about that part…but do you still have to start with “Forgive me Father for I have sinned” or do you just talk? Advice from seasoned Catholics would be very appreciated.

Thanks!
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Yes it can be nervewracking, even for old hands :rotfl: like myself. Just imagine Jesus and all the angels and saints hanging around the door of the confessional wishing with all their hearts for you to step inside. Here’s an idea - tell the priest it’s your first confession. He’ll be able to help you through it if need be.

It’s easiest to start with ‘Bless me father, for I have sinned’, although I don’t “accuse myself” of anything, I just say ‘it’s been x amount of time since my last confession and in that time I’ve done xyz’

If you’ve been baptised recently you shouldn’t have too many sins to confess, but if you feel like it you can write 'em down. It’s a good idea to have the Act of Contrition written down - though most priests will have a little card in the confessional with the Act written on it.

All the best! Pray to the Holy Spirit before you go in to help you make a good confession, and say thank you to Jesus afterwards for the gift of such a wonderful sacrament - it’s the greatest thing!
 
My parish actually has little plaques in the confessional to guide you through it. Even though I go to confession regularly, I still use them, so I can put my efforts more into confessing and listening to the advice of my confessor, rather than worrying about the procedure. You could make your own little guide to take along, just to be safe. It does make it a lot easier. Even without those things though, the priests are always patient enough to guide you along and make your confession go smoothly if you need assistance too.
 
What’s also very common is people forget to mention a sin that they remember afterwards. Don’t worry about that, for that sin and all sins you’ve committed are forgiven. It is good to mention that sin the next time you confess. Welcome home!
 
RHisComingHome said:
Hi all. I was baptized into the Church at Easter Vigil this year. I’m going to make my first Confession in a few weeks and I’m SO nervous! I’ve never done it before and don’t know what to say, what to expect, etc. Luckily, both of our priests are absolutely wonderful so I’m not worried about that part…but do you still have to start with “Forgive me Father for I have sinned” or do you just talk? Advice from seasoned Catholics would be very appreciated.

Thanks!
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Ive been to four diffrent priests and all four did it diffrently and had me do diffrent things.

the thing I like to stress is that you wont suprise them or even get a second glance for anything you have done, they have heard it all.
 
Thanks for your advice, everyone! I was kinda bummed when they gave us a tour of church during RCIA and I found out the Confessional was a room with two chairs and not a booth with a grate! I was really looking forward to the grate because that’s what I had seen in pop culture all my life - LOL. Sad I know! I know I shouldn’t be nervous…and I’m sure I’ll have plenty to talk about!😃
 
RHisComingHome said:
Thanks for your advice, everyone! I was kinda bummed when they gave us a tour of church during RCIA and I found out the Confessional was a room with two chairs and not a booth with a grate! I was really looking forward to the grate because that’s what I had seen in pop culture all my life - LOL. Sad I know! I know I shouldn’t be nervous…and I’m sure I’ll have plenty to talk about!😃
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I need privacy - some sort of screen - when making confessions, but I have to admit those tiny dark little booths make me a bit claustrophobic. I prefer bigger rooms :yup:
 
Hi! Confession is a great blessing. Do as people stated above. Also say a few prayers ahead of confession so that you will do a good confession. Don’t forget tosay the act of contrition doing confession! Good luck.
 
Hi , I just wanted to ask ( as someone who hasn’t reached their first confession yet , still a going to be Catholic - next RCIA is in September ) How much detail should a person go into in the confessional ? Is it just the type of sins & their number or the specifics ? or both ?

I’m not really sure how to word this question so please forgive me if it’s not easy to follow , any help gratefully received .
 
There always should be the option of confession with a screen, and there is no shame in asking for one.

I love the screen and prefer having a nice dark private confessional and some people prefer the face to face type. I feel the small confessionals focus you on the seriousness of the Sacrament and it’s privacy between you and God.

I know others don’t like the dark and would prefer a face to face sitting in a room type situation. We have both in my parish and it is your choice.

Now with your first confession, this is a good way to start on the road to making good, clear, honest confessions, so make sure you do a comprehensive examination of concience and get those sins behind you, move on with your life.

God Bless
Scylla
 
scylla said:
I love the screen and prefer having a nice dark private confessional and some people prefer the face to face type. I feel the small confessionals focus you on the seriousness of the Sacrament and it’s privacy between you and God.
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So do I, but I do have to laugh now when I remember my first confession. This was back some 30+ years ago, and the traditional confessionals were in use. I had carefully searched my soul, and prepared a list of sins–only to get into the confessional and find that it was pitch black!!

Fortunately the priest was really wonderful, and led me through–and at least I did know the Act of Contrition…😃
 
Nigel71 said:
Hi , I just wanted to ask ( as someone who hasn’t reached their first confession yet , still a going to be Catholic - next RCIA is in September ) How much detail should a person go into in the confessional ? Is it just the type of sins & their number or the specifics ? or both ?

I’m not really sure how to word this question so please forgive me if it’s not easy to follow , any help gratefully received .
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type of sins and number, definitely, specifics where they’re relevant.

My favourite teaching illustration 😉

a) “I stole some money” - too little detail

b) “I robbed the bank at 9.15 am on Wednesday morning with a .45 revolver, threatened the five people who were inside and got away with $151,032.58” - too much

c) “I robbed a bank at gunpoint, threatened the customers with the gun and stole about $150,000” - just about right

So relevant detail only should be included - being anything that gives the priest a clearer understanding of the nature of the sin. Especially if it changes it from venial to mortal (or possibly vice versa)
 
LilyM said:
type of sins and number, definitely, specifics where they’re relevant.

My favourite teaching illustration 😉

a) “I stole some money” - too little detail

b) “I robbed the bank at 9.15 am on Wednesday morning with a .45 revolver, threatened the five people who were inside and got away with $151,032.58” - too much

c) “I robbed a bank at gunpoint, threatened the customers with the gun and stole about $150,000” - just about right

So relevant detail only should be included - being anything that gives the priest a clearer understanding of the nature of the sin. Especially if it changes it from venial to mortal (or possibly vice versa)
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Yep. Or as the old saying goes: Be blunt, be brief, be gone.

P.S. I’m actually bad on the last part as I sometimes stick around after we are done to plot with the priest how to expunge, “City of God” and Haugen/Haas ditties from the hymnal. 😃
 
Thanks a lot for the info , much appreciated - even if I am blunt & brief I think the priest might be bored with me by the time I’m done first time round - especially if it includes my teenage years ( I don’t think I did much that secular society would consider out of the ordinary but that bar seems arguably to be set rather low as I’m fast finding out ) . Week on week I hope not so much ( & I’m blessed with my very lovely wife to keep me in order nowadays - also looking to attend RCIA in September : ) ) .

Thanks again

Nigel
 
Nigel71 said:
Thanks a lot for the info , much appreciated - even if I am blunt & brief I think the priest might be bored with me by the time I’m done first time round - especially if it includes my teenage years ( I don’t think I did much that secular society would consider out of the ordinary but that bar seems arguably to be set rather low as I’m fast finding out ) . Week on week I hope not so much ( & I’m blessed with my very lovely wife to keep me in order nowadays - also looking to attend RCIA in September : ) ) .

Thanks again

Nigel
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You are not obliged to confess sins you commited before your baptism because they were forgiven (including any temporal punishment due to them) at baptism.
 
OK really showing my ignorance here but I’ve been told that the infant baptism I received ( in a Cof E church ) counts & I cant be rebaptised so what kind of age is considered to be the age of reason ( or whichever is the correct term ) beyond which a person is held to be culpable for their actions & so need to confess them ? Is it a set age or varies depending on the individuals maturity , level of understanding etc ?

Again any help/information is appreciated

thanks

Nigel
 
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