I converted at 28. Believe me, I know what you are going through.
First,
relax, Priests have literally heard it all. I thought my first confession might cause the Priest to run out of the confessional. Believe me, no sin you could confess will do anything more than possibly bore the Priest. My worst stuff never even phased him.
Next, know that God loves you so much and wants to forgive you for everything you have ever done wrong. If you have to confess for a lifetime, as long as you do the best you can, your confession will be valid.
If you are nervous, go behind the screen to make your confession if that makes you feel more at ease. The screen is designed to give you anonymity and to make you feel comfortable. You should not feel afraid to use it. If you are super nervous, drive two towns away to confess.
But, remember, nothing you confess can ever be revealed by the priest to anyone no matter what.
Tell the priest that it is your first confession since you were a child and he will be very easy on you. Say something to the effect of, “Bless me father, I have sinned. I’m XX, and this is my first confession since I was xx years old.”
We are obligated to confess mortal sins in kind and number. You should not try to hide anything but you don’t have to give graphic details regarding sexual sins. If you committed the sin more times than you can remember, just give as good of an estimation as you can at the number of times. For example, if you had sex outside of marriage, you can say "I committed the sin of fornication approximately x number of times. If it something else, you could say, for example, “I had inappropriate sexual encounters approximately X times or I viewed pornography approximately xx times or I have committed the sin of masturbation approximately xx times.” If you feel that something adds to the gravity of the sin, just say it. I promise, the Priest will not be surprised or think less of you. Again, he has heard it all.
Last advice, start with the sin that is hardest to confess first. Once you’ve gotten that one out of the way, they’ll just roll off. Don’t be afraid to say, “Father, I am embarrassed to confess this.” He will help you.
“Where sin abounds, grace abounds much more!” I promise, after a good confession, you’ll walk out of the confessional like a new person!
JMR
