Help with first confession

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dje101

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Hello,

I plan on going to confession for the first time tomorrow. I don’t think my RCIA class ever taught us what we are supposed to say. Can anyone please give me just the general proper way for doing a confession (like you go in, kneel or sit, and say…what, cross yourself?)? Thanks.

Derek

P.S. Do you recommend the iPhone confession app to help out?
 
I find the apps helpful for daily examination of conscience and even to remind myself when my last confession was and what I need to confess. I generally review it while waiting in line if I feel the need to remind myself.

iconfess and confession a catholic app are both good but slightly different as far as the questions.
 
Cider said:
I find the apps helpful for daily examination of conscience and even to remind myself when my last confession was and what I need to confess. I generally review it while waiting in line if I feel the need to remind myself.

iconfess and confession a catholic app are both good but slightly different as far as the questions.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I thought it would be pretty helpful for the examination of conscience. Since this will be my first confession, I’m kind of nervous and worried that I’ll draw a blank when in there. Would it be inappropriate to have it on during the confession so that I can use the check boxes?
 
I don’t see why you couldn’t use it during confession. I mean it is designed for that. They walk you through it step by step of what to confess, even listing the sins you checked during your examination of conscience.

YOu can use paper notes if you need to also. I know that was used by people that making first confession where it had been a long time since their baptism. IE those being received into the church that had been baptized years prior.
 
catholicscomehome.org/answers-how-confession.php

Going to the above link may help you out.

Good luck, dje! And remember, no matter how many sins, or what kind of sins, you may have on your soul, God will forgive you if you are truly sorry! It’s always a good idea to keep that in mind when entering the confessional. 🙂
 
Thank you all.

Also wondering, are there certain things we are supposed to say?

Like “forgive me father, for I have sinned. It’s be X amount of days or weeks since…”
 
dje101 said:
Thank you all.

Also wondering, are there certain things we are supposed to say?

Like “forgive me father, for I have sinned. It’s be X amount of days or weeks since…”
Click to expand...
That’s the formula I’ve always used. Doesn’t hurt to say that in the beginning.

What I do (I forget if it is the standard way) is the following:

I enter the confessional, sit, and say “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” while making the sign of the cross. Then I say “Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been ____ amount of days/weeks/months since my last confession.”

Then the priest may say something like “Go ahead and confess your sins.” Do so.
 
I had my first confession today! It went well: I walked in and chose to sit in the chair to see the priest since I didn’t know what I was doing, and I told him it was my first time and that I just joined the church. After I mentioned a couple things, we just chatted and he gave me advice for the long haul. It was a very nice experience. I used an app that had the act of contrition on it. It definitely wasn’t as scary as I thought but then again, I didn’t have anything particularly embarrassing to share. 🤷
 
For some reason, every time I go to confession, the priest always says “In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit” before I can say anything. In that case, I just say “Its been X days since my last confession” and go on with the sins. In this case, it’s easy. lol 😃
 
Bless me father, for I have sinned; this is my first confession (it’s been about a month / a couple of weeks / whatever since my last confession). I have…

I sometimes use the iPad apps to prepare, but I haven’t yet walked in with my iPad to confess. I usually write itmohe on a small piece of paper.

I have found the Mea Culpa app to be much more thorough than the other 2 mentioned. I had a friend who returned to the sacrament after nearly 40 years. I showed her how to work the iPad and the app and then left her alone to make her list.
 
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