How do you start your confessions?

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catholicWI

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Do you start with “forgive me father for I have sinned”?

Or do you just kinda start. Is that still a practice?
 
I start with “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned” unless the priest beats me to it by first asking how long it’s been since my last confession.

As for whether it’s still a practice to do as I do, I have no idea. I live in France but didn’t grow up here so I don’t know what normal practice is in these here parts, and I’m unlikely to find out because I don’t ask other people about their confessions.
 
“Bless me Father, for I have sinned, it’s been _____ days/weeks/months/years since my last confession.”
 
Old School.

“Bless me, O Father, for I have sinned. It’s been…since my last confession.” 😃
 
BTW, I usually forget this part, when the priest says “Go in peace”, its traditional to say

“Thanks be to God!!!”

(Exclamation points optional, but recommended :D)
 
“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
 
Just offhand, how do you start your very first confession, as I have yet to do this when I’m permitted?

(I know, I’m some heathen Protestant . . .)
 
jupiter2 said:
Just offhand, how do you start your very first confession, as I have yet to do this when I’m permitted?

(I know, I’m some heathen Protestant . . .)
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Same way as normal -but that it is your first confession and your coming into full communion with the Church at Easter (and of course your state in life).

(No heathen part - a validly baptized Christian is not a heathen …

Nor the protestant part --for you will not be and even now are no longer a protestant Christian …but rather your a Christian who was not in full communion and who is now coming into full communion with the Catholic Church)
 
Bookcat said:
“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
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This is how I start–with the sign of the cross. Then I say "It’s been xxx weeks since my last confession. Then I tell my sins. He says a few words, or not, gives a penance which includes saying the act of contrition in the pew, gives absolution. I leave.
 
Bookcat said:
“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
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Well, yes, okay, if you want to start at the very beginning… I forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me 🙂

So for me it’s usually as follows: I make Sign of the Cross and say “Bless me Father for I have sinned,” the priest says something in Latin (I couldn’t tell you what as my Latin is practically non-existent) and makes the Sign of the Cross over me, I continue with “my last confession was [x amount of time] ago” and it goes from there. Occasionally, I’ll get a priest who makes the Sign of the Cross over me then asks right away when I last confessed. I guess that means all my confessions actually begin with the Sign of the Cross.
 
I kneel down and as I am making the Sign of the Cross I say Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been xxxxx since my last confession. These are my sins. 🙂
 
Seems to me that “Bless me father, for I have sinned,” might be a little redundant. Of course I’ve sinned–that’s why I’m there! (And he doesn’t need to bless me for having sinned!) I did begin my confessions that way for a long time, though. Now I just make the sign of the cross and say how long it’s been since my last confession.
 
If I’m confessing in my own church, I say, “I confess to Almighty God, One in the Holy Trinity, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, to all the angels and saints, and to you, Father, all my sins.”

If I’m confessing in a Latin Rite parish, I will either say the above, or "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. "
 
InThePew said:
Just wondering if I’m the only person who says this… 🤷
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I think it is regional. My husband, in New Jersey, was taught “Forgive me, Father…”. On the west coast, everyone learned “Bless me, Father…” I once heard a priest say that he could tell where a person was from by the way he or she began a confession.
 
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