I just went to a “catholic chat” and felt judged immediately. I just wanted to know if there was a practice type online place for confessions. Mine are bad. I want to know what’s coming if I go to a priest. Is there anyone that can help without the stereotypical “angry and judging” approach I am so afraid of meeting in person? If there is someone I can bounce this off on here, where would I go? I haven’t been to confession since I was a kid.
Hi, Pudd. I’m sorry that you had a negative experience with a Catholic chat site.
The best way to practice isn’t to role play, but to look in a mirror.
If you hav enot gone to confession for a long time, I would suggest calling the rectory and making an appointment with the priest for Confession. I would tell him up front that you haven’t been to Confession in X years (days, weeks, months, whatever) and he can help you through it.
The usual formula is:
You, (the penitent) prays for guidance from the Holy Spirit and proceed to examine your conscience. That is, you make a list of your sins (either mentally or in writing).
If you meet with the priest in his office you can greet him and chit chat until you’re comfortable. You may ask when to begin and when he gives you the go-ahead, make the Sign of the Cross. Alternatively, if you go into a confessional (booth), you make the Sign of the Cross, too.
As you bless yourself, you say, "Bless me, Father, it has been [x amount of time] since my last confession. These are my sins:
List your sins. The more frequently you go, you can list your sin and tell how many times you did it. For example, you could say that you intentionally were mean to a co-worker six times. I wouldn’t worry too much about the semantics of this until you’re in a routine of going to Confession.
When you’re done reciting your sins, you say, “For these and all my past sins, I am truly sorry.” That’s his cue to talk.
Listen to his advice. He may give you a penance to perform. Don’t be afraid to say you do not know a particular prayer or if an action doesn’t seem possible (for example he tells you to do something nice for Great Aunt Tilly because you confessed to gossiping about her, but she’s been dead for three months, heh), so you tell him about poor Aunt Tilly’s passing and he amends his penance.
The priest will then tell you to make an Act of Contrition. You recite one of the various formulas
that are on the web, such as,
“O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins because they offend Thee, my God,
Who art all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace,
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.”
The priest may ask you to make an extemporaneous Act of Contrition, or there may be a card with the prayer on it. If this is your first Reconciliation in a while, contrition is key – not so much the formality of the words.
Now, the priest will pray over you and absolve you of your sins.
If you’re in his office, you may chat a bit more. But usually, he will “dismiss” you with a phrase such as, “Your sins are forgiven,” to which you respond, “Thanks be to God.”
Oh, and lest I forget:
WELCOME HOME! 
