The Crusade

Confession

How to go to Confession

An examination of conscience by the Ten Commandments and the precepts of the Church, a simple guide to the steps, and the Act of Contrition.

Examination of conscience · Precepts of the Church · The steps · Act of Contrition

The steps

  1. Prepare: pray to the Holy Spirit for light, then examine your conscience (below).
  2. Be sorry for your sins and resolve not to sin again, with God's help.
  3. Go to the priest. Make the Sign of the Cross. You may say: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (how long) since my last confession."
  4. Confess your sins. You must confess every mortal sin you remember, by kind and roughly how many times. Confessing venial sins is also good.
  5. Listen to the priest's advice, and accept the penance he gives you.
  6. Pray an Act of Contrition when the priest asks.
  7. The priest gives absolution. Answer "Amen."
  8. Do your penance promptly, and thank God for His mercy.

Examination of conscience

Take a few quiet minutes. Ask the Holy Spirit for light, then read slowly and note anything that applies. Choose the version that suits you.

For adults

1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

  • Have I neglected daily prayer, or prayed only when I wanted something?
  • Have I doubted or denied a truth of the faith on purpose, or put my faith at risk by what I read or watched?
  • Have I been involved in fortune-telling, horoscopes, tarot, spiritualism or the occult?
  • Have I made an idol of money, success, comfort, a person or my phone?
  • Have I received Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin, or hidden a mortal sin in confession?
  • Have I despaired of God's mercy, or presumed on it so as to keep sinning?

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

  • Have I used the name of God, Jesus or Mary carelessly or in anger?
  • Have I cursed, blasphemed, or mocked holy things?
  • Have I broken a vow or a promise made to God, or sworn an oath falsely?

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

  • Have I missed Mass on a Sunday or holy day of obligation through my own fault?
  • Have I arrived late or left early without good reason, or been deliberately inattentive?
  • Have I done unnecessary work or shopping that kept me or others from rest and worship on Sunday?

4. Honour thy father and thy mother.

  • Have I been disrespectful or neglectful toward my parents, or failed to help them in need or old age?
  • As a parent, have I neglected the faith, education, safety or example I owe my children?
  • Have I disobeyed or shown contempt for lawful authority?

5. Thou shalt not kill.

  • Have I physically harmed anyone, or wished harm on them?
  • Have I held on to hatred, refused to forgive, or sought revenge?
  • Have I had, encouraged, or helped with an abortion, or supported euthanasia or suicide?
  • Have I harmed my health by drunkenness, drug misuse, or reckless behaviour?
  • Have I led others into sin by my words or example (scandal)?

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

  • Have I engaged in sexual activity outside of marriage?
  • Have I been unfaithful to my spouse in act, or deliberately in thought?
  • Have I viewed pornography or impure material, or masturbated?
  • Have I used contraception, or closed my marriage to life without serious reason?
  • Have I been immodest in dress, speech or behaviour, or dwelt on impure thoughts on purpose?

7. Thou shalt not steal.

  • Have I stolen, or kept what belongs to someone else?
  • Have I cheated at work, on taxes, or in business, or failed to give an honest day's work?
  • Have I failed to pay debts or just wages, or damaged others' property without making it right?
  • Have I failed to be generous to the poor and to the Church according to my means?

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

  • Have I lied, or deceived others?
  • Have I gossiped, or revealed others' faults without need (detraction)?
  • Have I spread falsehoods that damage someone's reputation (calumny)?
  • Have I posted or shared things online that were untrue or uncharitable?

9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.

  • Have I deliberately entertained lustful desires for someone who is not my spouse?
  • Have I failed to guard my eyes and imagination?

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods.

  • Have I been envious of others' possessions, success or gifts?
  • Have I been greedy, or placed my trust in wealth rather than in God?
For young men

1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

  • Do I pray each day, even briefly?
  • Have I put gaming, sport, social media, a girlfriend or my own image ahead of God?
  • Have I played with the occult (Ouija boards, tarot, horoscopes)?
  • Have I been ashamed of my faith, or denied it to fit in?

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

  • Have I used God's name as a swear word, or mocked the faith to get a laugh?

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

  • Have I skipped Sunday Mass through my own fault, or slept in instead?
  • Have I been on my phone or deliberately not paying attention at Mass?

4. Honour thy father and thy mother.

  • Have I been disrespectful, rude or dishonest with my parents, teachers or coaches?
  • Have I refused to help at home?

5. Thou shalt not kill.

  • Have I fought, bullied, or humiliated someone, in person or online?
  • Have I held grudges or refused to forgive?
  • Have I got drunk, used drugs, or taken dangerous risks with my health or life?
  • Have I encouraged someone else to do wrong?

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

  • Have I looked at pornography or sexual content?
  • Have I masturbated?
  • Have I gone too far physically with someone, or pressured anyone?
  • Have I sent or asked for sexual images?
  • Have I talked about girls or women in a degrading way?

7. Thou shalt not steal.

  • Have I stolen, shoplifted, or pirated what I should pay for?
  • Have I cheated in school, or copied work?
  • Have I damaged things that aren't mine?

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

  • Have I lied to get out of trouble?
  • Have I spread rumours or joined in mocking someone?

9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife.

  • Have I deliberately fed lustful thoughts about someone?

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods.

  • Have I been jealous of what others have, such as their gear, looks, status or followers?
For children (first confession age)

1. Love God above everything.

  • Did I say my prayers?
  • Did I put toys, games or screens before God?

2. Say God's name with love.

  • Did I say God's name or Jesus' name in a bad way?

3. Keep Sunday holy.

  • Did I go to Mass on Sunday and try to listen and pray? (If you miss Mass because grown-ups didn't take you, that is not your sin.)

4. Obey and respect your parents.

  • Did I disobey or talk back to my mum, dad or teachers?
  • Did I help at home when I was asked?

5. Be kind and don't hurt anyone.

  • Did I hit, push or hurt anyone?
  • Did I say mean things or leave someone out?
  • Did I stay angry and not want to forgive?

6 & 9. Keep your body and thoughts pure.

  • Did I look at pictures or videos I know are not okay?
  • Did I respect my body and other people's bodies?

7 & 10. Don't steal or be jealous.

  • Did I take something that isn't mine?
  • Did I break something and hide it?
  • Was I jealous of what someone else has?

8. Tell the truth.

  • Did I tell a lie?
  • Did I tell tales about others to get them in trouble?

The precepts of the Church

The precepts are the minimum the Church asks of every Catholic (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2041 to 2043).

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, and rest from unnecessary work.

  • Have I missed Mass on a Sunday or holy day of obligation through my own fault?
  • Have I kept Sunday as a day of rest, prayer and family, as far as I could?

2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.

  • Have I gone more than a year without confession while aware of mortal sin?
  • Have I put off confession out of fear, pride or laziness?

3. You shall receive Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.

  • Have I failed to receive Holy Communion during the Easter season?
  • Have I received Communion without the hour's fast, or without due reverence?

4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence.

  • Have I kept the fast and abstinence of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?
  • Have I kept Friday penance as my bishops ask?

5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

  • Have I given what I reasonably can of my time, talents and money to my parish and the poor?

Good to know

  • A sin is mortal when three things are all true: the matter is grave, you knew it was seriously wrong, and you freely chose it (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1857). If one of these is missing, the sin is not mortal, though it may still be venial.
  • If you honestly forget a sin, it is forgiven with the others. Mention it at your next confession if you remember it later.
  • Never knowingly hide a mortal sin. That makes the confession invalid, and the hidden sin, along with the others, must be confessed again.
  • The priest may never reveal what you confess (the seal of confession).
  • These questions help you remember. They don't replace the Church's teaching or your confessor's guidance.

Act of Contrition

O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all 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 confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.

Source: A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, prepared by order of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (imprimatur 1885), prayers section. Public domain. Printed there without a closing "Amen", so none is added here.

The steps, examination questions and notes are written for The Crusade, 2026, and are awaiting review by a priest. They help you remember; they do not replace your confessor's guidance.