How to make a good confession? In the confessional

Upon entering the confessional:

I kneel down and begin this way:

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."

He gives his blessing: "May God be in your heart and on your lips so that you may confess all your sins well. »

It has been ___________ (days, weeks, months, years) since my last confession. 

I have received absolution and performed (or not?) my penance. 

Then you tell your sins.  

When you have finished, add: 

For these and all the sins that I can't remember, and all the sins of my past life (you can specify one or another), I ask pardon of God and penance and absolution of you, Father. 

The priest then may give you some words of advise and he gives you a penance.

"As penance..." or "In reparation..." and indicates a prayer or a good deed I should do. If what he asks me is too difficult or impossible for me (a prayer I do not know), I must tell him right away!

Then you say your act of contrition:

An 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 so 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.  Amen.

The priest gives me absolution, making a sign of the cross with his hand; I make a sign of the cross on myself, to mark that I accept God's forgiveness. The priest sends me away saying: "Go in peace! »

Before leaving, say: Thank you, Father.

I then perform the penance that the priest gave me.

Explication

Les péchés une fois remis par l’absolution, la peine éternelle méritée par le péché mortel est remise, mais si l’on n’a pas une contrition très parfaite, il reste ordinairement à expier, en cette vie ou en l’autre, une peine temporelle.

La pénitence sacramentelle ne suffit pas ordinairement à nous libérer de toute la peine temporelle méritée par le péché, et c’est pourquoi il convient d’y suppléer par d’autres œuvres de pénitence et de piété, et parles indulgences.

Les œuvres de pénitence et de piété sont : les jeûnes, les mortifications, les actes de miséricorde spirituelle et corporelle, les prières et l’usage pieux des sacramentaux