Guide to General Confession

“Be not ashamed to confess to one man,” says St. Augustine, “that which you were not ashamed to do with one, perhaps, with many.” Consider these words of the same saint: “Sincere confession subdues vice, conquers the evil one, shuts the door of hell, and opens the gates of paradise.” Many have asked for instructions on how to make a good General Confession. These are reproduced here, together with several examinations of conscience. A long examination for use with General Confession is included. Also an examination based upon the seven deadly sins. And then a shorter examination for regular use in preparing for Confession. Also included are prayers for a Spiritual Confession and instructions on the Perfect Act of Contrition, for use when it is impossible to go to Confession. Finally, instructions from Saint Alphonsus and Saint John Eudes on Confession are included followed by some useful prayers, including the Act of Contrition. Fr. Leonard Goffine comments: “The literal meaning of this is the evil enemy, who some times so torments those whom he possesses that they lose the power of speech; in a spiritual sense, we may understand it to mean the shame which the devil takes away from the sinner, when he commits the sin, but gives back again, as false shame, before confession, so that the sinner conceals the sin, and thereby falls deeper. “A general confession”, says St. Francis de Sales, “is for the majority of Christians a necessary means of salvation. It gives us a more complete knowledge of ourselves; it fills us with a wholesome shame at the sight of our sins; it relieves our mind of much anxiety and gives peace to our conscience; it excites in us good resolutions; it shows us God’s wonderful patience and mercy towards us; it enables our confessor to direct us more safely; and, finally, it so dilates our heart, that we are ever after able to make our confession with greater confidence.”