Guides for Confession and a clear conscience
Plain, faithful answers to the questions people bring to Confession: how to prepare, what the Church teaches about sin, and how to rest in God's mercy. Every guide cites the Catechism and Scripture, so you can read the sources yourself.
Preparing for Confession
What to do before, during and after the sacrament.
How to go to confession: a step-by-step guide to the sacrament
How to go to confession, step by step: how to examine your conscience, what to say to the priest, the act of contrition, your penance and absolution.
Examination of conscience: how to prepare for Confession
An examination of conscience for adults, by the Ten Commandments: what it is, how to make one in fifteen minutes, and the questions to ask before Confession.
The Act of Contrition: the prayer, its meaning, and how to pray it
The act of contrition is the prayer of sorrow for sin said in confession. Read the traditional act of contrition in full, with its meaning and how to pray it.
Sins to confess: what to say and how to name them
Which sins to confess and how to name them: mortal sins in kind and number, venial sins too, a gentle list by commandment, and what not to say.
Prayer before Confession: what to pray to prepare your heart
A prayer before Confession prepares your heart: the Holy Spirit for light, the Confiteor and Psalm 51, and prayers of thanksgiving to say after you confess.
Confession after many years: how to go back
Going to confession after many years? You are welcome back. Here is how to prepare, what to say, and what to expect when it has been a long time.
Understanding sin
What the Church teaches, plainly, so you can name what weighs on you.
What is sin? The Catholic meaning of sin, and God’s mercy
What is sin? In Catholic teaching it is an offense against reason, truth and the love of God. Learn the kinds of sin, from mortal to the sin of omission.
Mortal sin: what it is, the three conditions, and how it is forgiven
What is a mortal sin? The three conditions that make a sin mortal, a clear list of the grave matter the Catechism names, and how mortal sin is forgiven.
Venial sin: what it is, examples, and how it is forgiven
A venial sin is a lesser sin that wounds charity but does not destroy it. Learn what venial sin is, mortal vs venial sin, examples, and how it is forgiven.
The seven deadly sins and the virtues that answer them
The seven deadly sins are pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. Learn what each is, how it shows up in life, and the virtue that answers it.
The Ten Commandments: the Catholic list, explained
The Ten Commandments as the Catholic Church numbers them, with what each one asks and forbids, the two tablets, and how to use them before Confession.
The unforgivable sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and the fear of it
The unforgivable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: what Jesus meant, why it is called unforgivable, and why your fear of it is itself a sign of hope.
Mercy and forgiveness
Repentance, prayer, and the mercy that is waiting for you.
How to repent: the steps of true repentance
How to repent: what true repentance means, the steps of a contrite heart, and how to know God forgives every sin you bring to him in honest sorrow.
Prayer for forgiveness: how to ask God to forgive your sins
A prayer for forgiveness asks God for mercy from the heart: traditional Catholic prayers of repentance, how to pray them, and what the Church teaches.
Divine Mercy Chaplet: how to pray it, step by step
The Divine Mercy Chaplet, prayed on ordinary rosary beads: how to pray it step by step, the words St Faustina received, and its link to Confession.
The prodigal son: the parable of mercy and return
The parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32) explained: the younger son, the merciful father, the elder brother, and what it means for coming home to God.
Plenary indulgence: what it is and how to get one
A plenary indulgence remits all temporal punishment due to forgiven sin. See the requirements — confession, Communion, prayer for the Pope — and how to get one.
Peace of conscience
For anxious hearts, heavy guilt, and anyone unsure how to begin.
Scrupulosity: when the fear of sin will not quiet down
Scrupulosity is persistent, distressing doubt about sin and confession: its signs, how it differs from a tender conscience, its link to OCD, and the remedy.
Catholic guilt: from guilt and shame to peace
Catholic guilt explained: how to tell healthy guilt from shame, how to deal with guilt that lingers after confession, and the peace the faith offers.
Online confession: can you confess your sins over the internet?
Online confession is not possible: the sacrament needs a priest in person. Here is what the Church teaches, what you can do online, and how to prepare well.