Should you be detained any time by the confes ons of others, take particular care to avoid distraction. As to the scandalous and irreligious custom of conversing at confessionals, either to remark or complain of the length of time taken up by others, or for any other purpose whatever, it cannot be too much condemned, and you will be particularly culpable if you follow bad example in this respect; thus proving your total forgetfulness of the instructions you have received, and the method you have been so long accustomed to in approaching the sacraments. What can be more contrary to the true spirit of repentance, than such levity and insensibility to the misfortune of having offended a God who sees the heart, and is about to pronounce sentence according to your dispositions? Immediately before you enter the confessional, renew your sorrow, as well as your good resolutions, and endeavour to enliven your faith, love, and confidence, by the following or any other short prayer: Prayer. O ADORABLE Jesus! the invisible High Priest of our souls! who, in the excess of thy love, hast instituted this consolatory_sacrament of pardon and mercy, it is before thee I am going to present myself; it is thy divine authority which I reverence in I the person of thy minister. O compassionate Physi cian of our souls! who didst not refuse to heal with thy own divine hands those lepers whose horrid malady was a figure of sin, I am going to approach to thee, convinced that thou wilt and canst make me clean. O let me be so happy as to find mercy and pardon; let no evil disposition of mine be an obstacle to thy merciful designs on my soul. O omnipotent Jesus! what is impossible to me, is infinitely easy to thee-change then my heart, show me so clearly what sin is, and what it deserves, that I may cheerfully accept the pain and humiliation which I may feel in avowing my offences. Let thy divine Spirit be in my heart, and on my lips, that my confession may be sincere, entire, humble, and penitent. Mother of God! Mother of Mercy! and Refuge of Sinners! intercede for me now, that this Confession I am going to make, may not render me more guilty, but may obtain for me the remission of my sins, and grace to avoid them in future. Holy Angel, to whose care I am committed, do not leave me, now that I so particularly require your charitable assistance. Watch over me, while I declare my sins in the sacred tribunal; preserve me from temptation, and intercede for me with our common Lord and Master, that his holy grace and the words of his minister may sink deep into my heart, and tend to the perfect and lasting change of my life. On entering the confessional, place yourself in spirit at the feet of Jesus Christ: begin by making the sign of the Cross, saying, "Bless me, Father for I have sinned." When the Priest has said, May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may sincerely and candidly declare all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen," say the Confiteor as follows: "I confess to the Almighty God, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the blessed Michael the Archangel, to the blessed St. John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, to all the saints in heaven, and to you, my father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." At these words you should bow your head, and penitently strike your breast; then say how long it is since your last confession,-secondly, whether you were absolved, and have communicated :-and thirdly, whether you performed your penance. Then begin your Confession, by accusing yourself of any sin which might have been forgotten in your last confession, or any l'aults committed in approaching that sacrament. After which proceed to the accusation of your other sins, beginning by those which you feel most repugnance to mention, as this act of humility and generosity is likely to draw down a blessing from God on the rest of your Confession; you need only preface the first sin with the words, I accuse myself. When you have accused yourself of all your sins, and submitted any doubts on your mind to the opinion of your director, conclude your Confession, not by saying, “I have no more," as is the ignorant custom of many persons, but in the following form :-"For these, and all the sins of my life, I am most heartily sorry, humbly beg pardon of God, and penance and absolution of you, my father:" then immediately bowing your head, finish the Confiteor as follows:"Therefore I beseech the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed Michael the Archangel, the blessed St. John the Baptist, the holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, all the saints in heaven, and you, my father, to pray to God for me." The Priest then says: "May the Almighty God be merciful to you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to everlasting life. May the almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, absolution, and full remission of all your sins." If your confessor judge proper to defer absolution, it would be extremely wrong in you to repine, as a delay is frequently expedient, and, in many cases, absolutely necessary: for example, should you unfortunately appear habitually addicted to any mortal sin-unwilling to repair the injuries you have done your neighbour in his property or reputation-habitually inattentive to your duties of obligation-ignorant of the principal nysteries of religion-slothful in examining your conscience-or little penetrated with Borrow for your sins. Under such circumstances, and numberless others, a Priest could not give you absolution without committing sin.-On the contiary, if you be found disposed for absolution, your director will give you penance, which you should receive in the spirit of humility; but if it appear to you impracticable, or such as may notably interfere with your other duties, you may respectfully represent your difficulties. He will then give you notice, that he is about to absolve you. While this sentence of mercy is pronouncing, bow your head in the most respectful manner; imagine yourself at the foot of the Cross, and that the precious Blood of Jesus Christ blots out all your sins. Renew your sorrow for having offended so good a God, and beg of his divine Majesty, that you may rather die than ever offend him by any wilful offence. In these pious sentiments receive the absolution, which is given in the following form:-" May our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee from every bond of excommunication and interdict, as far as I have power, and thou hast need. I therefore do absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. May the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints; may whatever good thou shalt do, or whatever evil thou shalt suffer, be to thee unto the remission of thy sins, the increase of grace, and the recompense of life everlasting. Amen." When you leave the confessional, do not disturb your mind by examining whether you have confessed well, or have forgotten any of your sins, but rest assuréd, that if you made your Confession with sincerity and the other requisite dispositions, you are, according to the express decision of the Council of Trent, fully absolved from every sin which you may have omitted through forgetfulness, even though it were mortal.-Retire with recolection and respec to some quiet place, and there, indulging for some time the feelings of gratitude and joy which should animate your heart, return most sincere thanks to your merciful and indulgent Father. In doing so, you need not immediately confine yourself to any particular form of prayer; you cannot fail to rejoice, if you have any conception of the greatness of the blessing you have received, in being reconciled to God; the uneasiness and remorse you experienced under the weight of your sins, must make you value the peace and delight of a good conscience, so that you cannot want words to express your gratitude. What would you say to a parent, whom you had grievously offended, but who had at length forgiven and forgotten your unnatural ingratitude?-How would you thank a friend, who had not only delivered you from death, but had even sacrificed his own life for your ransom? God is that parent, who has just pardoned you; he is that friend, who has redeemed you from eternal death;-thank him then, with all your heart and soul, and afterwards devoutly repeat the following acts. Prayers after Confession. O God of infinite goodness! who hast shown such mercy to a miserable sinner! O most indulgent Father! who hast received once more thy prodigal child, how shall I thank thee? how shall I testify the joy and gratitude that fill my heart? O that I could worthily thank thee, my good God! and acknowledge as I ought, that infinite mercy which forgiveth all my iniquities, which healeth all my diseases. Ps. cii. 3 O that I could now be heard all over the world, I would publish to all sinners, that thou art a God comvassionate and merciful, who wilt not always be angry, nor threaten for ever. Ibid. 8, 9. I would invite al who ever had the misfortune of offending thee, to return with their whole hearts, that they may enjoy with me the bliss of having been received into thy |