Children prepare for First Confession during 2nd Grade religion classes at Holy Cross School or during 2nd Grade CCD classes on Weds. nights.  Adults prepare for First Confession in RCIA classes held on Sunday mornings.  Contact Director of Religious Education at (815) 538 - 6151 for more information on preparation for First Confession.

Preparation for your next Confession requires the following:

• Pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to make a good Confession.

• Examine your conscience to determine what sins, especially mortal sins, you have committed since your last good Confession.  A mortal sin involves a grave/serious matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent.  This step includes making your best estimate of the number of times each sin was committed and how long it has been since your last Confession.

• Pray the Act of Contrition.  Normally the priest asks you to pray the Act of Contrition during Confession.  Use Examination of Conscience links at the bottom of this page to obtain the words of the Act of Contrition.  The Act of Contrition tells God that you are truly sorry for your sins.

• Resolve with the help of God's grace to sin no more and to do necessary restitution and penance for past sins.  The priest will give you a specific penance during Confession.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."  + John 20:21-23

The Words of the Priest

• Forgiveness of all venial sins whether or not they are confessed to the priest.

• Forgiveness of any mortal sins specifically confessed to the priest

• Restoration of sanctifying grace previously lost by mortal sin (assuming all known mortal sins have been specifically confessed to the priest).  Sanctifying grace is necessary for salvation.

• Reconciliation with God and the Church.

• Grace to resist temptation and avoid sin in the future.

• Peace of mind and heart.