Prayer before Confession: O Lord, grant me light to see myself as You see me, and the grace to be truly and effectively sorry for my sins.
How to Confess: First examine your conscience well; then tell the priest the specific sins you have committed, including the circumstances and, to the best of your ability, how many times you have committed them since your last good confession. If you are in doubt about whether a sin is mortal or venial, mention your doubt to the confessor. Confession of both mortal and venial sins is very helpful for avoiding them in the future and growing in sanctification.
Necessary conditions for a sin to be mortal: Serious Matter | Sufficient Knowledge | Full Consent of the Will

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Preliminary Considerations:
Have I ever deliberately failed to confess a past serious sin, or have I willfully disguised or hidden such a sin? Note: The deliberate concealing of a mortal sin invalidates one’s confession and makes the person guilty of another mortal sin. Remember that the confession is private under the Seal of Confession, i.e., it is a mortal sin for the priest to reveal the matter of one’s confession to anyone else.
Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully?
Have I failed to do the penance given to me at my last confession?
Have I any habits of serious sin to confess first (e.g. drunkenness, masturbation, sloth, lustfulness, greed, deceit, etc.)?
A Final Note:
Remember to confess your sins with supernatural sorrow as well as a firm resolution not to sin again, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Ask your confessor to help you with any difficulties you have in making a good confession.

Examination of Conscience

I.  “I am the Lord, thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.”
Have pleasure, sports, money, career, relationships, leisure, etc. replaced God as my highest priority?  Have I neglected my daily prayers? Have I presumed upon God’s mercy in committing sin (i.e. willfully committed a sin while telling myself “I’ll just be sure and confess it afterwards.”)? Have I doubted God’s mercy and allowed myself to despair? Have I failed to trust God’s revelation or opened myself to dark spirits by engaging in the occult (e. g. Ouija board, pagan worship practices), fortune-telling, superstition, etc? Am I a part of anti-Catholic groups or associations (e.g. the Freemasons)?  

II.  “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
Have I committed blasphemy by using the name of God or Jesus Christ to swear rather than to praise?  Have I committed sacrilege by showing disrespect to holy objects (e.g. Bible, crucifix, rosary) or contempt for religious persons or sacred places?  Have I committed sacrilege by going to Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin without first going to confession?  Did I violate the one-hour fast before Communion?

III.  Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
Did I miss Mass on any Sunday or Holy day of Obligation (for a reason other than illness or impassable weather)? Have I shown disrespect by not making an effort to be on time for Mass or by leaving early? Have I been aware of unconfessed mortal sin and received Holy Communion without first receiving the Sacrament of Confession? Did I do unnecessary work on the Sabbath which could have been done another day?  Have I been stingy in my support for the Church?  Do I give of my time and talent?

IV.  Honor thy Father and Mother.
Parents: Have I set a bad example for my children by casually missing Mass, neglecting prayer, or ignoring my responsibilities? Do I show little or no interest in my children’s faith and practice of it? Has my love for my spouse mirrored the love between Christ and His Church? Have I been unnecessarily hard on or cold towards my children?
Children: Have I been disobedient and/or disrespectful to my parents or guardians?  Did I neglect to help them however I can?  Have I caused them unnecessary worry and anxiety by my attitude, behavior, etc.? Have I been a good example of how to live the Catholic faith to my family?

V.  Thou shalt not kill.
Have I committed, allowed, or supported any act of abuse, violence, or torture (verbal, emotional, physical, sexual)? Have I endangered the lives of others by recklessness (e.g. driving under the influence of alcohol, etc.)? Have I discriminated against or looked down on anyone because of their religion, language, ethnicity, political affiliation, socio-economic status, or any other reason? Have I been the occasion of another’s sin through my behavior in word or deed (e.g. seduction, encouraging drunkenness, selling drugs, etc.)? Did I consent to, recommend, approve, or support an abortion?  Did I actively or passively cooperate with an act of euthanasia whereby ordinary means were stopped or means taken to directly end the life of an elderly, disabled, or sick person? Have I engaged in self-harm or attempted suicide? Do I show contempt for my body by neglecting to
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take care of my own physical and mental health? Have I been mean or unjust to anyone? Have I held a grudge or sought revenge against someone? Do I point out others’ faults and mistakes while ignoring my own? Do I complain more than I compliment? Am I ungrateful for what other people do for me? Do I tear people down rather than encourage them?

VI.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.
IX.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.
Have I made uninvited comments or unwelcome advances toward another? Have I degraded others by ignoring their human dignity and looking at them as an object? Did I touch others or consent to someone touching me in an impure manner? Did I have any sex before or outside of marriage? Did I view pornographic material? Did I commit the sins of masturbation and/or artificial contraception (e.g. the use of condoms, IUDs, chemical/hormonal birth control pills, the morning after pill, or any surgical procedure meant to prevent conception)?  Have I not avoided the occasions of sin (persons or places) which would tempt me to be unfaithful to my spouse or to my own chastity?  Do I welcome or entertain sexual or emotional fantasies about real, fictional, or imaginary people?  Do I have sexually inappropriate conversations? Have I requested suggestive or sexually explicit photos from someone or sent such photos of myself?

VII.  Thou shalt not steal.
X.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
Do I let financial and material concerns or the desire for comfort override my duty to God, to Church, to my family or my own spiritual well-being? Have I hoarded money or possessions while ignoring the needs of others? Have I stolen anything or tricked someone out of their money or possessions? Have I failed to pay my employees a fair wage and look after their well-being by ensuring they have a healthy working environment, time for rest, and time for family and religious practices?  Did I knowingly deceive someone in business or commit fraud? Am I greedy or envious of another’s goods? Am I addicted to gambling, or otherwise reckless with money by lusting for more wealth rather than humbly meeting my needs and those of my family?

VIII.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Have I told a lie in order to deceive someone?  Have I told the truth with the purpose and intention of ruining someone’s reputation? Have I told a lie or spread rumors which may ruin someone’s reputation? Have I listened to or spread gossip about others? Have I been judgmental? Have I believed something harmful to another’s character without sufficient reason? Do I love to hear bad news about people I don’t like?

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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 fear the pains of hell, but most of all, because they offend You, my God, who are all 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

We believe in a loving Savior who forgives our sins and who gives us the grace to become a saint. Jesus Christ, through the ministry of His priests, does both in the Sacrament of Penance.

“‘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)

“‘I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Matthew 9:13b)

“Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they may become white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:16-18)