The basic requirement for a good confession is to return to God like the "prodigal son" and acknowledge our sins with true sorrow before the priest.  

The Gospels show how important is the forgiveness of our sins. The lives of saints prove that the person who grows in holiness has a stronger sense of sin, sorrow for sins, and a need for the Sacrament of Penance or Confession. As a result of Original Sin, human nature is weakened. Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, takes away Original Sin and turns us back toward God. The consequences of this weakness and the inclination to evil persist, and we often commit personal or actual sin. Actual sin is sin which people commit. There are two kinds of actual sin, mortal and venial. Mortal sin is a deadly offense against God, so horrible that it destroys the life of grace in the soul. Three simultaneous conditions must be fulfilled for a mortal sin: 1) the act must be extremely grave; 2) the person must have a sufficient understanding of what is being done; 3) the person must have sufficient freedom of the will.

If you need help, especially if you have been away for some time, simply ask the priest to help you.

Before Confession

Be truly sorry for your sins. This is the essential part of reconciliation. Then, the resolution to avoid committing these sins in the future is a sign that your sorrow is genuine and authentic. A resolution to avoid the near occasions of sin suffices for true repentance. God's grace in cooperation with the intention to rectify your life will give you the strength to resist and overcome temptation in the future.

Examination of Conscience

Before going to Confession you should review mortal and venial sins since your last sacramental confession and express sorrow for your sins and a firm resolution not to sin again. A helpful pattern for the examination of conscience is to review the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church:

1. Has God been the goal of my life? Have I denied my faith? Have I placed my trust in false teachings or substitutes for God? Did I despair of God's mercy?
2. Have I used God's name in vain? Have I broken a solemn vow or promise?
3. Have I honored every Sunday (and holy days of obligation) by attending Mass and avoiding unnecessary work?
4. Was I unnecessarily late for Mass, or did I leave early? Have I neglected prayer for a long time?
5. Have I shown respect to parents, spouses, and family members, legitimate authorities? Have I been attentive to the religious education and formation of my children?
6. Have I cared for the bodily health and safety of myself and others? Did I abuse drugs or alcohol? Have I supported in any way abortion, "mercy killing," or suicide?
7. Was I impatient, angry, envious, proud, jealous, revengeful, or lazy? Have I forgiven others?
8. Have I been just in my responsibilities to employers and employees? Have I discriminated against others because of race or other reasons?
9. Have I been chaste in my thoughts, words and deeds? Did I deliberately look at pornography?
10. Have I stolen anything from another, my employer, or the government? If so, am I ready to repay it? 
11. Have I spoken ill of any other person? Have I always told the truth?
12. Have I desired what belongs to other people? Have I wished ill on another?
13. Have I helped make my parish community stronger and holier? 
14. Have I done penance by abstaining and fasting on obligatory days? 
15. Have I been mindful of the poor? Do I accept God's will for me?

During Confession

After examining your conscience, go into the confessional. You may kneel at the screen or sit to talk face-to-face with the priest. Begin your confession with the sign of the cross, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was _______ weeks (months, years) ago."

Say the sins that you remember. Start with the one(s) that is most difficult to say. After confessing all the sins, you may conclude by saying, "I am sorry for these and all the sins of my past life."

The priest may briefly instruct you and then he will assign you some penance. Doing the penance will diminish the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. When invited, express your sorrow by saying an Act of Contrition:

An Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
 

Listen to the words of absolution, the sacramental forgiveness of God through the ordained priest. As you listen to the words of forgiveness make the sign of the cross. 

After Confession

Give thanks to God for forgiving you again. If you recall some grave sin you forgot to tell, rest assured that it has been forgiven with the others, and yet be sure to confess it in your next Confession.

Do your Penance

Resolve to use the Sacrament of Penance at least once a year. We Catholics are fortunate to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It is the ordinary way for us to have our sins forgiven. This sacrament is a powerful help to eliminate our weaknesses, grow in holiness, and lead a balanced and virtuous life.