Byzantine Catholic guide on receiving the Holy Mystery of Penance (Reconciliation)
After making a good Examination of Conscience, go to the place where confessions are being heard, kneel down and make the Sign of the Cross, saying: In the Name of the + Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer Before Confession
I confess to Almighty God, one in the Holy Trinity, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, to all the Saints, and to you, Father, all my sins.
While you are saying these prayers, the priest prays over you and blesses you saying:
"May Our Lord God Jesus Christ be in your heart and on your lips that you may worthily confess all your sins. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Continue your confession by saying:
My last worthy confession was ______.
These are the sins I remember since then.
Now mention the sins you remember. In the case of serious or mortal sins, mention the number of times. After confessing the sins you remember, complete your confession by saying:
These are all the sins I remember, Father.
Now listen for any questions or instructions the priest may direct to you.
The priest may then ask you to arouse sorrow in your heart for the sins you committed and ask you to make a sincere act of contrition. You do this by saying the Act of Contrition.
Act of Contrition
For these and all my other sins which I cannot remember or call to mind, I am sorry that I have offended God and angered Him against me. I am sincerely repentant and promise, with the help of God, to better my life. For this I humbly ask of you, Father, salutary penance and absolution.
Listen to the penance the priest will assign to you, If you do not understand the penance, make mention of this to him.
While you are still kneeling there, the priest, by virtue of the power he received at his ordination, will absolve you from all your sins by pronouncing the Prayer of Absolution over you. When he is through, he will dismiss you with the words: "Go in peace and sin no more."
You respond by saying: Thank you, Father.
It is a good practice to do your penance immediately after you leave the confessional. If you cannot do this, at least kneel down in the pew and thank God for His mercy.