"...The format for individual confession is as follows: The penitent and priest make the Sign of the Cross. Then the penitent tells the priest the last time he or she received the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The penitent confesses his or her sins where all mortal sins should be named in kind and number. It is not necessary to mention every venial sin as though following a checklist. The priest may give a few words of counsel, and then he will give the penitent a penance to do. The penance can be a prayer or an act of charity. Then the penitent makes an act of sorrow by praying some version of the Act of Contrition. The penitent either prays this prayer from memory, brings their own copy to read, or there is a copy of an Act of Contrition in the confessional. After this, the priest extends his hand and prays the Prayer of Absolution. The priest may then conclude the Rite by saying, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good,” or “Go in the peace of Christ.” The penitent may say, “Thanks be to God.”