We must begin by making a purification from mortal sin and the means to realize it is the holy sacrament of Penance. Look for the best confessor you can find. Get hold of one of the booklets which have been composed to help people to make a good concession.[1] Read it carefully, and note point by point what are your offences, beginning from the time you came to the use of reason up to the present. In case you cannot rely on your memory, write down what you observe. Having in this way got ready and gathered up your sinful dispositions, detest them and renounce them with all the contrition and regret that your heart is capable of. Keep in mind those four points: that by sin you have lost God’s grace, given up your place in Heaven, taken upon yourself the everlasting suffering of hell and renounced God’s everlasting love.
You understand, Philothea, that I refer to a general confession of your whole life. Of course, I admit that it is not always absolutely necessary. But I am sure that it will be of great help to you, now in the beginning. Therefore, I strongly recommend it to you.
It often happens that the usual confessions of those who live a common and ordinary life are full of great defects. Generally they make little or no preparation, and they do not have sufficient contrition. In fact, it frequently happens that they go to confession with the implicit determination of returning to sin, since they are not willing to avoid the occasions of sin or to make use of the measures required to amend their life. In all such cases a general confession is indispensable to inspire confidence.
Besides this, a general confession invites us to a knowledge of ourselves. It arouses us to a healthy embarrassment for our past life. It makes us marvel at the mercy of God and his waiting for us with patience. It brings peace to our heart, refreshes our mind, and urges us to good resolutions. It provides our spiritual director with opportunity to give us advice that is more suitable to our condition. It opens our heart so that we can express ourselves with confidence at our subsequent confessions.
Since I am advising you about a general renewal of heart and a complete conversion to God, by committing yourself to the devout life, I thing I have every reason to advise you to make this general confession.
_______________________________
[1] Here St. Francis recommends: Louis of Granda (1505-1588), Spanish Dominican: Vincent Bruno (1532-1594), Italian Jesuit; Francis Arias (1533-1605), Spanish Jesuit; Emond Auger (1530-1591), French Jesuit.