Dear John:

Well, it sounds like you may be a little over-nervous, but you are still going ahead with the Confession despite the fear -- that is good.

If this is more than just nervousness and is really a fear, then you may want to pray that God remove the spirit of fear from you. Fear is not of God. Fear will come either from one's own psychology or from the Enemy. It is certain that the Enemy does not want you or anyone to go to Confession and he will do what he can to try to get us to avoid Confession. Do not let him succeed in that. Resist the devil, resist the fear, and go to Confession anyway.

It sounds like you are doing that and that is excellent.

Here is a prayer to rebuke a demon of fear just in case that is what is going on (you don't have to "know" if this fear is coming from the Enemy to pray this prayer, you can pray it "just in case":

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of His name, I ask of the heavenly Father to rebuke this spirit of fear that comes over me when I seek your forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you Father to command this spirit to depart from me, now, quietly, without harm to anyone.

I bring the power and the protection of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ over my life. Satan has no part with me as I am sealed with the saving blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for not being all I should be in Your eyes. Let the cleansing, healing waters of my baptism wash over this me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with Your peace, confidence, and hope to replace the fear I feel before entering the Confessional.

Lord Jesus, bring to bear my guardian angel, and all the angels of heaven, against the forces of evil that seek to cause trouble for me.

Saint Michael, be my protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and our Mother, pray for me that I may not fall into the devil’s temptations.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for setting me free. I praise You, I bless You, I worship You. Thank You for the wisdom and light of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You for enabling me to be aggressive against the works of the enemy. Thank You for Your hope, that takes away discouragement; thank You for ongoing victory. "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). Amen.

As far as the nervousness causing you to become flummoxed to the point of forgetting to mention some of the sins you intended to mention, those forgotten sins are forgiven anyway when the priest absolves you. As long as you are not deliberately withholding those sins and are thus truly forgetting them, you are okay and the Confession is valid.

Even though the forgotten sins are technically forgiven if you remember what those sins were later, then you can mention them in your next Confession.

Be not afraid. God loves you and coming to Him in the Sacrament of Confession is like a refreshing shower that cleanses your soul.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary