In 1961 I was taught the following to make a confession:  Bless me father, for I have sinned, it has been  ( a month) since my last confession.  I did this and that so many times and I am sorry for the sins of my past especially......

the following is a form that I ran across, and I do like this one so much better:

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary and all the saints, and to thee, my spiritual father that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word , and deed, and by omission ; by my fault, by my own fault, by my own grievous fault.  Especially I confess that, since I received absolution, I have done these sins....... For these, and for all my other sins which I cannot now remember, I am heartily sorry, and I purpose amendment.  Wherefore I pray Almighty God to have mercy upon me, and forgive me my sins; and of thee, father, I ask penance, advice, and absolution.  I beg blessed Mary, and all the saints, and thee, father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

what were you taught to say to begin your confession?

hmm. I'm not comfortable with calling my local novus ordo priests "my spiritual father". I say so because I get absolutely nothing in the way of Catholic doctrine from any of them, and never have from any NO priest.

I use the first confession which is all I know, but I might adapt the second one and use it next time. unfortunately, there is most likely a next time, but such is man, we are bound for hell, or would be, if it were not for faith and grace. May I retain my state of grace, so help me God.

The Church in 1961 was not novus ordo.  In 1961 the Catholic Church
was still One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.  Despite a very
liberal and progressive Pontiff setting on the Throne of St. Peter.

I found these words for confession in a book, "The King's Highway by George D. Carleton.  I am not sure, but I think it is Byzatine. Not sure,  I made a note that it was coming from Eastern Rite England, 1959.

In this book, it states when we pray, all of the communion of saints are praying with us.  It states that: It is not that we ask; and God responds to prayer.  God moves us to pray,and we respond to is inspiration.  All prayers as we have seen, is part of the prayer of the body of Christ.  It is made in Christ and through Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost, abiding in the Church and in each member. So, we do not pray alone. There is with us the whole Church.

So, in the Mass, we say the confiteor, it starts out addressing Blessed Mary, Blessed Michael the archangel and etc.

Now I grant you, this is a most beautiful dogma and most consoling and it gives much more inspiration, a would say profounder prayers.

It is not you just praying, the whole family of the communion of saints and souls are all involved.

I know that we were taught about the communion of saints, but sometimes we forget the extent and all that it entails,  Then you read and it is written in such a manner that the heart warms up and lights come on!

So, now I see that in all we do, all the sacraments we take in, the communion of saints are joining us.