Act of contrition/Confession question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Catholicwoman
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Catholicwoman

Guest
Hi so I’ve been in confession to my recollection 3 times in my life, once as a child, once five months ago and once two days ago. As part of my penance the priest told me to say the some prayers including the Act of Contrition and told me to go in peace after he recited the prayer for me and absolved me, I left the confessional after being absolved of my sins and said my penance prayers in the church but I’m a bit confused, was I supposed to say the act inside the confessional as well? I was just reading a book on the divine mercy and came across a paragraph referencing the priest inviting the person to say it??

Thanks for the answer, I’m just glad I didn’t make a huge mistake but I’m very glad I went to confession again! I think it was very clear I was very contrite anyway.
 
Last edited:
@Catholicwoman,
It is not a requirement for the validity of the Sacrament of Reconciliation that you say the Act of Contrition. Mostly it is said as proof before the priest of your contrition for your sins before he grants absolution. If he’s already convinced of your contrition he may confidently grant absolution without it and may ask you, the penitent, to say the Act after the Sacrament has been completed, instead.
 
Got it. thanks very much for the answer this sounds exactly like what happened!
 
hi, I have one Priest that asks us to say the Act of Contrition in the Confession. i have it on my phone and just read it out.

here it is.

Act of Contrition
Basic Group -

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell,
but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life
Amen.
 
If you haven’t been for a while, the priest may assume you would not remember it, so he recites it in the confessional and asks you to say it later. In many confessionals they have copies of it on holy cards sitting in the confession area or taped to the wall so you can just read it.
 
We keep a laminated copy of the Act of Contrition (well one of the versions, anyway) in the Confessionals for those who have forgotten it.
There have been many versions across the decades. The children these days learn one that is shorter than the one I grew up with. One may pray it
  1. in conjunction with an examination of conscience prior to confession
    OR
  2. in the confessional at the priest’s behest
    OR
  3. as part of your penance.
I have found that it is also very effective as a tool for peace to be prayed at the end of the day before sleeping. Try it! God bless you.
 
As a convert, I have never memorized a formal “Act of Contrition”. I say “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, give me strength to follow you. Amen”
 
TheLittleLady said:
As a convert, I have never memorized a formal “Act of Contrition”. I say “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, give me strength to follow you. Amen”
Click to expand...
I go a little bit longer than that, but yeah, I just say what’s on my mind.

D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top