act of contrition

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Mattjolley

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when you reach the point in your confession where you make the act of contrition, can you insert your own, as it were? my parish has three to choose from, but I wanted to use the older version found in more traditional circles.

That got me thinking as to whether there’s an actual ‘set form’ for what to say or could you say your own? I dont mean make on up on the spot but sit down and think it out before you made your confession. So really im asking 2 questions.

The second question is really just a ‘what if’ question, as I reckon as far as the first enquiry goes, there wont be a problem with me using the older form of the AoC, even if it isnt given in the confessional at my parish.

Matt
 
At my church, you can make up your own or say the one they provide on the little card (btw, it doesn’t mention the loss of heaven or pains of hell…shucks). Any made-up ones should probably contain sorrow for one’s sins and asking God’s help to not sin again.

Which is the older version, I’m curious-
 
The one I learned is:

“Oh, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pain of Hell. But most of all, because they have offended Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.”

Hope that helps.
 
The one I always say, is one of the ones my church has:

“Oh my God, because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you; and with the help of your grace, I will not sin again.”

The more old fashioned version, (of course I only see it as old fashioned because I found it in the confession section of my 1962 Missal) is:

“Oh my God, I am most heartily sorry for all my sins and; I detest them above all things, because they displease Thee, who art infinately good and lovable, and I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to do penance for them, and never more to offend Thee.”

I also had this one in mind:

“O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven, and the pains of Hell; but most of all because I love Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.”
 
I can’t quote the source, but I read that the penitent is to make “some appropriate act of contrition” after confessing his sins. I think the one’s that churches provide or that children learn at school etc, are merely examples, and that something along the lines of these examples will suffice.

In a book that I have called “The Key of Heaven - a Manual of Prayers and Instructions for Catholic’s, in accordance with recent Pontifical Decrees” which was published by Eason & Son Ltd. of Dublin. It is quite an old book - certainly pre Vatican II. The prayer it gives is as follows and may resemble the prayer that Mattjolley is suggesting:

“O my God, I am sorry and beg pardon for all my sins, and detest them above all things, because they deserve Thy dreadful punishments, because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ, and, most of all, because they offend Thine infinite goodness; and I firmly resolve, by the help of Thy grace, never to offend Thee again, and carefully to avoid the occasions of sin.”

-Quite an appropriate prayer but I’m sure you could use “your” if you feel that using “thy” and “thine” is a bit too archaic! Of course just mumbling a set of words doesn’t make a sincere act of contrition, but this prayer seems to me to be more heartfelt than the more “modern” on that I learned in school.
 
Once in confession I got to the Act of Contrition and drew an absolute blank. “Oh, my God…uh…umm…” I couldn’t remember what came next. The priest told me to just say what was in my heart. What you need is to be sorry for your sins…the particular words don’t matter.
 
The rubric for individual reconciliation:
“45. The priest then asks the penitent to express his sorrow, which the penitent may do in these or similar words: …”.
Ten versions are given. But they are optional and can be modified.
(Reference: Rite of Penance, in The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press.)
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
Once in confession I got to the Act of Contrition and drew an absolute blank. “Oh, my God…uh…umm…” I couldn’t remember what came next. The priest told me to just say what was in my heart. What you need is to be sorry for your sins…the particular words don’t matter.
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Exactly - if it was sufficient for the publican in the Gospels to just say ‘Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner’ then there’s no need to angst about what you say, as long as you mean it.
 
I always use the one I grew up with (“Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee…”) except that I never say the phrase “because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell.”

I think I like the following better, but since I don’t have it memorized, I pray it at home where I have it written down:

Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins;
the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul,
the sins of my body; my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins;
the sins I know, the sins I do not know; the sins I have concealed
for so long, and which are now hidden from my memory.
I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial,
for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour.
I know my sins have wounded Thy Tender Heart,
O My Savior, let me be freed from the bonds of evil through
the most bitter Passion of My Redeemer. Amen.
O My Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been. Amen.
 
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