crystal_waters
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Which Act Of Contrition Prayer Do You Use And Why? How Often Do You Pray It?
Contrition
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AlanFromWichita
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I use one inspired by Luke 18. “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.” 
I like it because it’s simple, and I can get my heart into it. If I say something more lengthy that I have memorized, then it seems like I’m “performing” an act of contrition rather than “making” one. I understand that for the sacrament of penance, making a formal statement is perfectly OK, but especially when it’s just me talking to God, I like to go with what seems more … me. Something I might have actually said without taking lessons or using a teleprompter.
Alan
I like it because it’s simple, and I can get my heart into it. If I say something more lengthy that I have memorized, then it seems like I’m “performing” an act of contrition rather than “making” one. I understand that for the sacrament of penance, making a formal statement is perfectly OK, but especially when it’s just me talking to God, I like to go with what seems more … me. Something I might have actually said without taking lessons or using a teleprompter.
Alan
crystal_waters
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Alan is that the origin of the jesus prayer(jesus christ son of god, have mercy on me a sinner )?I use one inspired by Luke 18. “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.”
I like it because it’s simple, and I can get my heart into it. If I say something more lengthy that I have memorized, then it seems like I’m “performing” an act of contrition rather than “making” one. I understand that for the sacrament of penance, making a formal statement is perfectly OK, but especially when it’s just me talking to God, I like to go with what seems more … me. Something I might have actually said without taking lessons or using a teleprompter.
Alan
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AlanFromWichita
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AlanFromWichita
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I don’t know. It could be – maybe that’s where I got the idea? I first got interested in simple prayers when my old pastor said his favorite prayer in the Bible was, “Lord, save me,” from Matt 14:30 when Peter began to sink. He said that simple prayer sums up a great deal of what we might want to pray for.
Alan
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joshvanrad
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I try to pray it before bed every night. I’ve been told by many priests that it is good practice to pray it after doing a daily reflection. After reflecting upon your failings would be a decent place to recite such a prayer (Act of Contrition).
S
Southern
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The Act of Contrition that we learned in Cathichism says it all. The reason is to say you are sorry and you will avoid the nearest occassions of sin. Just saying you are sorry is not enough. Detesting all my sins because of thy just punishments is saying that you will suffer to be cleansed through the consiquinces of your actions and you accept it. It covers sorrow for sins, repentence and changing your life and accepting the consiquinces as a form of purgatory. God Bless! Hope this helps!
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UpUpAndAway
Guest
I pray the same one as joshvanrad before every Mass during which I intend to receive Communion. (I attend at least one Mass daily but rarely receive more than once a day and never more than twice.)
In weekly confession, however, I recite a different Act of Contrition because I confess in French. There are two principal versions of the Act of Contrition in French: one that uses the formal version of “you” (Vous) to refer to God, and one that uses the informal version (Tu). I use the former.
Mon Dieu, j’ai un très grand regret de Vous avoir offensé parce que Vous êtes infiniment bon, infiniment aimable, et que le péché Vous déplaît. Je prends la ferme résolution, avec le secours de Votre sainte grâce, de ne plus Vous offenser et de faire pénitence.
Roughly:
My God, I deeply regret having offended You because You are infinitely good, infinitely lovable, and because sin displeases You. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your Holy Grace, to never offend You again and to do penance.
In weekly confession, however, I recite a different Act of Contrition because I confess in French. There are two principal versions of the Act of Contrition in French: one that uses the formal version of “you” (Vous) to refer to God, and one that uses the informal version (Tu). I use the former.
Mon Dieu, j’ai un très grand regret de Vous avoir offensé parce que Vous êtes infiniment bon, infiniment aimable, et que le péché Vous déplaît. Je prends la ferme résolution, avec le secours de Votre sainte grâce, de ne plus Vous offenser et de faire pénitence.
Roughly:
My God, I deeply regret having offended You because You are infinitely good, infinitely lovable, and because sin displeases You. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your Holy Grace, to never offend You again and to do penance.
I use this prayer (after confession) from the Antiochian Service Book because I first converted in the Antiochian Orthodox Church:
“I am heartily sorry that I have offended God, Who is good, and angered Him against me: I sincerely repent, and promise with the help of God to better my way of life: wherefore I humbly ask thee, my spiritual Father, saving penance and absolution.”
“I am heartily sorry that I have offended God, Who is good, and angered Him against me: I sincerely repent, and promise with the help of God to better my way of life: wherefore I humbly ask thee, my spiritual Father, saving penance and absolution.”
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AlanFromWichita
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I never really felt sorry because of the just punishment. Scared a bit at times, but not sorry. I was only sorry because of possibly offending God. I really don’t focus on hell very much.
Maybe that’s just me.
Maybe that’s just me.
Same here. I hate offending God so much.
I do not like those Acts that talk about repenting do to the fear of punishments.
S
Southern
Guest
Thy just punishments do not necessarily mean hell but the consequences of our actions that come about from the sin. Ex: If you steal you go to jail. If you lie you lose someone’s trust and have to earn it back. If you don’t forgive someone then you may get sick. All of these are the consequences and are a form of purification. However, illnesses may not always be the case. Sometimes it is our way to suffer for others as well. And Friends you are so very right. The worst thing is offending God. But rejoice because He is so ever merciful and ready to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us! God Bless!
F
fred_conty
Guest
It is what Peter did when he heard the cock crow…he wept.
We should tell Jesus every day that we are terribly sorry, and say, “help me to love you more.”
And we should tell him also how sorry we are for those who do not love him.
We should tell Jesus every day that we are terribly sorry, and say, “help me to love you more.”
And we should tell him also how sorry we are for those who do not love him.
P
Pax2u
Guest
I pray the “old” one I learned as a child: O my God I’m heartily sorry for having offended Thee. And I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments. But most of all because they offend Thee my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen
This is the one I use at Confession, and I pray it when I first get to church before Mass. The rest of the time I use my own words to tell God that I’m sorry for wrongs I’ve done.
This is the one I use at Confession, and I pray it when I first get to church before Mass. The rest of the time I use my own words to tell God that I’m sorry for wrongs I’ve done.
T
The_Blunt_Brig
Guest
I use the regular act of contrition outside confession: O my God I am heartly sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments 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, do penance and avoid the near occasion of sin.
Inside the sacrament of confession I remove the “but most of all” and replace it with an and.
The Catholic Church states the perfect contrition (needed for forgiveness outside confession) is necessary for forgiveness. Which means the repentance has to come from love of God though it can also have other unnecessary reasons. And imperfect contrition (sorrow for sinning not coming from love of God) is necessary for forgiveness in confession.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (which Pope John Paul II said is a “sure norm for teaching the faith” says:
The Council of Trent, which is the document the Catechism cited, says you need all the parts of imperfect contrition to get forgiven in the sacrament (firm resolution to sin no more with the help of God’s grace or avoid the near occasion of sin, do penance, and sorrow for sin). And all the parts of perfect contrition to get forgiven outside (firm resolution to sin no more with the help of God’s grace or avoid the near occasion of sin, do penance, and sorrow for sin from love of God, and resolution to confess the mortal sin in confession when/if possible).
N
NeedsMercy
Guest
This is a very important point about confession that many folks do not understand. Just today my friend, who is Jewish, and I were comparing and contrasting the ideas of forgiveness in Catholicism and Judaism. I was explaining the idea that there is no absolution if there is no sincerity in a promise not to commit the sin again. If the sin has hurt another, the wrong must be righted as part of the penance.
The Act of Contrition I like is the one I learned for my first Confession, waaay back when John XXIII was Pope:
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 pains of hell. But most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and worthy 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.
S
Southern
Guest
Awesome and so right!!! God Bless!
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