Is ACT of CONTRITION fully efficacious ...

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If a priest is not present ? If we use it to confess straight to God … in private ?
 
No, it is not fully efficacious. Saying the Act of Contrition in private will not remit Mortal Sins, nor will it give you any Sanctifying grace if you are in the state of Mortal Sin.
 
Daniel_Lysinger said:
No, it is not fully efficacious. Saying the Act of Contrition in private will not remit Mortal Sins, nor will it give you any Sanctifying grace if you are in the state of Mortal Sin.
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I would agree that merely saying the words will not remit mortal sin but what about an act of perfect contrition? I mean when one is truely sorry for having offended God rather than just fearing Hell. “A contrite and humble heart Thou wilt not despise”. However, such an one should confess ASAP and before receiving the Eucharist.
 
Very true Bill, thanks for reminding me. Here is the Catechism on it: “When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.” CCC 1452

So, in the case of perfect contrition, yes, venial sins are remitted. It is also possible for Mortal sins to be forgiven.
 
As noted in the previous posts, an act of contrition outside of confession would not remit mortal sin although could remit venial sin. Personally I say the act of contrition every night. Hypothetically if you are in a remote area per se without reasonable access to confession and you were to pray an act of contrition with good and meaningful intent and a minute later Jesus would come again to judge us essentially your mortal sins would be remitted. But this could also be said for someone who committed a mortal sin and had a actual intent to go to confession but died before making it, if that makes sense.
 
An act of perfect contrition by itself is sufficient to absolve a person of mortal sins, because such an act includes the resolve to make a good sacramental confession as soon as possible.
 
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