Is there such a thing as a Catholic "Sinner's Prayer"

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or “Prayer of Salvation” or what have you … I have a dear friend who’s finally begun to look deeper into her life for meaning, God and what it all means … she was raised a rather weak Lutheran and has asked me to help her find out about the religions of the world so she can see which one she thinks is right. She feels that all she knows now is that there is a God and she wants to know who’s God, if any, is the right one.

I honestly will still love her and respect her if she wants to be whatever but naturally I’ll be happy if she chooses to become a Christian and extatic if she chooses to be a Catholic.

So I’m helping her as best I can – but since I’m a convert from a very heavy Southern Baptist church what I know of making the choice to follow Christ is just this canned “sinner’s prayer” no follow up …

What I know of becoming Catholic is either being born into it or converting after 9 months of RCIA … I want to, if asked, offer her something more immediate than the 9 month process but not something “Protestant” like what I was brought up thinking was necessary …

So what do we have? How does someone, as a Catholic, help a friend when they decide to follow Christ?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Naphali:
or “Prayer of Salvation” or what have you … I have a dear friend who’s finally begun to look deeper into her life for meaning, God and what it all means … she was raised a rather weak Lutheran and has asked me to help her find out about the religions of the world so she can see which one she thinks is right. She feels that all she knows now is that there is a God and she wants to know who’s God, if any, is the right one.

I honestly will still love her and respect her if she wants to be whatever but naturally I’ll be happy if she chooses to become a Christian and extatic if she chooses to be a Catholic.

So I’m helping her as best I can – but since I’m a convert from a very heavy Southern Baptist church what I know of making the choice to follow Christ is just this canned “sinner’s prayer” no follow up …

What I know of becoming Catholic is either being born into it or converting after 9 months of RCIA … I want to, if asked, offer her something more immediate than the 9 month process but not something “Protestant” like what I was brought up thinking was necessary …

So what do we have? How does someone, as a Catholic, help a friend when they decide to follow Christ?

Thanks in advance!
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Catholics do not have a “sinners prayer” though you can ask the bishop and get accepted without RCIA if you have suficient knowledge. Catholics do not believed in “once saved, always saved”
 
certainly there is! 🙂 the sinner’s prayer, as used by protestants (i can tell you, as i am also a convert, and have a degree in baptist theology) is simply a ‘repenting of sins and asking Jesus to save us.’ a catholic can certainly do the same thing. repenting of our sins, and asking Jesus to save us, is a ‘sinner’s prayer’ that we catholics pray, not once like the protestants, but pretty much every week (or every day for daily communicants.)

we confess our sins and ask Jesus to save us in every mass. your friend can certainly confess her sins, repent, and ask Jesus to save her. which He will.

now, the difference comes next. protestants say ‘ok, great! welcome to the family. you should probably be baptised (although it’s just a symbol, doesn’t mean anything), and go to church (since the Bible says so), and take communion from time to time (as a symbol, once again.) but you don’t HAVE to do any of those things. you believe in Jesus. that’s all you need.’

we catholics believe that salvation is a process. this explains why the Bible says ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling’, and why it says ‘faith without works is dead’ and why it says ‘so you see that you’re justified by what you do, and not by faith alone.’ so her salvation BEGINS when she repents of her sins, asks Jesus to save her, and is (perhaps after RCIA) baptised. it ENDS when she dies, after a lifetime of ‘doing unto the least of these our brothers’ what we are, in actuality, doing to Him.

God bless you and your friend. (ps don’t be too hasty to get your friend ‘saved’. that’s a common protestant error. love your friend. be a friend to your friend. as she sees your faith, and your love, she will be drawn in by the spirit of God. let Him do His work. be His instrument, but don’t think that it’s ‘all up to you’. He’s saving her, not you.)

🙂
 
Catholic sinner’s prayer:

Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi Pater: quia peccavi nimis cogitatione verbo, et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et te Pater, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum Nostrum.
 
And of course:

Deus meus, ex toto corde paenitet me omnium meorum peccatorum, eaque detestor, quia peccando, non solum poenas a Te iuste statutas promeritus sum, sed praesertim quia offendi Te, summum bonum, ac dignum qui super omnia diligaris. Ideo firmiter propono, adiuvante gratia Tua, de cetero me non peccaturum peccandique occasiones proximas fugiturum. Amen.
 
JMJ + OBT​

From the Missale Romanum, editio typica 2002; or in other words, from the Mass of the Roman Rite as it is celebrated in most Catholic parishes today:

The Confiteor or “I Confess” prayer

Confiteor Deo omnipotenti et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, opere et omissione: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, omnes Angelos et Sanctos, et vos, fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum. Amen.

The English translation of the same that is currently approved for use in the USA and in many other English-speaking countries. [Note that many English-speaking Catholics are not satisfied with this, what they consider to be a poor, translation. But it does get the point across pretty well.]

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do, and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Amen.

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA
 
Although there may not be a sinner’s prayer, there are many traditional prayers that are designed to make one conscious of one’s sin and the need for repentance. I recommend a very ancient prayer known as the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner. I have found nothing that is simpler or more powerful at leading one to reunion with God.
 
The Act of Perfect Contrition:

O my God, I am 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 confess my sins, to ammend my life, to do penance, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
 
Eternal Father, Thy Son has promised that Thou wilt grant us all the graces which we ask Thee for in His name. In the name, therefore, and by the merits of Jesus Christ, I ask the following graces for myself and for all mankind:

And first, I pray Thee to give me a lively faith in all that the holy Roman Church teaches me. Enlighten me also, that I may know the vanity of the goods of this world, and the immensity of the Infinite Good that Thou art; make me also see the deformity of the sins I have committed, that I may humble myself and detest them as I ought; and, on the other hand, show me how worthy Thou art, by reason of Thy goodness, that I should love Thee with all my heart. Make me know also the love Thou has borne me, that from this day forward I may try to be grateful for so much goodness.

Secondly, give me a firm confidence in Thy mercy of receiving the pardon of my sins, holy perseverance, and, finally, the glory of paradise, through the merits of Jesus Christ and the intercession of Mary.

Thirdly, give me a great love toward Thee, which shall detach me from the love of this world and of myself, so that I may love none other but Thee, and that I may neither do nor desire anything else but what is for Thy glory.

Fourthly, I beg of Thee a perfect resignation to Thy will, in accepting with tranquility sorrows, infirmities, contempt, persecutions, aridity of spirit, loss of property, of esteem, of relations, and every other cross which shall come to me from Thy hands. I offer myself entirely to Thee, that thou mayest do with me, and all that belongs to me, what thou pleasest; do Thou only give me light and strength to do Thy will, and, especially at the hour of death, help me to sacrifice my life to Thee with all the affection I am capable of, in union with the sacrifice which Thy Son Jesus Christ made of His life on the cross of Calvary.

Fifthly, I beg of Thee a great sorrow for my sins, which may make me grieve over them as long as I live, and weep for the insults I have offered Thee, the Sovereign Good, who art worthy of infinite love, and who hast loved me so much.

Sixthly, I pray Thee to give me the spirit of true humility and meekness, that I may accept with peace, and even with joy, all the contempt, ingratitude and ill-treatment that I may receive. At the same time I also pray Thee to give me perfect charity, which shall make me wish well to those who have done evel to me, and to do what good I can, at least by praying, for those who have in any way injured me.

Seventhly, I beg of Thee to give me a love for the virtue of holy mortification, by which I may chastise my rebellious senses, and cross my self-love; at the same time I beg Thee to give me holy purity of body, and the grace to resist all bad temptations, by ever having recourse to Thee and Thy most Holy Mother.

Give me the grace faithfully to obey my spiritual father and all my superiors in all things. Give me an upright intention, that in all I desire and do I may seek only Thy glory, and to please Thee alone. Give me a great confidence in the Passion of Jesus Christ, and in the intercession of Mary Immaculate. Give me a great love toward the most Adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and a tender devotion and love to Thy Holy Mother. Give me, I pray Thee, above all, holy perseverance, and the grace always to pray for it, especially in time of temptation and at the hour of death.

Continued…
 
Lastly, I recommend to Thee the holy souls in Purgatory, my relations and benefactors; and in an especial manner I recommend to Thee all those who hate me, or who have in any way offended me; I beg of Thee to render them good for the evil they have done, or may wish to do me. I also recommend to Thee all infidels, heretics, and all poor sinners; give them light and strength to deliver themselves from sin. O, most loving God, make Thyself known and loved by all, but especially by those who have been more ungrateful to Thee than others, so that by Thy goodness I may come one day to sing Thy mercies in paradise; for my hope is in the merits of Thy Blood, and in the patronage of Mary. O Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me! So I hope; so may it be!
 
CatholicNerd is right on with his post.
O my God, I am 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 confess my sins, to ammend my life, to do penance, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
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In accord with Catholic tradition, contrition, whether it be perfect or imperfect, must be at once be
(a) interior,
(b) supernatural,
(c) universal, and
(d) sovereign.
newadvent.org/cathen/04337a.htm
contrition.net/contrition.html (formatting is hard on the eyes, you may have to highlight the whole thing)

A comparison with the “Sinners’ Prayer” would make an interesting discussion. Perhaps somebody can post it.

kepha1

kepha1
 
Teach your friend the Creed and ask that it be repeated every day first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
 
How about this?

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

To the Sacred Heart of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I give myself and I consecrate my person and my life, my actions, pains, and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love, and glorify the Sacred Heart.
This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all his and to do all things for the love of him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to him. I therefore take you, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life, and my sure refuge at the hour of death.
Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in you, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from your goodness and bounty.
Remove from me all that can displease you or resist your holy will; let your pure love imprint your image so deeply upon my heart that I shall never be able to forget you or to be separated from you.
May I obtain from your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in your heart, for in you I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to you.

(Handbook of Prayers, ed. by Rev. James Socias; Scepter Publishers, 2001; page 363)
 
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