No Act of Contrition request

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I’ve been to confession twice in the past 2 weeks at two different parishes. At neither one did the priest ask me to say an Act of Contrition. Both priests went right into the penance and then absolution. In both cases I went out and said the Act before my penance prayers. Also, at today’s confession the priest used a very short absolution. It was over before I knew it!
So, is my confession and absolution valid without the Act being said before absolution? If this happens again should I tell the priest I’d like to say an Act of Contrition?

BTW, at neither time were there many people there so it wasn’t like they were super busy and had to rush.
 
in the last 3 parishes I have belonged to and taught CCD we have been instructed in preparing people for first confession that the Act of contrition may be said privately before or after confession, but that the priest will not ask the candidate to recite it in the confessional. It seems therefore to be SOP in some places. I cannot remember being asked by a priest to say an act of contrition during confession in at least 20 years of regular confessions.
 
Your experience is interesting. When I taught CCD 14 years ago we included the AoC in our instructions because the priests at that parish would ask for it. Also, interestingly, of all my years this is the first time it’s been omitted, meaning, it’s always been requested by the priest when I confessed. Hence, my query. But if it’s not required then my mind is at ease.

Thanks!!
 
Ad_Altare_Dei said:
I’ve been to confession twice in the past 2 weeks at two different parishes. At neither one did the priest ask me to say an Act of Contrition. Both priests went right into the penance and then absolution. In both cases I went out and said the Act before my penance prayers. Also, at today’s confession the priest used a very short absolution. It was over before I knew it!
So, is my confession and absolution valid without the Act being said before absolution? If this happens again should I tell the priest I’d like to say an Act of Contrition?

BTW, at neither time were there many people there so it wasn’t like they were super busy and had to rush.
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If the priest did not say, “I absolve you of your sins…,” etc., then the sacrament was invalidated by a lacking in form. If he did say that, one could hope the priest had good reason for shortening the closing prayer before absolution was given.

The priest may well be assuming you are contrite by your presence in the confessional and the presentation of your sins. It doesn’t hurt anything in regard to validity of the sacrament to say the Act of Contrition privately after confession, however.

– Nicole
 
… my dear friend ,

… regardless of practises be they ok or not , so long as you fulfill your part of the coinfession correctly then you are forgiven , and on that point various words can be used so long as they have the same meaning , even if the priest is wrong to do it , eg he may say i absolve or i forgive or i pardon - your sins in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit , amen ,

… may god bless and love you 👍🙂 ,

… john …
 
Ad_Altare_Dei said:
I’ve been to confession twice in the past 2 weeks at two different parishes. At neither one did the priest ask me to say an Act of Contrition. Both priests went right into the penance and then absolution. In both cases I went out and said the Act before my penance prayers. Also, at today’s confession the priest used a very short absolution. It was over before I knew it!
So, is my confession and absolution valid without the Act being said before absolution? If this happens again should I tell the priest I’d like to say an Act of Contrition?

BTW, at neither time were there many people there so it wasn’t like they were super busy and had to rush.
Click to expand...
It is an error, but it is still valid. Say your act of contrition during absolution if he does not ask.

By the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Prot. N. 697/99/L (in the year 1999)

“The norms in force are found in particular in the Ordo Paenitentiae of the Rituale Romanum and in the Codex Iuris Canonici (cfr. cann. 959-991, and cann. 960-962, in particular) and are based on the constant doctrine of the Church, as well as the traditional practice of the Latin Church, and therefore, it is not possible to modify them or to derogate from them for any reason.”

Reference: catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=973
The Sacrament of Reconcilliation, revised in the year 1973 and still in force, gave this process, of course with prior examination of conscience *:

Confessor: welcome
Penitent: sign of the cross with “In the name of the Father …”
Confessor or Penitent: optional reading of the word of God
Penitent: confession of sins
Confessor: advice and instruction, imposition of penance
Penitent: expression of contrition and resolution
Confessor. absolution *
Penitent: invocation from scripture praising the mercy of God *
Confessor: bids the penitent to go in peace *
  • see statement from the Apostolic Penitentiary below.
“SHORTER RITE
21. When pastoral need dictates, the priest may omit or shorten some parts of the rite but must always retain in their entirety the penitent’s confession of sins and acceptance of the act of penance, the invitation to contrition (no. 44), and the formularies of absolution and dismissal.”

Reference:
catholicliturgy.com/texts/penanceintro.txt
catholicliturgy.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/DocumentContents/Index/2/SubIndex/40/DocumentIndex/446
The following was issued in 2006 by Cardinal James Francis Stafford of the APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY.
  1. *And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit”. *The penitent is directed to respond: “Amen”. The sacramental absolution must be imparted orally over the penitent who is personally present. Absolution should be imparted only to a penitent properly disposed. The Sacrament of Confession is then concluded with the words of the priest, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good”. The penitent replies, “His mercy endures forever.“ Then the priest dismisses the penitent with the words, “The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.”
Consequently, in the practice of the Sacrament of Penance, *four acts *of the penitent are required:
  • Sorrow for sins committed
  • A resolution or firm purpose of amendment,
  • The sincere confession of sins.
  • Satisfaction or sacramental penance[13].
An examination of conscience should precede the reception of the Sacrament. …

[13] Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 1459-1460.

Reference:

vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_trib_appen_doc_20060921_stafford-reconciliation_en.html
 
Just begin and say it in Confession anyway. Don’t wait to be asked.
 
Did you say something similar - a prayer or otherwise an expression of contrition and a resolve to not repeat the same sins in the future?

Once or twice my confessor has forgotten (as have I, remembering afterwards). A few times I’ve been asked at the end of the confession, rather than at the beginning. Once I entirely forgot the words (eesh) and gave my best rendering.

If you are in doubt or feel uncomfortable about it, go ahead and say it. The priest won’t stop you.
 
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