Not told to say the act of contrition after confession

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Twice this month two different priests did not make me say the act of contrition after I confessed. Would this affect the validity of the confession? I did whisper it while the priests were saying the prayer of absolution.
 
I’ve found that recently: I just go ahead and say it while the priest is saying the prayer of absolution. The priest can go ahead and absolve you/me as soon as they perceive our contrition.
 
We all know that we must say the Act of Contrition (with sincerity and repentance).
It isn’t a rule that the priest must tell us to say it. We have been instructed of its requirement in our preparation for the Sacrament.
Some priests might justly assume, that knowing what we must say an Act of Contrition as an integral part of Confession, we say it without his always having to coach us to do so.

God’s kind blessings to you, Cecil.

livoniastmichael.org/Prayers/Form%20for%20Confession.html
As you see in this link, it is you who initiate the Act of Contrition. Certainly some priests helpfully do invite you to. Once again, note that the onus is on us as the penitent to say the Act of Contrition. wordiq.com/definition/Confession
 
I have never had a priest ask me to say the Act of Contrition, usually they just go ahead and absolve my sins right after I finish speaking. I sometimes say it afterward but I’m still not great at the rubric. So if I forget, or if Father seems rushed, I just say it in front of Jesus as I do my penance.

Before Easter, there were signs on the confessional that said, “Due to time constraints, please say the Act of Contrition either before or after you confess.” It was that crowded, that every minute counted!

You are absolved in any case.
 
Well, in my entire life as a Catholic (which has been my entire life), priests have always indicated when to say it. Also if you carefully read my OP, I said I whispered it while they were absolving me.
Trishie said:
We all know that we must say the Act of Contrition (with sincerity and repentance).
It isn’t a rule that the priest must tell us to say it. We have been instructed of its requirement in our preparation for the Sacrament.
Some priests might justly assume, that knowing what we must say an Act of Contrition as an integral part of Confession, we say it without his always having to coach us to do so.

God’s kind blessings to you, Cecil.

livoniastmichael.org/Prayers/Form%20for%20Confession.html
As you see in this link, it is you who initiate the Act of Contrition. Certainly some priests helpfully do invite you to. Once again, note that the onus is on us as the penitent to say the Act of Contrition. wordiq.com/definition/Confession
Click to expand...
 
Cecil_Corn said:
Well, in my entire life as a Catholic (which has been my entire life), priests have always indicated when to say it. Also if you carefully read my OP, I said I whispered it while they were absolving me.
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I’m aware of that and wasn’t criticizing you, Cecil, apologies if it appeared so…just pointing out the facts. 🙂
Priests may do so to be helpful, but we do know we must say the Act of Contrition. Some priests may cradle us along, some may expect us to do as we know is required.
Naturally you were concerned as we sometimes tend to find a departure from expected behavior disconcerting.

God’s kind and loving blessings to you.
 
Just saying “I’m sorry,” when truly meant is “act of contrition” enough for God.
 
I was waiting for my Priest to give me my penance before he I said an act of contrition during my last confession and he just gave me absolution and no penance.

Should the act of contrition be after penance, before absolution? That’s what I thought.
 
It’s your job to express your contrition and intent to avoid future sin. It’s not the priest’s job to remind you. It does not have to come before the absolution.
 
This has happened to me a couple of times, the most recent being the last time I went to confession. But this priest was so busy giving me penances (I counted 3 penances before he finally finished!) that I think he just forgot to ask me to say the act of contrition. The other time, several years ago, was in a very liberal church and my guess is that the priest didn’t think it was necessary. The worst experience I had was when a priest refused to give me a penance. I actually asked him if he was going to give me a penance, and he said no! I have never gone back to that church again.

But I believe that as long as the priest gives absolution, the confession is valid.
 
Corki said:
It’s your job to express your contrition and intent to avoid future sin. It’s not the priest’s job to remind you. It does not have to come before the absolution.
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Oh ok. Well I know for next time.
 
In my personal experience, the bests priests always like to hear you say the Act of Contrition, will indicate when, and afterward give Absolution. I guess that would be the “standard operating procedure.” However, I have also had priests just skip it.

Considering the pathetic state of catechesis today, why not ask for it and make sure the person understands the necessity, that it’s not an option, and correct any errors?

For example, this is quite remarkable but true, a priest friend of mine was invited to help with a Lenten service and was seeing person after person for confession whom he did not know. He was surprised at the great number, including lifelong Catholics and elderly people, who sped through by habit saying, “Oh my God I am hardly sorry for having offended Thee…”

This priest immediately stopped them and asked did they realize the word they were saying was the exact opposite meaning they intended, and they were from now on to say “heartily sorry”?!

All these people had been saying this prayer incorrectly for life!!! Now it has proper meaning for them! Just imagine this being the first priest in their lives to care enough to get them straight.
 
Sometimes my priest will have me say it in front of him, other times he’ll tell me to say it in the pews afterwards, sometimes he won’t say anything maybe implying the same. In any of these do I every feel that the words of absolution are invalid. I’ve never read anything to the contrary, so I believe you’re good.
 
Brooklyn said:
This has happened to me a couple of times, the most recent being the last time I went to confession. But this priest was so busy giving me penances (I counted 3 penances before he finally finished!) that I think he just forgot to ask me to say the act of contrition. The other time, several years ago, was in a very liberal church and my guess is that the priest didn’t think it was necessary. The worst experience I had was when a priest refused to give me a penance. I actually asked him if he was going to give me a penance, and he said no! I have never gone back to that church again.

But I believe that as long as the priest gives absolution, the confession is valid.
Click to expand...
Indeed it is. And for the record, a priest’s failure to give you a penance does not affect validity either, although from memory it may be illicit.
 
One time a priest told me not to say the act of contrition. He said to me obviously your here because your sorry, you don’t need to say it. Then he absolved me. It made sense to me.
 
LucyLight said:
One time a priest told me not to say the act of contrition. He said to me obviously your here because your sorry, you don’t need to say it. Then he absolved me. It made sense to me.
Click to expand...
:eek: That doesn’t make sense to me! I think that priest was rewriting the rules for confession.
 
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