When do I REALLY make an act of contrition?

[Paris_Blues]

The reason why I’m asking this is because everytime I go to Confession and confess the sins, I then pause and wait for the priest to give me words of wisdom, etc. Then he asks me to do an act of contrition.

After I confess, do I immediately say the act of contrition or do I shut up and let the priest talk?

 

[Paris_Blues]

Could someone please answer this?

 

[MamaSusie]

I can imagine that feels really awkward. If your confessions are like mine, you don’t need any additional stress! I don’t think there’s a protocol, per se, but I generally say something to the tune of, “I am sorry for these and all my sins,” so as to let the priest know I’m finished, and that I’m not intentionally omitting anything. This kind of leaves the ball in his court, and I don’t experience that “awkward silence” you’re describing.

Hope this helps!

 

[Detroit_Sue]

I do the same thing - after confessing, I tell the priest “For these transgression I am asking forgiveness.” Different priests have different styles though. Some will counsel you, some will just offer a penance, and some will almost throw you out (there’s one priest here I don’t like to go to confession too, because as soon as you take a breath he starts in with absolution and tells you to make your Act of Contrition in the pew).

Once the priest knows you are done, if he doesn’t say anything right away, I’d just start with the AoC.

 

[Eireann]

Paris Blues:

After I confess, do I immediately say the act of contrition or do I shut up and let the priest talk?

Listen to the words of the priest. He will assign you some penance. Doing the penance will diminish the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. When invited, express some prayer of sorrow or Act of Contrition such as:

An Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because I have offended 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, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
catholic.org/clife/prayers/confession.php

 

[John_Lilburne]

The Act of Contrition is said after the priest has given the penance.

From the liturgical book on the Rite of Penance:

"44. … The priest proposes an act of penance which the penitent accpts to make satisfaction for sin and to amend his life.
The priest should make sure that he adapts his counsel to the penitent’s circumstances.
PRAYER OF THE PENITENT AND ABSOLUTION
45. The priest then asks the penitent to express his sorrow, which the penitent may do in these or similar words:

My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart …

Other prayers of the penitent may be chosen from nos. 85-92.

Or:
Lord Jesus, Son of God
have mercy on me, a sinner."
(From The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN 0-8146-6015-0, page 546).
After this act of contrition there is the absolution.