Cross Penzance Catholic Church - ' The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady'  - website - part of the Parish of The Holy Family

The Sacrament of Reconciliation
(Confession)
Acts of Contrition | Links | Penance

"Jesus' call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before Him, does not aim first at outward works, "sackcloth and ashes," fasting and mortification, but at the CONVERSION OF THE HEART, INTERIOR CONVERSION. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance. Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one's life, with hope in God's mercy and trust in the help of His grace." - from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 1430-31.

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Acts of Contrition

An Act of Contrition is a prayer that expresses to God the sorrow one feels and willingness to change and to avoid sin in the future. It may be memorised or spontaneous and is prayed regularly in a healthy Catholic spirituality.

No man knows the hour at which Jesus will call him to account for his earthly life. We do well to ask His forgiveness for our faults every evening, so that if He should call us in the night we will have done all we could to be prepared. In addition we should ask Jesus to forgive us anytime we have committed a serious sin. An Act of Contrition is no substitute for sacramental Confession. The Medjugorje visionaries testify that Our Lady recommends monthly confession.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

O my God, I am sorry and beg pardon for all my sins and detest them above all things because they deserve thy dreadful punishments, because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ and most of all because they offend Thy infinite goodness and I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, never to offend thee again and carefully to avoid the occasions of sin. Amen.

variation: - O my God, I am sorry and beg pardon for all my sins, and detest them above all things, because they have crucified my loving Saviour Jesus Christ, and, most of all, because they offend your infinite goodness; and I firmly resolve, by the help of your grace, never to offend you again, and carefully to avoid the occasions of sin. Amen.


O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, known and unknown, not only because I dread the loss of heaven and dread the pains of hell, and not only because Thou art my Creator, my Redeemer and my Sanctifier, but most of all because my sins have offended Thee, my God, Who art all good in Thyself and deserving of all my love.  I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life.  Amen

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.

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O my God, I am sorry for my sins because I have offended you. I know I should love you above all things. Help me to do penance, to do better, and to avoid anything that might lead me to sin. Amen.

Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins;
the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body; my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins; the sins I know, the sins I do not know; the sins I have concealed for so long, and which are now hidden from my memory.
I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial,
for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour.
I know my sins have wounded Thy tender heart,
O My Saviour, let me be freed from the bonds of evil through the most bitter Passion of My Redeemer. Amen.
O My Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been. Amen.
O my God, I am truly sorry for having sinned, because you are infinitely good and sin displeases you. I am firmly resolved, with the help of your grace, never more to offend you, and I will carefully avoid the near occasions of sin. Rev.F.X.Lasance, My Prayer Book (1908). O my Jesus, forgive my sins, save me from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven especially those in most need of thy mercy. ("Fatima prayer" said at end of each decade of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary and included here for your interest)

Penance

(section t. b. a.)

The History of Penance (external link)

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LINKS

"When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now...."  Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

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