Prayer
Traditional · c. 1600
“O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins.”
Read slowly
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 art all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace,
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
Amen.
The Church's classic expression of sorrow for sin and desire for mercy. Often prayed in the sacrament of Confession and in a nightly examination of conscience.
Contrition & mercy. The Act of Contrition expresses sorrow for sin because it offends God, with a firm purpose of avoiding sin—central elements of the Church’s understanding of contrition.
Evening. It is a classic prayer for nightly examination of conscience, when the day’s sins are brought before God in sorrow and hope for mercy.
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