The Act of Contrition
The Act of Contrition is the prayer the Church gives Catholics for the moment of confession itself. It expresses sorrow for sin and the firm purpose of amendment — the two interior dispositions the Catechism requires for the sacrament (CCC 1451). Both a traditional and a modern version are approved.
Traditional version
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, 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 confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
This is the version most American Catholics learned in catechism. The "Thee" and "Thy" are seventeenth-century English forms; they sound formal now but were the everyday second-person of the prayer book era.
Modern version
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. Amen.
This version is drawn from the Rite of Penance promulgated by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council. It is fully valid and increasingly common in younger generations of Catholics.
What the prayer means
Both versions contain the same four elements that the Church considers essential to a true act of contrition:
- Sorrow for sin — "I am sorry," "I am heartily sorry"
- The reason for the sorrow — an offense against God, who is "all good" or "whom I should love above all things"
- The firm purpose of amendment — "I firmly resolve... to amend my life," "I firmly intend... to sin no more"
- The acknowledgment that this requires grace — "with the help of Thy grace," "with your help"
If you ever forget the words and need to make an act of contrition in an emergency, those four elements are the substance. "My God, I am sorry for my sins; with the help of your grace, I will sin no more" is a complete and valid act of contrition.
Perfect and imperfect contrition
The Catechism distinguishes two kinds of sorrow (CCC 1452–1453):
Perfect contrition is sorrow for sin out of love for God. The motive is the offense itself — the recognition that what was done wounded the One who loves you. Perfect contrition, joined to the firm intention to confess as soon as possible, can forgive even mortal sin outside the sacrament. This is the doctrine that makes confession of dying patients possible when no priest is available.
Imperfect contrition (also called attrition) is sorrow rooted in lesser motives — fear of hell, dread of the consequences of sin, recognition that the act was objectively wrong. The Catechism explicitly affirms that imperfect contrition is sufficient for the sacrament of Reconciliation. You do not have to summon perfect love before walking into the confessional.
The Act of Contrition expresses either kind. The traditional version mentions both ("because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee") — an honest acknowledgment that human contrition usually involves a mixture of motives.
When to pray it
The standard moment is during the rite of confession itself, after the priest gives you the penance and before he gives the absolution. He will prompt you ("Now make a good Act of Contrition"). You pray it aloud.
The Church also encourages an Act of Contrition as part of the daily examen, particularly for venial sins committed during the day. It is appropriate at any time you become aware of having sinned and cannot immediately go to confession.
Frequently asked
Which Act of Contrition is correct?
Both the traditional and the modern versions are approved. Use whichever is familiar to you.
Do I have to say the exact words?
No. The substance — sorrow for sin, intent to amend — matters more than the specific words.
What is the difference between perfect and imperfect contrition?
Perfect contrition is sorrow for sin out of love for God (CCC 1452). Imperfect contrition is sorrow rooted in lesser motives (CCC 1453). Both are sufficient for sacramental confession.
Can I memorize the Act of Contrition before going to confession?
Yes — and most Catholics do. It is the only prayer you say aloud during the rite. Knowing it by heart is the difference between a smooth confession and a fumbled one.
Confess. ships both versions of the Act of Contrition with audio playback and word-by-word highlighting for memorization — and expands the prayer full-screen during the In-Confession Mode at the moment you need it.
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