Daily Catholic Prayers
Confession Prayers: Prepare, Confess, Give Thanks
The Confession (1838), Giuseppe Molteni. Gallerie d'Italia, Milan. Public domain.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity" (1 John 1:9). In the Sacrament of Penance, also called Confession or Reconciliation, Christ forgives through the priest every sin we confess with sorrow, and He sends us home at peace with God and with His Church. No sin is too great for His mercy, and no amount of time away is too long to come back.
This page gathers the prayers on this site for every step of a good confession: the Act of Contrition, prayers to prepare and examine your conscience, a simple guide to what happens in the confessional, prayers of thanksgiving afterward, and prayers for the struggle against temptation. If it has been years, start with the Act of Contrition below and the short guide in the middle of the page, and tell the priest it has been a while. He will help you.
The Act of Contrition
The Act of Contrition is the prayer of sorrow you say in the confessional after you confess your sins, before the priest gives absolution. This is the traditional form found in the Baltimore Catechism and in classic prayer books:
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 confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
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Act of Contrition: the traditional text above, "O my God! I am heartily sorry," for Confession, before bed, or whenever you need to ask God's forgiveness.
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Act of Contrition (Traditional Form II): a second traditional form that ends, "to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin."
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Other wordings: the Church allows several approved forms of the Act of Contrition. If you forget the words in the confessional, the priest will help you, and you may tell God your sorrow in your own words.
Before Confession: Prepare Your Heart
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Prayer Before Confession: asks God for "light, O Lord, to know my sins," true sorrow, and the grace to confess them honestly.
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Examination of Conscience Before Confession: a full traditional examination, Commandment by Commandment and through the precepts of the Church, from the 1889 prayer book of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore. It opens with a prayer to "enlighten my heart ... that I may fully know my sins" and closes with a prayer for mercy.
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Come, Holy Spirit: "Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful," to ask the Holy Spirit's light before you examine your conscience.
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Evening Examination of Conscience Prayer: a short traditional form for reviewing the day, thanking God, and asking pardon, the habit that makes a monthly confession easy.
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Psalm 51 (Miserere): "Have mercy on me, O God," the great psalm of repentance, traditionally linked to King David after the prophet Nathan confronted him with his sin.
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Prayer for Humility: a litany asking Jesus, "meek and humble of Heart," to free us from pride, for the humility to see our faults without excuses.
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Seven Last Words: Father, Forgive Them: a meditation on Christ's prayer for those who crucified Him, asking forgiveness for our own sins and a merciful heart toward others.
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Confiteor: "I confess to Almighty God ... that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed," the Church's ancient prayer of confession.
In the Confessional: A Simple Guide
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Begin: make the Sign of the Cross and say, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [how long] since my last confession."
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Confess: tell the priest your sins simply and honestly. Name every mortal sin you remember, in kind and, as far as you can, in number. You may confess venial sins too.
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Listen: the priest may offer a few words of counsel and will give you a penance, often prayers or a good deed.
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Pray the Act of Contrition: when he asks, pray the Act of Contrition from memory or from this page.
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Absolution: the priest extends his hand and absolves you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Answer "Amen."
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After: thank the priest, and do your penance as soon as you can.
After Confession: Give Thanks
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Prayer After Confession: thanks God "for having cleansed my soul from sin through the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ" and asks the grace to avoid the occasions of sin.
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Te Deum: "We praise Thee, O God," the Church's great hymn of thanksgiving.
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Act of Love: "I love Thee above all things," an act of love for God and neighbor, and of forgiveness for "all who have injured me."
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Prayer for Perseverance: for the grace to stay faithful, "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).
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Late Have I Loved Thee: the words of St. Augustine from his Confessions, for everyone coming home to God after years away.
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Then to Holy Communion: see Prayers Before and After Mass and Holy Communion.
In Temptation and on the Way Back
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Aspiration in Temptation: "Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!", a few words to say the moment a temptation begins.
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Prayer Against Evil Thoughts: a traditional collect for purity of mind when unwanted thoughts arise. Having them is not a sin; what matters is turning to God.
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Prayer Before a Crucifix: asks Jesus, while gazing on His five wounds, for "true sorrow for sin and a firm purpose of amendment."
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Prayer for Enemies: for those who have hurt you, when forgiving them is part of what you are bringing to Confession.
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Lenten Prayer for Conversion: for true repentance and a renewed heart, in Lent or any season of turning back to God.
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Chaplet of Divine Mercy: how to pray the Chaplet on ordinary rosary beads, with a link to the approved text, traditionally at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy.
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Prayer for the Conversion of Sinners: for a spouse, child, or friend who has been away from the sacraments, through Mary, Refuge of Sinners. More in Prayers to Mary.
Saints of Mercy and Repentance
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Confessors: St. Alphonsus Liguori, named patron of confessors and moral theologians by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
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Repentant sinners: St. Dismas, the Good Thief, who heard from the Cross, "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." Pray Seven Last Words: This Day Paradise.
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Penitents and converts: St. Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out seven devils, and whom Western tradition identified with the repentant woman who anointed His feet.
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Coming back after a fall: St. Peter denied Jesus three times and wept bitterly, and the risen Lord asked him three times, "Lovest thou me?"
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Those seeking conversion: St. Augustine, whose mother, St. Monica, prayed for his conversion for many years.
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Divine Mercy Sunday: Pope St. John Paul II established Divine Mercy Sunday, the Sunday after Easter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Act of Contrition?
It is a prayer telling God you are sorry for your sins and resolve, with His grace, not to sin again. You say it in Confession before absolution, and it is a good prayer every night. The Church defines contrition as "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again" (CCC 1451). The best-known form begins "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee." See the Act of Contrition.
What is the difference between perfect and imperfect contrition?
Perfect contrition is sorrow for sin that arises from "a love by which God is loved above all else." It forgives venial sins, and even mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to go to Confession as soon as possible (CCC 1452). Imperfect contrition, or attrition, is born of the ugliness of sin or the fear of hell. It cannot by itself obtain forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes us to receive forgiveness in the sacrament (CCC 1453). The traditional Act of Contrition names both motives.
How often should Catholics go to Confession?
The Church requires every Catholic who has reached the age of discretion to confess serious sins at least once a year (canon 989; CCC 1457). Anyone aware of a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion without first going to Confession, except in rare cases of grave necessity (CCC 1457). The Church also strongly recommends confessing everyday faults, venial sins, because regular confession helps us grow in grace (CCC 1458). Many Catholics go monthly.
Will the priest tell anyone what I confess?
No, never. Every priest who hears confessions is bound "to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him," under very severe penalties. This secret, the sacramental seal, "admits of no exceptions" (CCC 1467). The priest cannot use what he heard in Confession in any way.
What if I forget a sin in Confession?
Don't worry. The Church asks us to confess every mortal sin we are aware of after a careful examination of conscience, and teaches that those who "strive to confess all the sins that they can remember" place all of them before God's mercy for pardon (CCC 1456). A sin you honestly forgot is forgiven with the rest. If you later remember a mortal sin you forgot, mention it at your next confession.
I haven't been to Confession in years. What should I do?
Go. Look up your parish's confession times, or call and ask for an appointment, and tell the priest at the start how long it has been. He will walk you through it. Read the Prayer Before Confession and bring the Act of Contrition from this page. The sacrament exists for exactly this, and heaven rejoices "upon one sinner that doth penance" (Luke 15:7).
