Confiteor

The Confiteor, Latin for "I confess," is the Church's great prayer of general confession. The form given here is the traditional one, which names Mary, St. Michael, St. John the Baptist, and Sts. Peter and Paul. For centuries it was prayed at the foot of the altar at the beginning of Mass and before Holy Communion, and it is still part of Compline, the Church's Night Prayer. Striking the breast at the words "through my fault" is an ancient sign of sorrow.

Pray it during your evening examination of conscience, before confession, or whenever you need to return to God after a fall. It is not a substitute for sacramental confession of serious sins, but it is a humble way to ask for mercy and for the prayers of the saints and of one another.

The Prayer

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. Amen.

Sources: Traditional Confiteor; public domain.

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