Act of contrition, Contrition

ACT OF CONTRITION: AN INDISPENSABLE PRAYER FOR SALVATION.

ACT OF CONTRITION:
AN INDISPENSABLE PRAYER FOR SALVATION.

In case you don’t realise how important this prayer is, let us recall that in order to receive a plenary indulgence at the point of death which Holy Mother Church grants, through God’s loving mercy, a person must be“duly disposed”, that is, in the state of grace.

For one to be in the state of grace, the ordinary way which God disposed is to receive the sacramental absolution in the Sacrament of Confession. However, God’s gratuitous love, abundant mercy and grace foresaw the possibility of the absence of priests at the moment of death, and gives us sinners our last opportunity, that is why our Holy Mother Church teaches that in this exceptional circumstance, that is at the point of death, praying an act of perfect contrition (or repentance), -THAT IS, BEING SORRY FOR ONE’S SINS NOT BECAUSE OF SHAME (hence it becomes imperfect) BUT BECAUSE THEY OFFENDED GOD-, obtains pardon from one’s mortal and venial sins.

The Manual of Indulgences (4th ed. English translation published on 2006 by USCCB) reminds us of the following grant:

“12. AT THE POINT OF DEATH

“§2  If a priest is unavailable, Holy Mother Church benevolently grants to the Christian faithful, who are duly disposed, a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime; in such a case, the Church supplies for the three conditions ordinarily required for a plenary indulgence.

§3  In this latter case, the use of a crucifix or a cross in obtaining the plenary indulgence is commendable.

§4  The faithful can obtain this plenary indulgence at the hour of death, even if they have already acquired a plenary indulgence on that same day.

§5  The catechetical instruction of the faithful should ensure that they are duly made aware and frequently reminded of this salutary benefaction of the Church.“

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in n. 1451-1452 teaches that:
  • 1451: Contrition is “sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.”
  • 1452 When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity). Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible (Cf. Council of Trent (1551): DS 1677).

Furthermore, the Manual of Indulgences (4th ed. published by USCCB, 2006) teaches in Grant no. 9 that:

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, especially in preparation for sacramental confession,

  • 1° examine their conscience with the purpose of amendment;
  • 2° devoutly recite an act of contrition, according to any legitimate formula (e.g., the Confiteor, the psalm De profundis, or the psalm Miserere, or any of the gradual or penitential psalms).

With all the above ideas in mind, below you have the prayer which I hope we would say frequently with a contrite heart, especially at the hour of our death.

Act of Contrition

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.

OR

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 sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
– prayer taken from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Dear brethren in Christ, let us invoke God’s mercy so that at the point of death, we may be in the state of grace. Mother Mary, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Help of Christians, obtain for us through your prayers the grace of final perseverance, that is, to be in the state of grace at the moment of our death. Amen.

THE OBLIGATION TO GO TO CONFESSION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF ONE SURVIVES AN IMMINENT DANGER OF DEATH AND/OR ONE WISHES TO GAIN A PLENARY INDULGENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC CRISIS.

N.B. If one overcomes the imminent danger of death, one is obliged to go to Confession as soon as possible, as is duly taught by the Catholic Church. For example, one is in a plane about to crash and one says an act of perfect contrition, if the same person survives the plane crash, and when the circumstances are favorable, he is obliged to go to Confession.

The same obligation applies to our present circumstances in the pandemic when the Apostolic Penitentiary decreed special plenary indulgences which one can gain during the pandemic. The same decree encourages Confession as soon as possible when circumstances are favorable if one is to gain the plenary indulgence.

Stay safe all and God bless! Fr. Rolly Arjonillo.

SEE AS WELL:
PRAYERS WHEN DEATH IS NEAR. PRAYER AFTER DEATH. PRAYER FOR MOURNERS. PRAYER AT THE GRAVESIDE.
WHAT MUST A CATHOLIC DO IF HE/SHE OR SOMEONE ELSE IS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF DEATH.

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