The Act of Contrition is a prayer recited by the penitent during the Latin Rite Roman Catholic sacrament of Confession. Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... In Christian belief and practice, a sacrament is a rite that mediates divine grace, constituting a sacred mystery. ... Modern confessional in the Church of the Holy Name, Dunedin, New Zealand. ...

Full text

Latin

Deus meus, ex toto corde poenitet

me omnium meorum peccatorum,

eaque detestor, quia peccando,

non solum poenas a te iuste

statutas promeritus sum,

sed praesertim quia offendi te,

summum bonum, ac dignum qui

super omnia diligaris.

Ideo firmiter propono,

adiuvante gratia tua,

de cetero me non peccaturum

peccandique occasiones

proximas fugiturum. Amen.

English

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 are 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 article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Short version

O God, I am sorry with my whole heart for all my sins because you are Goodness itself and sin is an offense against you. Therefore, I firmly resolve with the help of your grace not to sin again and to avoid the occasion of sin. Amen.

Alternative version

My Lord, I am heartily sorry for all my sins,

help me to live like Jesus and not sin again.

Amen.

Irish version in use in 1960s

O my God, I am heartily sorry

for having offended Thee

and I detest my sins

above every other evil

because they displease Thee, my God,

Who, in Thy infinite wisdom,

art so deserving of all my love

and I firmly resolve

with the help of Thy grace

never more to offend Thee

and to amend my life.

Amen.

Anglican Version

The Anglican Tradition (aka Church of England, in the USA, The Episcopal Church) has its own Act of Contrition, usually referred to as Confession of Sin. This is said by the Congregation en masse during regular worship services:

Most merciful God,

we confess we have sinned against thee

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved thee with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in thy will,

and walk in thy ways,

to the glory of thy Name. Amen.

This ritual has several different forms to suit the needs of its Protestant worshipers, all of which are essentially similar

Other versions in use, circa 1970

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 occasions of sin. Amen.

O my God, I am very sorry for all my sins because they offend You, Who are so good, and with Your help, I will not sin again. Amen.

An occasion of sin is, in Roman Catholic teaching, an external set of circumstances--whether of things or persons--which either because of their special nature or because of the frailty common to humanity or peculiar to some individual, incite or entice one to sin. ...

Other versions in use, circa 1980

O my God, I am sorry for my sins. In choosing to sin, and failing to do good, I have sinned against You and Your Church. I firmly intend, with the help of Your Son, to do good and to sin no more. Amen.

O my God, I am sorry for my sins. In choosing to sin, and failing to do good, I have sinned against You and Your Church. I firmly intend, with the help of Your Son, to make up for my sins, and to love as I should. Amen.

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 Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us in His name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

Oh 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 have offended Thee my god, Lord of all. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

External links

• An Act of Contrition