The Act of Contrition: traditional, modern and short versions

The Act of Contrition is a short prayer telling God you're sorry for your sins and that you mean to do better. You pray it in Confession, just before the priest gives absolution, and you can pray it any evening on your own. There are several versions, and the Church accepts all of them. Here they are, with what they mean and when to use each.

The traditional Act of Contrition

This is the version most Catholics in the United States learned for their first Confession:

The modern Act of Contrition

This one comes from the Rite of Penance, the Church's official text for Confession since the 1970s. Many parishes still print it on the card in the confessional:

In the United States, the newer translation of the rite (the Order of Penance, in use since 2023) offers the traditional prayer with "you" in place of "Thee" and a new prayer that begins "O my God, I am sorry and repent with all my heart." We compare every version in the old and new Act of Contrition.

The older version

If your parents or grandparents pray a slightly different text, it's probably this one, from the Baltimore Catechism:

Short versions

The Rite of Penance also allows very short prayers of sorrow. These are good when you're nervous and the long version won't come, or for a quiet moment during the day:

• "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
• "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." (the tax collector's prayer, Luke 18:13)
• "Father, I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your son." (the prodigal son, Luke 15:18-19)

Which version should I use?

Any of them. The priest isn't listening for particular words. He's listening for real sorrow and a real intention to change, which is what contrition means (CCC 1451). You can even pray in your own words: "I'm sorry for these sins, Lord. Help me not to do them again."

If you learned the traditional version as a child, it's still fine to use. If you're coming back after years and can't remember any of it, read it from your phone or from the card in the confessional. Priests see this every day.

When to say it

1. In Confession. After you confess your sins and the priest gives you a penance, he'll ask you to pray an Act of Contrition. Then he prays the words of absolution.
2. At the end of the day. An evening examination of conscience ends naturally with an Act of Contrition: you look back at the day, notice where you fell short, and tell God you're sorry.
3. Right after a serious sin. Pray it as soon as you can, then go to Confession at the next chance you have.

What the words mean

"Heartily sorry" means sorry from the heart, not just sorry about the consequences. "I firmly resolve" is an intention, not a guarantee: you're not promising you'll never fall again, you're promising to try, with God's help. "The near occasion of sin" means the people, places and situations that tend to lead you into a particular sin. Avoiding them is often the most practical part of the whole prayer.

Perfect and imperfect contrition

The Church distinguishes two kinds of sorrow. Perfect contrition comes from love of God: you're sorry because you've hurt someone who loves you. Imperfect contrition comes from other motives, like fear of punishment or seeing how ugly the sin is. Both are real sorrow, and imperfect contrition is enough to make a good Confession (CCC 1453).

Perfect contrition also forgives venial sins on its own. It even obtains forgiveness of mortal sins, as long as it includes the firm intention to go to Confession as soon as possible (CCC 1452). That's why the older version says "because I dread the loss of heaven" and then "but most of all because they offend Thee": it moves from imperfect sorrow to perfect sorrow in a single sentence.

If you forget it in the confessional

Say so. "Father, I don't remember the Act of Contrition" is a perfectly normal thing to say, and most priests will lead you through it line by line or suggest a short version. Bringing it written down is just as good.