Act of True Contrition

The doctors of the Church teach that if a sinner feels such sorrow for his sins that he is prepared to submit willingly to all the punishment they have deserved, he thereby becomes reconciled to God, and all his punishment is remitted.

O MOST gracious God, I most unworthy of thy creatures have offended thy Divine goodness in such manifold ways, of my own mere malice and perversity, that thou mightest justly abhor me, and pursue me as thy stubborn and most inveterate enemy. O Christ Jesus, I confess that I have dealt wickedly and have done exceeding evil in thy sight; but I grieve for my sins with so deep and lively sorrow, that I would rather endure any ill than ever sin against thee henceforward by even one mortal sin. Nor do I grieve because of the dread and exceeding punishment I have deserved, but because I have so heinously and so unjustly offended against thee, my loving, kind, and faithful God, who hast never done me the least ill or injustice, but hast bestowed on me all manner of good things. Pardon me, O most merciful Jesus, for the sake of that love wherewith thou didst pray to thy Father for thy murderers; for I profess my readiness to make a true and condign satisfaction to thee for every insult wherewith I have provoked thee by my sins. I do not ask thee to remit to me the pains I have deserved; but I am most ready to accept them as chastisements from thy fatherly hand, when and how and where it shall seem good to thee, and the glory of thy justice shall require. Wherefore I submit myself unto thee with the most profound humility and resignation, and I embrace with all my heart thy just judgment upon me, and gladly welcome whatever adversities and evils thou shalt lay upon me in time or in eternity. Amen.