CONFESSION Resources

Prayers before Confession

Each confession should be made as carefully as if it were to be the last one of our lives. First, we should beg God’s mercy, and ask Him to give us light to know our sins, and grace to detest them; then diligently examine our consciences.

A Prayer for Forgiveness (Psalm 50)

Have mercy upon me, O God; according to Thy great mercy.
And according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies: blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity: and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgression: and my sin is always before me.
Against Thee only have I sinned, and done evil in Thy sight: that Thou mayest be justified when Thou givest sentence, and mayest be victorious when Thou art judged.
For behold, I was born in iniquities: and in sins did my mother conceive me.
For behold, Thou hast loved truth and sincerity: the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom Thou hast made known unto me.
Thou shalt purify me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
Thou shalt make me to hear joy and gladness: and the bones that were humbled shall rejoice.
Turn away Thy face from my sins: and blot out all mine iniquities.
Cast me not away from Thy presence: and take not Thy holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation: and strengthen me with a willing spirit.
The sacrifice of Cod is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Invocation of the Holy Ghost

O Holy Spirit, Source of all light, Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, and of knowledge, come to my assistance and enable me to make a good confession. Enlighten me, and help me now to know my sins as one day I shall be forced to recognize them before Thy judgment seat. Bring to my mind the evil which I have done and the good which I have neglected. Permit me not to be blinded by self-love. Grant me, moreover, heartfelt sorrow for my transgressions, and the grace of a sincere confession, so that I may be forgiven and admitted into Thy friendship.

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

To Thee, O God, the fount of mercy, I draw near, a sinner. From my uncleanness, therefore, deign Thou to cleanse me. Enlighten my blindness, O sun of justice; bind up my wounds, O eternal physician. Thou King of kings, clothe my nakedness; lead me back, good shepherd, to the fold from which I have strayed; Thou mediator between God and man, clear away my guilt. Have pity, O God, on my misery; grant indulgence to my crimes; restore me life for death, virtue for impiety, and to my obduracy apply Thy saving grace. O Thou most clement one, call me back fleeing from Thee, draw me when resisting, raise me when I fall, support me having risen, and lead me as I walk. Do not forget me when I forget Thee, nor turn Thou away when I forsake Thee; despise me not in the midst oi my sins. By sinning I have offended Thee, my God, I have injured my neighbor, I have wounded myself. By my very weakness, 0 my God, have I sinned against Thee, the Father almighty; out of my ignorance, against Thee, the all wise Son; through my malice, against Thee, meek Spirit of God. Thus have I offended Thee, most excellent Trinity. Alas for my misery! How many and what great faults of diverse kinds I have committed! I have abandoned Thee, O Lord; I have murmured against Thy goodness; and when confronted by base pleasure, or deterred by misfortune, I have preferred rather to lose Thee than to forego the things that allure, to offend Thee than to incur the things that I fear. O my God, how far I have gone astray in word and deed! I have sinned in secret and in public contumaciously. Hence, I beseech Thee that, because of my weakness, Thou wilt not regard my iniquity, but Thine own immense goodness, and, bestowing upon me sorrow for the past and care for the future, wilt mercifully forgive what I have done.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin and the Saints

O most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, intercede for me with Him. Obtain for me the full remission of my sins, and perfect amendment of life, unto the salvation of my soul, and the glory of His Name. Amen.
I implore the same grace of thee, O my angel guardian; of you, my holy patrons, N. N.; of you O holy Peter and holy Magdalen, and of all the saints of God. Intercede for me a sinner, repenting of my sins, and resolving to confess and amend them. Amen.

An 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.

Taken from “Blessed Be God: a Complete Catholic Prayer Book” by Fr. Charles J. Callan, O.P. & Fr. John A. McHugh, O.P., 1925.