Act of Contrition

Prayed during the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, this prayer can also be prayed whenever we want to offer God our sorrow for failing to love him as we ought.

O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because of thy just punishment;
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.