Prayers for the Sacrament of Penance
Prayer before Confession
Father in Heaven, most merciful God, relying on Your goodness and mercy, I come to You with childlike confidence to confess my sins and to beg Your forgiveness. You will not reject a contrite and humble heart. Bless me and receive me again into Your favor. I realize that I have been most ungrateful to You, but I desire henceforth to keep Your commandments and to do Your Will in all things. Jesus my Savior, my Good Shepherd, I did not follow in Your footsteps but have strayed far from the path that You have marked out for me.
Repentant and sorrowful, I beg to be admitted again into the fold of Your faithful followers. I want to confess my sins with the same sincerity as I should wish to confess at the moment of my death. My Jesus, I beg You for the grace to examine my conscience well.
Holy Spirit, come into my soul. Enlighten my mind and strengthen my will that I may know my sins, humbly confess them, and sincerely amend my life.
Mary, my Mother, Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit, refuge of sinners, help me by your kind prayers. Amen.
Prayer before Confession – St. Thomas Aquinas
To You, O God, Fountain of Mercy, I come, a sinner. May You wash away my impurity. O Sun of Justice, give sight to the blind. O Eternal Healer, cure the wounded. O King of Kings, restore the despoiled. O Mediator of God and man, reconcile the sinful. O Good Shepherd, lead back the straying. O God, have pity on the wretched, show leniency to the guilty, bestow life on the dead, reform the impious, and give the balm of grace to the hard of heart.
O most merciful God, call back the one who flees, draw back the one who resists, lift up the one who falls, support the one who stands, and accompany the one who walks. Do not forget those who forget You. Do not desert those who desert You. Do not despise those who sin against You.
For in sinning, I have offended You, my God; I have harmed my neighbor; I have not even spared myself injury.
I have sinned, O my God, against You, almighty Father, because of my weakness; against You, all-knowing Son, because of my ignorance; against You, merciful Holy Spirit, because of my malice. Thus have I offended You, most high Trinity.
Woe to me, a pitiful soul! How many, how great, and how diverse are the sins I have committed. I abandoned You, Lord I question Your goodness, by yielding to evil cravings and weakening myself with harmful fears. By such things, I preferred to lose You rather than abandon what I desired, to offend You rather than face what ought not to be feared.
O my God, how much harm have I done by word and deed, and by sinning secretly, openly, and defiantly.
Therefore, out of my weakness I beg You not to pay heed to my iniquity, but rather to Your immense goodness. And I beg You mercifully to pardon what I have done, granting me sorrow for my past actions and precaution in the future. Amen.
Act of Contrition (Partial Indulgence MOI 9)
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.
Act of Contrition – Psalm 6 (Partial Indulgence MOI 9.2).
O LORD, rebuke me not in Thy anger, nor chasten me in Thy wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is sorely troubled. But Thou, O LORD — how long?
Turn, O LORD, save my life; deliver me for the sake of Thy steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of Thee; in Sheol who can give Thee praise? I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief, it grows weak because of all my foes.
Depart from me, all you workers of evil; for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled; they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment. Amen.
Prayer after Confession
O most merciful God, Who according to the multitude of Your mercies, You put away the sins of those who truly repent that You remember their sins no more; look graciously upon me, Your unworthy servant, and accept my confession for You mercy’s sake; receive my humble thanks, most loving Father, that of Your great goodness, You have given me pardon for my sins. O may Your love and pity supply whatever has been lacking in my contrition, and the fullness of my confession. And to You, O Lord, graciously grant me the help of Your grace, that I may diligently amend my life and persevere in Your service to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving after Confession
Eternal Father. I thank You, I bless You, for Your goodness and mercy. You have had compassion on me, although in my folly I had wandered far away from You and offended You most grievously. With fatherly love You have received me anew after so many relapses into sin and forgiven me of my offenses through the Holy Sacrament of Penance. Blessed forever, O my God, be Your loving-kindness, Your infinite mercy. Never again will I grieve You by my ingratitude or by disobedience to Your Holy Will. All that I am, all that I have, all that I do, I consecrate to Your service and Your glory. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving after Confession
I return to You, O Lord Jesus, and give You thanks that You have been pleased to cleanse me from the foul leprosy of my sins. Blessed by Your Name O Lord, for ever and ever. Truly You are the Savior Who rejects none that come to You seriously desiring to repent, but receive them into Your favor, and number them with Your children. I acknowledge and adore Your mercy, and dedicate myself wholly to Your service from now on. Assist my weakness, and suffer me not again to fall into my past sins and to be separated from You; but so bind my heart and soul to You with the cords of Your love, that I may say with the Apostles: “Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Amen.
Litany of Penance
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world…
God the Holy Ghost…
Holy Trinity, one God…
God of all goodness, Who does not will the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live…
Who did not pardon the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell for all eternity…
Who, when Adam fell, called him to confession and repentance for his sin…
Who preserved Noah from the flood, and from the lot of the ungodly, by saving him in the ark…
Who drew Lot from the midst of sinners….
Who, softened by the prayers of Moses, forgave the sins of the backsliding people…
Who pardoned the sin of David, after his confession and repentance…
Who spared Achab when he humbled himself in penance…
Who graciously heard the penitent Manassas and established him on his throne,
Who pardoned the Ninevites, when they did penance for their sins in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes…
Who helped the Maccabees, when they fasted and lay in ashes…
Who commanded Your priests to weep, and pray, and offer sacrifice for the people…
Who came into the world to save sinners…
Who, when You redeemed the world, sent as thy messenger John Baptist, the preacher of penance…
Who fasted forty days and forty nights…
Who prevented, with thy grace, Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom,
Who revealed that the Publican, humbly striking his breast, was justified…
Who delivered the paralytic from his infirmity, when You forgave his sins…
Who, by the example of the Prodigal son, offered sinners the hope of pardon…
Who made known to the woman of Samaria the fountain of living water…
Who brought salvation to the house of Zacchaeus, repenting of his sins, and making restitution four-fold…
Who exercised Your mercy in behalf of the woman taken in adultery…
Who received publicans and sinners, and ate with them…
Who forgave Mary Magdalen her many sins, because she loved much…
Who, looking tenderly on Peter, who denied Thee, brought him to guilt and to tears…
Who promised Paradise to the penitent thief…
Who loves all Your creatures, and hates nothing that You have made…
Who gave to sinners both place and time for repentance…
Who came to seek and to save that which was lost…
Who has pity on all men, and hides the sins of those who truly repent…
Who would have mercy, and not sacrifice…
Who, when we repent, remembers our sins no more…
God, most merciful and patient, tender and loving-kind, notwithstanding all our sins, we sinners, we beg You O Lord, hear us.
That You would graciously lead us to a true repentance…
That we may judge ourselves, and so escape Your Judgment…
That we may bring forth in due time worthy fruits of penance…
That, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we may live soberly, justly, and godly…
That sin may not reign in our mortal body…
That we may not love the world, nor the things of the world…
That we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling…
Son of God,Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
O Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come unto You.
Let us pray. O most gracious and most merciful God, look with compassion on the frailty of our mortal nature, and sustain our endeavors by Your grace, that, through Your boundless mercy, we may obtain the pardon of our sins, persevere constantly in Your service, and in the end attain everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Prayers for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament/Adoration
Pray one of the following approved prayers to Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament (Partial Indulgence MOI 7.2.2)
Adoro te devote – St. Thomas Aquinas
O Godhead hid, devoutly I adore Thee, Who truly art within the forms before me; To Thee my heart I bow with bended knee, As failing quite in contemplating Thee.
Sight, touch, and taste in Thee are each deceived; The ear alone most safely is believed: I believe all the Son of God has spoken, than Truth’s own word there is no truer token.
God only on the Cross lay hid from view; But here lies hid at once the Manhood too: And I, in both professing my belief, Make the same prayer as the repentant thief.
Thy wounds, as Thomas saw, I do not see; Yet Thee confess my Lord and God to be: Make me believe Thee ever more and more; In Thee my hope, in Thee my love to store.
O thou Memorial of our Lord’s own dying! O Bread that living art and vivifying! Make ever Thou my soul on Thee to live; Ever a taste of Heavenly sweetness give.
O loving Pelican! O Jesu, Lord! Unclean I am, but cleanse me in Thy Blood; Of which a single drop, for sinners spilt, Is ransom for a world’s entire guilt.
Jesu! Whom for the present veil’d I see, What I so thirst for, O vouchsafe to me: That I may see Thy countenance unfolding, And may be blest Thy glory in beholding. Amen.
O sacrum convivium – St. Thomas Aquinas
O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
Tantum ergo – St. Thomas Aquinas
Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o’er ancient forms departing, Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son who reigns on high, With the Holy Spirit proceeding Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing, Might and endless majesty. Amen.
V. You have given them bread from Heaven, R/. Having all sweetness within it.
Let us pray: O God, Who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Your Passion: grant, we implore You, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Your Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Your Redemption. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Prayers for the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Make an Act of Spiritual Communion – St. Alphonsus Ligouri (Partial Indulgence MOI 8.2.1)
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Prayer before receiving the Eucharist – St. Thomas
Almighty and everlasting God, behold I come to the Sacrament of Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I come as one infirm to the physician of life, as one unclean to the fountain of mercy, as one blind to the light of everlasting brightness, as one poor and needy to the Lord of Heaven and earth.
Therefore I implore the abundance of Your measureless bounty that You would graciously grant to heal my infirmity, wash my uncleanness, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty and clothe my nakedness, that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and humility, with such sorrow and devotion, with such purity and faith, with such purpose and intention, as may be profitable to my soul’s salvation.
Grant unto me, I pray, the grace of receiving not only the Sacrament of our Lord’s Body and Blood, but also the grace and power of the Sacrament. O most gracious God, grant me so to receive the Body of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, which He took from the Virgin Mary, as to merit to be incorporated into His Mystical Body, and to be numbered amongst His members.
O most loving Father, give me grace to behold forever Your beloved Son with His face at last unveiled, whom I now purpose to receive under the sacramental veil here below. Amen.
Prayer after receiving the Eucharist
Anima Christi (Partial Indulgence MOP 8.2.2)
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds hide me. Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. From the malicious enemy defend me. In the hour of my death call me. And bid me come to Thee, That with Thy saints I may praise thee for ever and ever. Amen.
En ego, O bone et dulcissime Iesu (Partial Indulgence MOP 8.2.2)
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five wounds, having before my eyes the words which David the prophet put on thy lips concerning Thee: “My hands and my feet they have pierced, they have numbered all my bones.”Amen.
Prayer after Mass – St. Thomas Aquinas
LORD, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank You, for even though I am a sinner, Your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth, but in the kindness of Your mercy, You have fed me with the precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this holy communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation.
May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in power to do good.
May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to You, the one true God and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with You.
And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner to the banquet where You with Your Son and Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to Your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Litany of the Holy Eucharist
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Jesus, the Most High, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the holy One…
Jesus, Word of God…
Jesus, only Son of the Father…
Jesus, Son of Mary…
Jesus, crucified for us…
Jesus, risen from the dead…
Jesus, reigning in glory…
Jesus, coming in glory…
Jesus, our Lord…
Jesus, our hope…
Jesus, our peace…
Jesus, our Savior…
Jesus, our salvation…
Jesus, our resurrection…
Jesus, Judge of all…
Jesus, Lord of the Church…
Jesus, Lord of Creation…
Jesus, Lover of all…
Jesus, life of the world…
Jesus, freedom for the imprisoned…
Jesus, joy of the sorrowing…
Jesus, giver of the Spirit…
Jesus, giver of good gifts…
Jesus, source of new life…
Jesus, Lord of life…
Jesus, eternal high priest…
Jesus, priest and victim…
Jesus, true Shepherd…
Jesus, true Light…
Jesus, bread of heaven…
Jesus, bread of life…
Jesus, bread of thanksgiving…
Jesus, life-giving bread…
Jesus, holy manna…
Jesus, new covenant…
Jesus, food for everlasting life…
Jesus, food for our journey…
Jesus, holy banquet…
Jesus, true sacrifice…
Jesus, perfect sacrifice…
Jesus, eternal sacrifice…
Jesus, divine Victim…
Jesus, Mediator of the new covenant…
Jesus, mystery of the altar…
Jesus, medicine of immortality…
Jesus, pledge of eternal glory…
Jesus, Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world…
Jesus, Bearer of our sins, You take away the sins of the world…
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, You take away the sins of the world…
Christ, hear us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.
Let us pray: Lord our God, in this great sacrament we come into the presence of Jesus Christ, Your Son, born of the Virgin Mary and crucified for our salvation. May we who declare our faith in this fountain of love and mercy, drink from it the water of everlasting life. Amen.