Leaflet-Act of Contrition

single page front and back

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was ... For these sins, I am truly sorry.
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, 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 You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
Examination of Conscience
1. I am the Lord your God; you shall not have other gods before Me. Do I love with all my heart the Lord who loves me? Do I pray daily and trust in Him, or have I failed to place Him first in my heart and instead value the things of the world more, such as money, sex, and power?
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Do I revere God's name, or have I taken it lightly, carelessly, or blasphemously, even wishing evil on others? Have I received Him worthily in Holy Communion?
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day. Do I worship the Lord by taking part in Mass on Sundays and holy days, or have I been indifferent to the Eucharist, to Christ's redeeming love, preferring earthly goods? Is Sunday my day of rest?
4. Honor your father and your mother. Have I loved and respected my parents? Have I obeyed them in terms of all they have reason- ably asked of me? Do I come to their aid when they're in need? Do I seek to maintain good communication with them? Have I caused conflict in my family? Do I neglect my duties to my own

spouse or children? Do I provide a good example on how to live the Catholic faith?
5. You shall not kill. Have I loved my neighbor, or have I physically harmed or hastened the death of another through violence, abortion, euthanasia, drugs, or abuse? Has my lifestyle been harmful to my family and self, spiritually and physically? Do I eat or drink immoderately? Have I aided in destroying someone's reputation?
6. and 9. You shall not commit adultery; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. Have I been pure in thoughts, words, and actions, or have I been unfaithful to my spouse or desirous of another? Have I been sexually active outside of marriage, or with another of the same sex? Have I indulged in pornography, masturbation, con- traception, and other sexual sins? Have I led others into sexual sin? 7. and 10. You shall not steal; you shall not covet your neighbor's goods. Do I respect another's goods, or have I been envious and greedy, even taking what belongs to another? Have I paid my debts? Have I wasted time at work, school, or home? Have I squandered my resources on non-essentials? Have I failed to work for justice or to support the poor and the Church?
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Have I been honest, or have I lied, gossiped, given false testimony, ruined the good name of another, broken confidentiality, or denied the truth out of pride or hypocrisy? Have I shown mercy to others? Am I ashamed to confess a mortal sin?*
"O God of compassion, You alone can justify me, and You will never reject me when I, contrite, approach Your Merciful Heart, where no one has ever been refused, even if he were the greatest sinner" (Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 1730).
*Mortal sin: grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent of the will.
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