After receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation it can be tempting to skip our prayers after confession and rush back into the busyness of our daily lives.
To help you overcome this temptation, consider using one or more of the following prayers:
5 Beautiful Catholic Prayers After Confession
1. An Act of Contrition
Traditional
O My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishment. 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 sin no more, and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
Modern
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
2. A Simple Prayer After Confession
My dearest Jesus, I have confessed all my sins to the best of my ability. I have sincerely tried to make a good confession, and I know that You have forgiven me. Thank you, dear Jesus! Your divine Heart is full of love and mercy for poor sinners. I love You, dear Jesus; you are so good to me.
My loving Savior, I shall try to keep from sin and to love You more each day. Dearest Mother Mary, pray for me and help me to keep all my promises. Protect me and do not let me fall back into sin. Dear God, help me to lead a good life. Without Your grace I can do nothing. Amen.
3. A Traditional Prayer After Confession
O Almighty and most merciful God, who, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, hast vouchsafed once more to receive Thy prodigal child after so many times going astray from Thee, to this Sacrament of reconciliation; I give Thee thanks with all the power of my soul for this and all other mercies, graces and blessings bestowed on me, and prostrating myself at Thy sacred feet, I offer myself to be henceforth forever Thine.
Oh, let nothing in life or death separate me from Thee! I renounce with my whole soul all the acts of treason against Thee, and all the abominations and sins of my past life.
I renew the promises I made in Baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself to Thy love and service. Oh, grant me that for the time to come, I may abhor sin more than death itself, and all such occasions and companions, as have unhappily brought me to it. This I resolve to do by the help of Thy divine grace, without which I can do nothing.
I beg Thy blessing upon these my resolutions, that they may not be ineffectual like many others I have formerly made, for, O Lord, without Thee, I am nothing but misery and sin. Supply also, by Thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent. Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen.
4. A Prayer of Thanksgiving After Confession
Merciful Lord, with a pure heart I thank you for taking away my sins. Let your Holy Spirit guide my life so that my soul may bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Renew my desire to be your faithful friend and servant, increase my loving dependence on you, and grant me that joy and peace of heart which comes from doing your holy will. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
5. A Prayer After Confession by St. Padre Pio
O Lord! I abandon my past to Thy mercy, my present to Thy Love, and my future to Thy Providence!
BONUS -> An Orthodox Prayer After Confession
O Lord God of my salvation, the Savior and Benefactor of my soul, I am truly sorry for my every transgression and I firmly resolve never again to offend thee by my sins, and sincerely promise to amend my way of life. Implant in me the fear of thy blessed commandments, that I may trample down all carnal appetite and may lead a godly life, both thinking and doing always such things as are pleasing unto Thee.
I pray thee, grant unto me the Grace of thy Holy Spirit, that thus strengthened, I may shun all evil deeds and works, and words and thoughts, and may avoid all snares of the Evil One. Shine in my heart with the true Sun of thy Righteousness; enlighten my mind and guard all my senses, that walking uprightly in the way of thy statutes, I may attain unto life eternal. Amen.
RELATED: 7 Powerful Prayers Before Confession
What Psalm is Prayed After Confession?
Psalm 51 is often read after confession.
Not only is it a beautiful reflection on the nature of true repentance, it is the Word of God.
Written in the first person, praying with Psalm 51 can be a powerful way to make God’s words your own, uniting yourself to Him not only in the Sacrament of Reconciliation but in Sacred Scripture.
The Right Way to Pray After Confession
You may be wondering whether we’re supposed to pray particular prayers after confession.
The only requirement of us after making a good confession is that we pray an Act of Contrition and that we complete our penance.
Typically the Act of Contrition is prayed in the confessional with the priest, but if it’s not then we should pray it immediately after we leave the confessional.
Then, depending on what penance the priest gave us, we should consider completing it next (especially if it includes praying particular prayers).
Otherwise we are free to pray after confession however we wish. That may include one of the prayers above, Psalm 51, a time of mental prayer with Sacred Scripture, or something else.
Regardless, it’s important that we spend at least a little bit of time with the Lord in prayer after confession, if possible.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a deeply intimate experience and is ordered towards deepening our relationship with Jesus, which is ultimately cultivated through personal prayer.
What prayers do you usually pray after confession?
Let me know below in the comment box!
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