# Prayer of Repentance
*2008-11-04*

> Bill Young leads listeners in a traditional Catholic prayer of repentance, explaining its place alongside the Sacrament of Confession and offering a concise prayer for daily use.

## Why a Daily Prayer of Repentance?

We all sin—through our thoughts, words, deeds, omissions, ignorance, weakness, or deliberate fault. While the Sacrament of Confession is the ordinary means of repentance, we also need a daily prayer to express contrition and turn toward God when we cannot immediately go to confession.

## The Prayer of Repentance

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done, and in the good we have not done. We have sinned in ignorance, we have sinned in weakness, and we have sinned through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us, our Savior Christ, and renew our lives.

## How to Use This Prayer

Say the prayer slowly, allowing each phrase to sink into your heart. Reflect on the specific ways you have fallen short—whether by thought, word, deed, or omission. After praying, make a concrete plan to amend your life, such as seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation, performing an act of charity, or correcting a harmful habit.

## Living the Repentance

True repentance is more than a spoken formula; it involves a sincere turning away from sin and a turning toward God. Let this prayer be a reminder that God’s mercy is always available, and that each day offers a fresh opportunity to cooperate with His grace.

*Daily repentance opens our hearts to God’s mercy and prepares us for the deeper healing of the Sacrament of Confession.*