Alternative
Devotions |
Affections Before
Confession |
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My Lord and my All! I am confounded at the multitude and
enormity of my offences against so good a God. I dare not presume even to
lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to come near Thine altar, after so many
treasons against Thee. Alas! What shall I now do, O Lord? What shall I say?
With the humble publican, I will strike my breast, and cry unto Thee, "O
God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" |
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My sins exceed in number the sands of the sea. But Thy mercies
are still greater in number than my sins. O ocean of mercy! Have compassion
on me, a poor sinner, and make me, now at least, a true penitent. |
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Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in Thy sight, and am
not worthy to be called Thy child. O receive me as one of the least of Thy
servants, and never suffer me to stray from Thee again. |
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It grieves me, O my God, that I have offended Thee. I am
heartily sorry for all the sins I have committed against Thine infinite
goodness. Oh, that I could sufficiently lament them, even with tears of
blood! |
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Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my
eyes, that, night and day, I may bewail all my sins and my ingratitude? |
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Oh, that I had never offended my God! Oh, that I had never
sinned! Happy those souls who have never lost their baptismal innocence! Ah!
Sweet Jesus, that I had been so happy! |
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Oh, that I could now, like Magdalen, prostrate myself at the
feet of my Savior! Oh, that I could wash them with my tears. Oh, suffer me,
dear Lord, to lay down all my sins at Thy feet, to be cancelled by Thy
precious Blood. |
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Lord, Thou hast said there is joy in Heaven upon one sinner's
doing penance more than upon ninety-nine just. Oh, give me now grace to be a
true penitent indeed, that hereby Heaven may rejoice at my conversion. |
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Thou camest, O my dear Redeemer, not to call the just, but
sinners to repentance. Look down upon me, a poor miserable sinner, and draw
me now powerfully to Thee by Thy grace. |
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I know Thou willest not the death of a sinner, but that he be
converted and live. O, let me no longer remain dead in my sins! Oh, let me
now at least begin to live to Thee! |
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Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit
within my reins. Oh, grant that I may now serve Thee in good earnest! Let
this be the change of the right hand of the Most High. |
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Thou hast made me, O my God, and redeemed me by Thy precious
Blood. Oh, despise not the work of Thy hands, and let not Thy Blood be spilt
for me in vain! |
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Too late have I known Ghee, O eternal truth! Too late have I
loved Thee, O eternal beauty! Too long have I gone astray from Thee! From
this moment, O my Sovereign Good, I desire to be for ever Thine! Oh, let
nothing in life or death ever separate Thee from me any more! |
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O Divine Lover of penitent souls, give me henceforth a contrite
and humble heart. I wish from this hour to offer this sacrifice to Thee daily
to the end of my life. |
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O Divine Love, how little art Thou known in this wicked world!
How little art Thou loved! Come now, and take full possession of my whole
heart and soul for time and eternity. |
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Thy mercy has been infinite in bearing so long with so
ungrateful a sinner as I have been, and in daily heaping Thy favors upon me.
Add this one favor, O Lord, to all the rest, that henceforth, through Thy
grace, I may never offend Thee more. This one thing I earnestly beg of Thee,
for Thine infinite mercy's sake and through the death and Passion of Thine
only Son. Hear this one prayer, I beseech Thee, and in all things else do
with me what Thou pleasest. |
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I am resolved, by Thy grace, never more to turn to my sins. Oh,
rather let me die than offend Thee willfully any more. I am resolved to avoid
all evil company and dangerous occasions, and to take proper measures for a
thorough amendment of my life for the future. All this I resolve; but Thou
knowest my frailty, O my God: and if Thou assist me not with Thy grace, all
my resolutions will prove ineffectual, and I shall be for ever miserable. Oh,
look to me, O Lord, that I may never betray Thee any more. Amen. |
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Resolutions Before
Confession |
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Cónditor cæli et terræ, Rex regum et Dóminus dominántium, qui me
de níhilo fecísti ad imáginem, et similitúdinem tuam et me próprio tuo
sánguine rédemisti, quem ego peccátor non sum dignus nomináre, nec invocáre,
nec corde cogitáre. |
O Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, King of kings, and
Lord of lords, who hast made me out of nothing in Thine image and likeness,
and hast redeemed me with Thine own Blood; whom I, a sinner, am not worthy to
name, to call upon, or to contemplate. |
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Te supplíciter déprecor, et humíliter exóro, ut cleménter
respícias me servum tuum nequam. Et miserére mei, qui misértus fuísti muliéri
Canáneæ, et Maríæ Magdalénæ: qui pepercísti publicáno, et latróni in cruce
pendénti. |
I humbly beg Thee, I earnestly beseech Thee, to look mercifully
on me, Thy wicked servant. Thou who hadst mercy on the woman of Canaan and
Mary Magdalene; Thou who didst spare the publican and the thief upon the
cross, have mercy upon me. |
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Tibi confíteor, Pater piíssime, peccáta mea, quæ si volo
abscóndere, non possum tibi, Dómine. Parce mihi, Christe, quem ego nuper
multum offéndi cogitándo, loquéndo, operándo, et in ómnibus modis, in quibus
ego frágilis homo et peccátor peccáre pótui, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima
culpa. |
To Thee, most compassionate Father, I confess my sins, which
even if I wished to hide, I could not. O Lord. Spare me, O Christ, whom I not
long ago greatly offended by thought, by word, by deed, and in every way in
which I, a weak human being and sinner, have been able to do so through my
most grievous fault. |
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Ídeo, Dómine, precor tuam cleméntiam, qui de cælo pro mea salúte
descendísti, qui David a peccáti lapsu erexísti, parce mihi, Dómine, parce
mihi Christe, qui Petro te negánti pepercísti. Tu es Creátor meus et
Redémptor meus, Dóminus meus et Salvátor meus, Rex meus et Deus meus. |
Therefore, O Lord, I ask Thy clemency, Thou who descended from
heaven for my salvation, who raised up David from his fall to sin. Spare me,
O Lord. Spare me, O Christ, Thou who spared Peter who denied Thee. Thou art
my Creator and my Redeemer, my Lord and my Savior, my King and my God. |
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Tu es spes mea et fidúcia mea, gubernátio mea et auxiliátio mea,
consolátio mea et fortitúdo mea, defénsio mea et liberátio mea, vita mea, salus
mea et resurréctio mea, lumen meum et desidérium meum, adiutórium meum et
patrocínium meum. |
Thou art my hope and my trust; my guide and my succor; my
comfort and my strength ; my defense and my deliverance; my life, my health,
and my resurrection; my light and my longing; my help and my protection. |
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Te déprecor et rogo ádiuva me, et salvus ero: gubérna me et
defénde me: confórta me et consoláre me: confírma me et lætífica me: illúmina
me et vísita me. Súscita me mortuum, quia factúra et opus tuum sum. |
I pray and entreat Thee, help me and I shall be safe; direct me
and defend me; strengthen me and comfort me; confirm me and gladden me ;
enlighten me and come unto me. Raise me from the dead; for I am Thy creature,
and the work of Thy hands. |
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Domine, ne déspicias me, quia fámulus et servus tuus sum,
quamvis malus, quamvis indígnus et peccátor: sed qualiscúmque sim, sive
bonus, sive malus, semper tuus sum. Ad quem ego fúgiam, nisi ad te vadam? Si
tu me eiicis, quis me recípiet? Si tu me despícis, quis me aspíciet? |
O Lord, despise me not, for I am Thy servant, ever so bad, ever
so unworthy and a sinner: but without exception, whether good or bad, I am
always Thine. To whom shall I flee, unless I come to Thee? If Thou rejecteth
me, who will receive me? If Thou despiseth me, who will look at me? |
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Recognósce me ergo indígnum ad te refugiéntem, quamvis sim vilis
et immúndus: quia si vilis et immúndus sum, potes me mundáre: si cæcus sum,
potes me illumináre: si infírmus sum, potes me sanáre: si mortuus et sepúltus
sum, potes me resuscitére ; quia maior est misericórdia tua, quam iníquitas
mea: maior est píetas tua, quam impíetas mea: plus potes dimíttere, quam ego
commíttere: et plus párcere quam ego peccátor peccáre. |
Recognize me therefore as unworthy, flying to Thee ever so
worthless and unclean. For if I am worthless and unclean, Thou canst cleanse
me. If I am blind, Thou canst enlighten me. If I am infirm, Thou canst heal
me. If I am dead, Thou canst revive me. For greater is Thy mercy than my
iniquity. Greater is Thy piety than my impiety. Thou art able to dismiss more
than I can commit, and spare more than I, a sinner, can sin. |
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Non ergo despícias, Dómine, neque atténdas multitúdinem
iniquitátum meárum: sed secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum miserére mei, et
propítius esto mihi máximo peccatóri. |
Therefore, despise me not, O Lord, neither regard my iniquities;
but according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies have mercy upon me, the
chief of sinners, and be gracious unto me. |
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Dic animæ meæ, "Salus tua ego sum." Qui dixísti,
"Nolo mortem peccatóris, sed magis ut convertátur et vivat."
Convérte me, Domine, ad te, et noli irásci contra me. |
Tell me soul, "I am Thy salvation." For Thou hast
said, "I do not wish the sinner to die, but to repent and live."
Turn Thou unto me, O Lord, and be not angry with me. |
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Déprecor te, clementíssime Pater, propter misericórdiam tuam,
súpplico et exóro, ut perdúcas me ad bonum finem, et ad veram pæniténtiam, puram
confessiónem, et dignam satisfactiónem ómnium peccatórum meórum. Amen. |
I implore Thee, most compassionate Father, on account of Thy
mercy, I beg Thee and pray Thee, that Thou wouldst lead me to a good end, to
true penance, to a perfect confession, and to worthy satisfaction for all my
sins. Amen. |
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The Prayer of
Manasseh |
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1 Dómine Deus
omnípotens patrum nostrórum Abraham et Isaac et Iacob et sémini eorum iusto; |
1 O Lord
Almighty, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of all their
righteous seed; |
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2 Dómine qui
fecísti cælum et terram cum omni ornátu eorum; |
2 O Lord Thou who
hast made heaven and earth with all their adornments; |
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3 Qui signásti
mare verbo præcépti tui, qui conclusísti abyssum et signásti eam terríbili et
laudábili nómine tuo; |
3 Thou who hast
marked the sea with Thy word of command, Thou who hast confined the deep and
marked it with Thy terrible and glorious name; |
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4 Quem ómnia
pavent et tremunt a vultu virtútis tuæ, |
4 At Whom all
things quake and tremble before the face of Thy power, |
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5 Quia
importábilis est magnificéntia glóriæ tuæ et insustentábilis ira super
peccatóres comminatiónis tuæ; |
5 For unbearable
is the majesty of Thy glory and overwhelming is the threat of Thy wrath upon
sinners; |
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6 Inménsa vero et
investigábilis misericórdia promissiónis tuæ, |
6 Yet truly
immeasurable and unsearchable is the promise of Thy mercy, |
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7 Quoniam Tu es
Dóminus altíssimus super omnem terram benígnus longánimis et multum
miséricors et pænitens super malítias hóminum. |
7 For Thou art the
Lord, the Most High over all the earth, compassionate, long-suffering, full
of mercy, and lamenting over the evils of men. |
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8 Tu, autem,
Dómine, secúndum bonitátem tuam promisísti pæniténtiam et remissiónem iis qui
peccavérunt tibi; et multitúdine miseratiónum tuárum decrevísti pæniténtiam
peccatóribus in salútem. |
8 But Thou, O
Lord, according to Thy goodness, hast promised repentance and forgiveness for
those who have sinned against Thee; and in the multitude of Thy mercies Thou
hast appointed repentance for salvation of sinners. |
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9 Et, tu, ígitur,
Dómine, Deus iustórum, non posuísti pæniténtiam iustis Abraham et Isaac et
Iacob his qui tibi non peccavérunt, sed posuísti pæniténtiam propter me
peccatórem. |
9 Therefore, Thou,
O Lord, God of the just, hast not appointed repentance for Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, who did not sin against Thee, but Thou hast appointed penance for
me on account of my sins. |
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10 Quóniam peccávi
super númerum harénæ maris, multiplicátæ sunt iniquitátes meæ, Dómine,
multiplicátæ sunt iniquitátes meæ! Et non sum dignus intuéri et aspícere
altitúdinem cæli præ multitúdine iniquitátum meárum. |
10 For my sins
number more than the grains of sand in the sea, my sins I have multiplied, O
Lord, my sins I have multiplied! I am not worthy to gaze upon and behold
heaven above because of the multitude of my sins. |
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11 Incurvátus sum
multo vínculo ferro, ut non possim attóllere caput meum et non est respirátio
mihi, quia excitávi iracúndiam tuam et malum coram te feci státuens
abominatiónes et multiplícans offensiónes. |
11 I am bowed down
by many fetters of iron, so that I cannot lift my head nor can I breathe, for
I have provoked Thy wrath and done evil in Thy sight, setting up abominations
and multiplying my offenses. |
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12 Et nunc flecto
génua cordis mei, precans ad te bonitátem Dómine. |
12 And now I bend
my knee and humble my heart, beseeching Thy goodness, O Lord. |
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13 Peccávi, Dómine,
peccávi, et iniquitátem meam agnósco. |
13 I have sinned, O
Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge my transgressions. |
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14 Quare peto
rogans te, Dómine, remítte mihi, remítte mihi! Ne simul perdas me cum
iniquitátibus meis neque in ætérnum irátus resérves mala mihi neque damnes me
in ínfima terræ loca. Quía tu es, Deus, Deus ínquam pæniténtium, |
14 For this reason
I beg to ask Thee, O Lord, forgive me, forgive me! Do not destroy me with my
transgressions nor be angry forever with me nor condemn me to the depths of
the inferno. For I say Thou art, O God, the God of the repentant, |
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15 Et in me
osténdes omnem bonitátem tuam! Quía indígnum salvábis me secúndum magnam misericórdiam
tuam, |
15 And in me Thou
wilt show Thy great goodness! For, unworthy as I am, Thou wilt save me
according to Thy great mercy, |
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16 Et laudábo te
semper ómnibus diébus vitæ meæ. Quóniam te laudat omnis virtus cælórum et
tibi est glória in sæcula sæculórum. Amen. |
16 And I will
praise Thee always for all of the days of my life. For all the host of the
heavens praise Thee and to Thee be glory forever. Amen. |
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Prayer Before
Confession |
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Súscipe confessiónem meam, piíssime ac clementíssime Dómine Iesu
Christe, única spes salútis ánimæ meæ, et da mihi, obsécro, contritiónem
cordis et lácrimas óculis meis, ut défleam diébus ac nóctibus omnes
neglegéntias meas cum humilitáte et puritáte cordis. |
Receive my confession, o most compassionate and clement Lord
Jesus Christ, my soul's only hope of salvation. Grant me, I beseech Thee,
contrition of heart and tears for my eyes, so that I may weep day and night
with humility and purity of heart for all my shortcomings. |
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Appropínquet orátio mea in conspéctu tuo, Dómine. Si irátus
fúeris contra me, quem adiutórem quæram? Quis miserébitur iniquitátibus meis?
Meménto mei, Domine, qui Canánæam et Publicánum vocásti ad pæniténtiam, et
Petrum lacrimántem suscepísti. Domine, Deus meus, súscipe preces meas. |
Let my prayer come before Thee, O Lord. If Thy anger hast turned
against me, whom shall I seek to help me? Who will have mercy on my
iniquities? Remember me, O Lord, Thou who calledst the Canaanite woman and
the Publican to repentance, and accepted Peter's tears. O Lord, my God,
accept my prayers. |
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Salvátor mundi, Iesu bone, qui te crucis morti dedísti, ut
peccatóres salvos fáceres, réspice me misérum peccatórem, invocántem nomen tuum,
et noli sic atténdere malum meum ut obliviscáris bonum tuum. Et si commísi
unde me damnáre potes, tu non amisísti unde salváre soles. |
Savior of the world, good Jesus, who gavest Thyself over to
death on the Cross to save sinners, look upon me, a wretched sinner invoking
Thy Name, and do not regard my wickedness such wise as to forget Thy
goodness; and thus if I have done that which deserves condemnation, Thou hast
not lost that whereby Thou art wont to save. |
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Parce ergo mihi, qui es Salvátor meus, et miserére peccatríci
ánimæ meæ. Solve víncula eius, sana vúlnera. Dómine Iesu, te desídero, te
quæro, te volo: osténde mihi fáciem tuam et salvus ero. |
Spare me, therefore, Thou who art my Savior, and have mercy upon
my sinful soul. Loose its bonds and heal its wounds. O Lord Jesus, I desire
Thee, I seek Thee, I want Thee, show me Thy face and I shall be saved. |
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Emítte ígitur, piíssime Dómine, méritis puríssimæ et immaculátæ
semper Vírginis Genetrícis tuæ Maríæ, et Sanctórum tuórum, lucem tuam et
veritátem tuam in ánimam meam, quæ omnes deféctus meos in veritáte mihi
osténdat, quos confíteri me opórtet, atque iúvet et docéat ipsos plene et
contríto corde explicáre. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitáte
Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum. Amen. |
Therefore, o most gracious Lord, by the merits of Thy most pure,
immaculate, and ever-virgin mother Mary and all Thy Saints, send forth Thy
light and Thy truth into my soul. May it show me all my shortcomings in truth
which I am bound to confess, and also may it aid and teach me to reveal them
fully with a contrite heart. Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. |
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Penitential Act |
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Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini,
beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Ioánni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et
Paulo, et ómnibus Sanctis, quia peccávi nimis, cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: |
I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to
blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy
Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned
exceedingly in thought, word and deed: |
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Strike your
breast thrice at the words "mea culpa" / "through my
fault". |
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mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam
Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Ioánnem
Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, et omnes Sanctos, oráre pro me
ad Dóminum Deum nostrum. Amen. |
through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous
fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the
Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and
all the Saints, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Amen. |
Afterward |