The Act of Contrition
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.
Amen.
--Reverend James Gibbons (1884)
