What is Authentic Contrition?
BEST CONFESSION EVER PRAYER CARDS...see below
One beautiful spring day, my senior year of high school, my Dad came to pick me up from work. I thought it was odd. He rarely if ever did that.
He had learned of a foolish decision I had made. His words to me cut to the morrow. He told me “sis, I really had high hopes for you to make different choices. I always felt that you would be a responsible thinker and obedient”.
I felt that interior pain of the solar plexus that happens when severe hurt emotionally comes at us. First of all, I had no idea my Dad felt that way. He had never expressed it to me. My father always tried to be fair with all of us. And then to disappoint my Dad and hero in heart…
It is so also with our Heavenly Father. How many times has He told us that he had high hopes, different expectations of our decision-making. And yet like my own father, God embraces His children and says after a loving hug, go and sin no more.
I have been battling with AUTHENTIC CONTRITION and thus doing a deep dive on what true contrition is. I guess you could say it is about the deep pain emotionally in the solar plexus of disappointing another, or God. And then crying out, "forgive me, Father, for I have sinned!”
I reflect a lot on the sacrament of reconciliation. I have confessed that perhaps I have used it as a get out of jail free card. Please watch the link attached by our friend with Uniquley Mary. It is a beautiful understanding of true, real, heartfelt, contrition. We NOW have the St Catherine Prayer Cards available FOR FREE! Send us an email if you wish to order/receive UP TO 10!
I found it challenging to watch but very comforting! A good and holy guide to discovery of what God really wants for us and of us. Contrition truly comes from the love of humility and closeness with God.
The world has become a very hard place. We surround ourselves with protection in order to avoid that agonizing pain in the solar plexus, yet God meets us there and lovingly asks us if we need anything.
In fact on September 13, 2000 when I cried out to God, “forgive me for being so afraid”... I had received a breast cancer diagnosis the night before. I truly believe that I was cured of that entire affliction because of the true contrition that I laid out before our good God.
Although, I did go through with the harsh chemotherapy and radiation treatment. You could say a penance of sorts...During the first treatment, my husband said to me, "aren’t you afraid," I told him, "it is what it is". I keep my chemo head covering close by to remind me that it is what God says it is.
True contrition is that look into your
Father’s eyes, feeling that utter pain and saying with your head down, I have sinned against you! It is accepting His love and mercy to go forth and attempt the amendment of your ways… you cannot do it without Him!
MUST WATCH
https://youtu.be/WM4knF2OCeU?si=YkCfxKyTF_6sajxU
FOR CONFESSION TO REMIT PUNISHMENT AS GOD TOLD
ST. CATHERINE
1) Our Love has to come from thinking about the sufferings of Jesus
2) We have to see that because of us, he suffered – and have true contrition because of Jesus, not because of us
3) We must have true humility and think “I deserve suffering and punishment”
4) We must see His Blood, and let this inflame a supernatural love in us which then grows in us the desire to suffer like Jesus
5) WE must be sorry not just for our sins but the sins of other people against God
St. Catherine of Siena
Prayer Before Confession
Holy Spirit, come into my heart, by your power
I journey to You, God, and grant me charity with fear.
Protect me, o Christ, from every evil thought,
warm me with your sweet love,
so that each burden seems light to me.
My holy Father and my sweet Lord,
help me always in all my endeavors,
Christ love, Christ love.
Prayer composed and written by
St. Catherine at Rocca d’Orcia in 1377,
after miraculously having learned to write.
FOR A LIMITED TIME WE HAVE THE ST. CATHERINE PRAYER CARDS FOR FREE (US SHIP ONLY, LIMIT 10/PERSON)
EMAIL info@walkingword.org
NO BETTER ALMS THAN TO SAVE SOULS!!!
If you wish to support the producer of THE ABOVE video and
Uniquely Mary you can through
buymeacoffee.com/Uniquelymary
10/01/2025
Fr. Dominque Nelson reminds me that God doesn't require perfect contrition, although it is a grace. God takes what we authentically have and we can be grateful for that!
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY WATER
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY WATER
In May of 2023 I raced to Confession at our beloved Parish, St Joseph's
While waiting in line I watched many people walk passed the Holy Water font. Some dipped a few fingers to bless themselves, others passed hurriedly. My favorites were the parents either picking up their children to touch the water or blessing them with their own wet fingers.
I had a sudden thought. The floor below the Holy Water Font must have had thousands of gallons of Holy Water fall on it in all those years of this Parish.
I felt an overwhelming desire to become the caretaker for that container. I imagined the angels that stand guard over the blessings that the use of this water invoked. And I pictured an angel below the font smiling upon the people who knew the efficacy of the blessing of Holy Water upon entering the sanctuary.
It is so important to stay reverent and authentically engaged in the profound holy nature of our Catholic Faith. Sacramentals are how we are drawn to the sanctity of our Savior and Holy Mother Church.
In keeping with the need for nudges or reminders, I would suggest you offer your possible lack of reverence in the nature of Sacramentals for the Souls living and those deceased in Purgatory who were irreverent toward the Sacraments. They will pray for you!
In August of 2023 St Joseph's suffered a major fire. We pray that the Church will be rededicated by this year's Feast of St. Joseph. Please pray for all those involved and the arsonist who started the fire...
We pray to empty Purgatory and Bless Your Home! Lisa's favorite place to pray outside of the Adoration Chapel is the Cemetery...Oh how the "little ones" love our prayers...
Please stop by… GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
Lisa and Jerry
WHY DO WE PUT S.A.G. ON EVERY PACKAGE?
holy amnesia...
A Priest's Prayer
Grant to me, O Lord, that wisdom which stands beside Thy throne, that I may know how to judge Thy people with justice, and Thy poor ones with equity. Let me so use the keys of the Kingdom of heaven that I may open to no one upon whom they should shut, nor close them to any for whom they should open. May my intention be pure, my zeal sincere, my charity patient, my labor fruitful. Let me be gentle without weakness, severe without harshness. Let me not disdain the poor; nor fawn upon the rich. Make me kind that I may attract sinners, prudent in questioning them, adroit in directing them. Grant, I beseech Thee, skill to lead them back from sin, zeal in confirming them in good, diligence in elevating them to better things. Grant me good judgment in answering questions, correctness in counseling. Give me light when things are obscure, wisdom when they are entangled, victory when they are difficult. May I myself be not lost. Amen.
We would add, "please grant me the grace of Holy Amnesia…" We have read that the grace of Holy Amnesia is conferred upon Priests at their Ordination. We pray this is very true. Yet, we all need the grace of Holy Amnesia. It is difficult living a Christian life and not accumulating long list of grievances. They pile up without realizing it and affect our thoughts, words and actions.
Childhood trauma can exacerbate these powerful oppressions.
Pray for the beautiful grace of Holy Amnesia after every, impure exposure or scandal. After every harsh word spoken at you and finally over your entire life…who has not struggled with past sin over and over again?
"Lord, I pray with a contrite heart for your Holy Spirit bless my mind and Heart with the Grace of Holy Amnesia"
