Catholic Prayer Act of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition Prayers

Understanding the Four Essential Acts of Catholic Prayer

These four prayers form the foundation of Catholic spiritual life, expressing our response to God’s grace. The Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity correspond to the three theological virtues that unite us directly to God. The Act of Contrition expresses sorrow for sin and the desire to amend our lives. Catholics have prayed these acts for centuries, recognizing them as essential expressions of our relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The Church teaches that these prayers help Catholics grow in sanctity and prepare well for the sacraments. The Act of Faith acknowledges revealed truth, the Act of Hope trusts in God’s promises, and the Act of Charity loves God above all things. The Act of Contrition is necessary for sacramental confession and expresses true repentance. Together, these prayers guide Catholics toward holiness and deeper communion with Christ.

Prayer Expressing Faith in God’s Revealed Truth

O God the Father, I firmly believe that You are one God in three divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that Your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because You have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. I trust completely in Your word, for You are truth itself. Your revelation through Christ and His Church guides my life. I accept every teaching of the Catholic faith with my whole heart. My belief rests not on human wisdom but on Your divine authority.

I believe in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, true God and true man. I believe He was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. I believe He descended to the dead and on the third day rose again. I believe He ascended into heaven and sits at Your right hand, O Father. I believe He will come again in glory to judge all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

I believe in the communion of saints and the forgiveness of sins. I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. I believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I believe in all seven sacraments as channels of Your grace. I believe in the authority of the Pope and the bishops in union with him. I believe everything the Church proposes for my belief. I submit my intellect and will to the teachings of the Catholic faith. My faith gives meaning to my existence and guides every choice I make.

Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen my faith when doubt assails me. Protect me from the confusion that surrounds Your truth in this world. Give me courage to profess my faith openly before others. Help me to study the teachings of the Church and understand them more deeply. Grant me the grace to live according to what I believe. Let my faith show itself in works of charity and justice. May my belief in You transform how I treat every person I meet. Make my faith a light that draws others to Your truth.

God the Holy Spirit, You inspired the prophets and apostles to proclaim God’s word. You guided the Church Fathers as they defended the faith against error. You assist the bishops today as they teach in communion with the successor of Peter. Enlighten my mind to grasp the mysteries of faith. Open my heart to receive Your truth with humility. Help me to recognize that faith is Your gift, not my achievement. Increase my faith daily through prayer and the sacraments. I believe, Lord, but help my unbelief. Amen.

Prayer of Trust in God’s Promises and Mercy

O God the Father, I hope with complete confidence to obtain pardon for my sins, eternal life, and the grace necessary to merit it. I place my hope in You because of the promises of Christ Jesus. Your mercy endures forever, and Your love never fails. I trust in the merits of the passion, death, and resurrection of Your Son. I rely on the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints. My hope rests on Your infinite goodness and faithfulness. You have never abandoned those who trust in You. I place my entire future in Your loving hands.

Lord Jesus Christ, You promised eternal life to those who believe in You. You assured us that whoever asks receives, whoever seeks finds, and whoever knocks will have the door opened. You told us not to worry about tomorrow, for each day has trouble enough of its own. You promised to be with us always, until the end of the age. You said that nothing can separate us from Your love. You guaranteed that Your grace is sufficient for us in every trial. I trust these promises completely. I hope in You, not in my own strength or merit.

God the Holy Spirit, You are the promise of the Father given to all believers. You dwell within me as the guarantee of my inheritance in heaven. You help me in my weakness and intercede for me with groans too deep for words. You produce in me the fruit of patience and perseverance. You remind me of Christ’s words and make them come alive in my heart. You assure me that I am a child of God and an heir of eternal life. I hope in Your constant presence and guidance. I trust that You will complete the good work You have begun in me.

Strengthen my hope when circumstances make me anxious or afraid. Help me to remember that this world is not my final home. Give me confidence that You are preparing a place for me in heaven. Let me never despair of Your mercy, no matter how grievous my sins. Teach me to hope not only for myself but for the salvation of all people. May my hope inspire others who struggle with discouragement. Grant me the virtue of holy perseverance until the moment of my death. I know that You are faithful to Your word and that my hope will not be disappointed.

Blessed Virgin Mary, you are the Mother of Holy Hope, who trusted God’s word even when you could not understand. Saint Joseph, you obeyed in hope when God called you to protect the Holy Family. Saint Paul, you wrote that hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Saint Therese of Lisieux, you showed us that hope grows through confidence in God’s merciful love. Saint Faustina, you proclaimed Christ’s Divine Mercy to a world desperate for hope. All you saints in heaven, intercede for me that I may never lose hope in God’s goodness. May my hope be an anchor for my soul, firm and secure. I hope in You, my God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of Love for God Above All Things

O God the Father, I love You above all things with my whole heart and soul. I love You because You are infinitely good and worthy of all my love. I love You more than myself, more than all created things, more than any earthly pleasure or possession. Your love for me came first, before I could love You in return. You created me out of love and sustain my existence each moment. You sent Your only Son to redeem me when I was lost in sin. You offer me Your grace and call me to eternal life with You. I want to love You perfectly and to do Your will in all things.

Lord Jesus Christ, I love You for taking on human flesh and dwelling among us. I love You for Your humble birth in Bethlehem and Your hidden years in Nazareth. I love You for Your public ministry of teaching, healing, and forgiving sins. I love You for Your agony in the garden and Your acceptance of the Father’s will. I love You for carrying the cross and dying for my salvation. I love You for rising from the dead and conquering sin and death. I love You for remaining with us in the Eucharist. I love You for preparing a place for me in heaven.

God the Holy Spirit, I love You for dwelling within my soul as in a temple. I love You for sanctifying me through the sacraments. I love You for inspiring the Scriptures and guiding the Church. I love You for the gifts and fruits You produce in believers. I love You for uniting all Christians in the Body of Christ. I love You for helping me to pray when I do not know what to say. I love You for consoling me in sorrow and strengthening me in weakness. I love You for making me a child of God and an heir of heaven.

Help me to love You more each day through prayer and sacrifice. Teach me to show my love for You by loving my neighbor. Give me a heart that seeks only to please You. Free me from attachment to things that separate me from You. Let me prefer Your will to my own in every decision. May I never offend You by deliberate sin. Grant me the grace to make acts of love throughout each day. I want my whole life to be an expression of love for You.

Purify my love so that I seek You for Your own sake, not only for Your gifts. Let me love You in times of consolation and in times of dryness. Help me to love You when loving You requires sacrifice and self-denial. Give me the courage to witness to my love before others. May I love all people because they are created in Your image. Let my love extend even to those who have hurt or opposed me. Transform my heart to be more like the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I love You, my God, and I desire to love You more perfectly for all eternity. Amen.

Prayer of Sorrow for Sin and Purpose of Amendment

O God the Father, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they have wounded Your divine goodness. My sins nailed Your beloved Son to the cross. My sins grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells within me. My sins damage the Body of Christ, which is the Church. I confess that I have sinned in thought, word, deed, and omission. I acknowledge my responsibility for the evil I have done and the good I have failed to do. I am truly sorry and ask for Your pardon. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

Lord Jesus Christ, You died to free me from the slavery of sin. You shed Your precious blood to wash away my guilt. You took upon Yourself the punishment I deserve. You bore my sins in Your body on the cross. You taught me that the Father always welcomes the repentant sinner home. You showed mercy to the woman caught in sin and told her to sin no more. You forgave Peter who denied You and restored him to friendship. You promised paradise to the repentant thief who hung beside You. I trust in Your infinite mercy and ask for forgiveness.

God the Holy Spirit, You convict me of sin and lead me to repentance. You give me the grace to recognize my faults and admit them honestly. You move my will to turn away from evil and choose the good. You help me to examine my conscience and prepare for confession. You assure me of God’s forgiveness when I am truly sorry. You strengthen my resolve to change my life and follow Christ more faithfully. You produce in me the sorrow that leads to life, not to death. I rely on Your help to amend my ways and grow in holiness.

I resolve to confess my sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to accept the penance given me. I will avoid the people, places, and situations that lead me into temptation. I will pray daily for the grace to resist sin and to practice virtue. I will receive the Eucharist worthily and draw strength from Christ’s Body and Blood. I will read Scripture and meditate on the lives of the saints. I will perform acts of penance and self-denial to repair for my sins. I will ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for me and protect me from evil. I will strive each day to become the person God created me to be.

Merciful Father, remember not my past sins but look upon me with compassion. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways and sinners will return to You. Let my life become a testimony to Your mercy and forgiveness. May others see in me the transformation that Your grace accomplishes. I am sorry for my sins and I love You with all my heart. Amen.

Prayer Combining Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition

O God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God in three divine Persons, I come before You with faith, hope, and love. I believe in You and all that You have revealed through Christ and His Church. I hope in Your promises and trust in Your mercy. I love You above all things and desire to serve You faithfully. I am sorry for my sins and resolve to amend my life. These four acts express the core of my relationship with You. Through them I respond to Your grace and open my heart to Your will. Grant me the strength to live according to these prayers each day.

I believe that You created me for eternal life with You. I believe that Christ redeemed me through His passion, death, and resurrection. I believe that the Holy Spirit sanctifies me through the sacraments. I believe that the Catholic Church is the body of Christ and the pillar of truth. I believe in the communion of saints and the intercession of Mary and all the holy men and women. I believe that at death I will face judgment based on how I have loved. I believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. My faith gives purpose to my existence and guides my choices.

I hope to receive from You the grace necessary for salvation. I hope that You will forgive my sins when I repent sincerely. I hope that You will give me the strength to persevere in faith until death. I hope that You will welcome me into heaven when my earthly life ends. I hope not in my own merits but in the merits of Jesus Christ. I hope in Your faithful love that never abandons Your children. I hope for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of all people. My hope sustains me through trials and gives me peace in uncertainty.

I love You because You first loved me and gave Yourself for me. I love You for the beauty of creation and the gift of life. I love You for my family, my friends, and all the blessings You provide. I love You for calling me to faith and welcoming me into the Church. I love You for the grace of the sacraments and the guidance of Your word. I love You when loving You is easy and when it requires sacrifice. I love You in prosperity and in adversity. I show my love for You by loving my neighbor and serving those in need.

I am sorry for the times I have failed to believe Your word. I am sorry for the times I have doubted Your goodness or despaired of Your mercy. I am sorry for the times I have loved created things more than You. I am sorry for my pride, my selfishness, my anger, and my lack of charity. I am sorry for my sins of thought, word, deed, and omission. I detest these sins because they have offended Your infinite goodness. I firmly resolve to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. With Your grace, I will sin no more and avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Blessed Trinity, make these prayers the pattern of my daily life. Let faith guide my understanding, hope direct my aspirations, and charity motivate my actions. May contrition keep me humble and aware of my need for Your grace. Help me to pray these acts each morning and evening. Remind me of them when I face temptation or difficulty. Let them shape my participation in Mass and my reception of the sacraments. May they be on my lips and in my heart at the hour of my death. I offer You my faith, my hope, my love, and my sorrow. Accept these gifts and transform me according to Your will. Amen.