As Lent is a time of repentance, this week we’re focusing on the Act of Contrition. This might be a way to introduce your kids to some of the concepts of Confession since many haven’t received the sacrament yet.

The common Act of Contrition prayer is laid out in the cute craft downloadable here (2nd page, courtesy of catholicteacher.com):

The 1st page has an in-depth notes summarized below:

An act of contrition is a simple, humble prayer of apology – saying sorry to God. When in your life have you said sorry?

Why do we apologize?

• It shows we know we have done something wrong, perhaps hurt another person. We might not have meant to.
• It also shows we feel bad about it and wish we hadn’t done it
• It shows we will try not to do it again

How does it feel to make an apology? How does it feel to receive an apology? Apologies help make our relationships right with other people and God. He has done so much for us and always wants to forgive us! He doesn’t stop being our friend even when we’ve done something bad.

The prayer in the craft is often said in the sacrament of Confession. You can also make up your own words when you’re older and receive the sacrament. Even now, you can pray an act of contrition before you go to bed.