First Notions — Chapter III. Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition

1. Say the Act of Faith.

I firmly believe, because God, infallible truth, has so revealed it to the holy Catholic Church, and through her reveals it also to us, that there is one only God in three Divine Persons, equal and distinct, who are called the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that the Son became man, taking, by the work of the Holy Spirit, human flesh and soul in the womb of the most pure Virgin Mary; died for us on the cross, rose again, ascended into heaven, and from there is to come at the end of the world to judge all the living and the dead, to give forever to the good heaven and to the wicked hell. And further, for the same reason, I believe all that the same holy Church believes and teaches.

2. Say the Act of Hope.

My God, because You are almighty and infinitely good and merciful, I hope that, through the merits of the passion and death of Jesus Christ our Savior, You will give me eternal life, which You, most faithful, have promised to those who do the works of a good Christian, as I resolve to do with Your holy help.

3. Say the Act of Charity.

My God, because You are the supreme and most perfect Good, I love You with all my heart and above every other thing, and, rather than offend You, I am ready to lose every other thing; and for love of You I also love and intend to love my neighbor as myself.

4. Say the Act of Contrition.

My God, because You are supreme Goodness, and because I love You above all things, I repent and grieve with a true heart for having offended You, and I firmly resolve, with Your holy help, never to sin again in the future, and in particular to flee the proximate occasions of sin.

5. Say the Act of Attrition and Contrition.

O my God, I repent and grieve with a true heart for having offended You. I repent because of the hell I have deserved and the heaven I have lost; but much more do I repent because by sinning I have offended a God so good, so great as You are. I would rather have died than have offended You; and I firmly resolve not to sin again in the future, and to flee the proximate occasions of sin.