In the reflection offered by the Holy Father in his Audience to participants in the XXXIV Course on the Internal Forum promoted by the Apostolic Penitentiary, held March 4-8, 2024, Pope Francis said:
“In the context of Lent and, in particular, in the Year of Prayer in preparation for the Jubilee, I would like to propose that you reflect together on a simple and rich prayer, which belongs to the heritage of the holy faithful People of God, and which we will recite during the rite of Reconciliation: the Act of Contrition.
Despite the somewhat old-fashioned language, which may even be misunderstood in some of its expressions, this prayer preserves all its validity, both pastoral and theological. Besides, its author is the great Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, master of moral theology, a pastor close to the people and a man of great equilibrium, distant from both rigorism and laxism.”
Following this, the Pope dwelt on the three attitudes expressed in the Act of Contrition that offer us help in reflecting on our relationship with God’s mercy: repentance before God, trust in Him, and the resolve to never again fall into the sin we have committed.
The full text of Pope Francis’ address can be read on the Holy See’s website.
