Confiteor
The Confiteor
The Church's prayer of confession, owning one's sins before God, His saints, and the whole company of heaven.
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti,
beatae Mariae semper Virgini,
beato Michaeli Archangelo,
beato Ioanni Baptistae,
sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, et omnibus Sanctis,
quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo et opere:
mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem,
beatum Michaelem Archangelum,
beatum Ioannem Baptistam,
sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, et omnes Sanctos,
orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.
Amen.
I confess to almighty God,
to blessed Mary ever Virgin,
to blessed Michael the Archangel,
to blessed John the Baptist,
to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints,
that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed:
through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.
Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin,
blessed Michael the Archangel,
blessed John the Baptist,
the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints,
to pray to the Lord our God for me.
Amen.
Translation source: fisheaters.com/prayers.html
About this prayer
The Confiteor, which takes its name from its first word, "I confess," is the Church's great prayer of humble acknowledgement of sin. The penitent confesses not to God alone but before the whole company of heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, owning that he has sinned in thought, word, and deed. Striking the breast three times at the words mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa, "through my fault, through my most grievous fault," he makes his contrition bodily as well as spoken.
In the traditional Roman Mass the Confiteor is said twice at the foot of the altar, first by the priest and then by the servers in the name of the people, and again before the Communion of the faithful. It gives voice to the communion of saints in the order of penance: the sinner does not stand alone, but begs the prayers of Our Lady and all the Saints, that they may intercede for him before the Lord our God. It is fittingly prayed in the nightly examination of conscience and in preparation for the Sacrament of Penance.