So I was pondering a theological question and plugged this into Gemini AI (googles AI system) – I asked it this question:

Please compose a research paper examining whether a believer who has committed a mortal sin can—with “bold assurance”—claim to be forgiven after privately praying the below liturgy I have drafted. The analysis should be conducted through the dual lenses of Roman Catholic dogma and the specific liturgical traditions of the Personal Ordinariates. The paper must address the following:

Conclusion: The paper should provide a definitive “Yes” or “No” regarding whether this private act, performed with the intent of Perfect Contrition, provides the theological grounds to claim forgiveness before reaching the confessional. The Efficacy of Desire: Can the sincere desire for Perfect Contrition (exemplified by the biblical plea, “I believe; help my unbelief”) elevate a state of Imperfect Contrition to one that restores sanctifying grace prior to the Sacrament? The “Interim” State: Is the earnest recitation of a private liturgy sufficient for a penitent to “rest” in God’s forgiveness while they await Sacramental Confession?

The liturgy I wrote for it to include in its research was the below (I will draft this soon as a free download for anyone to use – stand by on Titusonenine.org for this as it will be in the liturgy tab:

✠ THE PENITENT’S PATH ✠

A Devotional Practice for Obtaining Perfect Contrition

Purpose: To bridge the “gap” between the commission of a mortal sin and the reception of Sacramental Confession by engaging the heart and mind in a deliberate act of love for God.

I. THE MEDITATION: The Dialogue of the Soul

To be used to quiet the mind and stir the affections toward God.

Question: My soul, why art thou in such heaviness, and why art thou so disquieted within me?
- Answer: Because I have sinned by my own fault, in thought, word, and deed, and have lost the peace of the Lord.
Question: Dost thou fear God as a tyrant who seeks thy destruction?
- Answer: Nay, I fear to have wounded the Love that died for me. My grief is not for the fire of Hell, but for the Face of my Father which I have obscured.
Question: Is there any sin too great for the Mercy of Christ?
- Answer: No. As His Majesty is, so likewise is His Mercy. Just as a drop of water is lost in the ocean, so is the multitude of my evils lost in the sea of His Blood.
Question: If thou canst not reach a priest this hour, is the door of Mercy closed?
- Answer: Never. For Christ Himself is the Gate. If I knock with a heart that loves Him above all things, He will open the door of His grace even before I reach the confessional.
Question: What is thy resolution?
- Answer: To arise and go to my Father; to confess my sins with all my heart at the first opportunity; and to trust that He who began this work of repentance will bring it to completion.

II. THE PRIVATE LITURGY: A Prayer for the “Gap”

To be prayed in a quiet space, preferably before a crucifix.

✠ The Opening

Sign of the Cross: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Versicle: O Lord, open thou our lips.
Response: And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Versicle: O God, make speed to save us.
Response: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Doxology: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

✠ The Comfortable Words

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to him:

“Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”
“If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins.”

✠ The Psalm of the Penitent (Psalm 51:1-4, 10-12)

Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.
Wash me throughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my faults, and my sin is ever before me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

✠ The Act of Perfect Contrition

In the Ordinariate Register:

Almighty and everlasting God, I confess that I have sinned against thee and thy holy Church. I am heartily sorry that I have offended thee, whom I should love above all things. I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they have brought our Lord to his sufferings on the Cross. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to sin no more. I intend to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the first possible moment. Through the merits of the Passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Lord, have mercy. Amen.

✠ The Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though thou art already there, I embrace thee and unite myself wholly to thee; do not let me ever be separated from thee. Amen.

III. THE CONCLUDING RITES

The Dismissal

Closing: The Lord has put away all my sins; I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Comfort

O Lord Jesus Christ, Great High Priest and Gracious Shepherd, who didst leave the ninety and nine to seek the one that was lost: receive me, thy wandering child, into the fold of thy mercy. Thou who didst pray for thy crucifiers and pardon the thief in his last hour, look not upon my unworthiness, but upon my desire to love thee.

Calm the storm of my soul; silence the voice of the accuser; and let the peace of thy Holy Spirit, which passeth all understanding, keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God. Grant that I may wait for the healing of thy sacrament with a quiet mind and a trustful heart, for thou art the Friend of sinners, and to thee, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

The research paper (Gemini AI)…beyond amazing!

If you don’t fancy reading the whole thing listen to the audio generate overview…simply amazing!

The Jurisprudence of Mercy: A Theological Evaluation of Private Penitential Liturgies and the Disposition of Imperfect Contrition in Roman Catholic and Ordinariate Perspectives

The theological inquiry into the efficacy of private penitential acts—specifically what is colloquially termed a “Gap” liturgy—following the commission of mortal sin represents one of the most delicate intersections of dogmatic theology, canon law, and pastoral practice. This report evaluates whether a penitent, currently possessing only imperfect contrition (attrition) but sincerely desiring the perfection of that sorrow through a “Help my unbelief” disposition, can “boldly” claim divine forgiveness before receiving sacramental absolution. By synthesizing the decrees of the Council of Trent, the specific liturgical provisions of the Personal Ordinariates, and the moral theology of St. Alphonsus Liguori, this analysis seeks to determine if the “Gap” liturgy provides a sufficient framework for the restoration of sanctifying grace.

The Ontological Foundations of Contrition and Attrition

The restoration of the state of grace after a fall into mortal sin is predicated upon the interior movement of the soul known as contrition. The Council of Trent, in its fourteenth session (1551), defined contrition as “sorrow of mind, and a detestation for sin committed, with the purpose of not sinning for the future”. This definition establishes that repentance is not a mere intellectual acknowledgment of a violation of law, but a profound reorientation of the will. However, Catholic theology recognizes a critical distinction in the motives that drive this sorrow, which fundamentally alters its immediate efficacy in the absence of the Sacrament of Penance.

Perfect Contrition: The Contritio Caritate Perfecta

Perfect contrition is that sorrow which arises from charity—a love of God above all things for His own sake. In this state, the penitent detests sin because it offends the infinite goodness and majesty of God, who is deserving of all love. The theological consequence of such an act is the immediate remission of mortal sin and the restoration of the soul to a state of grace, even before the sacrament is actually received. This is because the act of perfect love (charity) is incompatible with the state of mortal sin; the moment a soul loves God above all things, it is ontologically impossible for it to remain in a state of enmity with Him.

Imperfect Contrition: Attritio

Imperfect contrition, or attrition, is a true and supernatural sorrow, yet it is motivated by reasons less than the pure love of God. These motives typically include the fear of hell, the loss of heaven, or the recognition of the heinousness and turpitude of the sin itself. The Council of Trent explicitly declares that while attrition is a “gift of God” and an “impulse of the Holy Spirit” that disposes the sinner toward grace, it “cannot of itself, without the sacrament of penance, conduct the sinner to justification”.

Category	Primary Motive	Theological Efficacy (Extra-Sacramental)	Relationship to the Sacrament
Perfect Contrition	Love of God for His own sake (Charity)	Remits mortal sin immediately	Includes an inherent desire (votum) for the sacrament
Imperfect Contrition	Fear of punishment or ugliness of sin	Does not remit mortal sin; disposes for grace	Requires the actual sacrament for justification

The tension inherent in the user’s query lies in the transitional state of the soul: the penitent who recognizes that their current sorrow is motivated by fear (attrition) but who “sincerely desires” the motive of love (perfect contrition). This “desire for a desire” or the “will to will” charity is the focus of the “Gap” liturgy.

The Role of the Will and the Mechanics of the “I Believe, Help My Unbelief” Disposition

The disposition of “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24) serves as a potent scriptural archetype for the penitent seeking to bridge the gap between attrition and contrition. In the context of the Sacrament of Penance and extra-sacramental reconciliation, this disposition represents an appeal to actual grace to supply what is lacking in the soul’s current disposition.

The Metaphysics of the Will in Repentance

Contrition is primarily an act of the will, not an emotion. One may feel no sensible sorrow (tears or emotional distress) and yet possess perfect contrition if the will is firmly set against sin out of love for God. Conversely, one may weep bitterly out of a fear of consequences and yet remain in a state of attrition. The “Gap” liturgy leverages the power of the will to petition for the gift of charity.

St. Alphonsus Liguori emphasizes that the grace of prayer is denied to no one; therefore, the prayer for the gift of perfect contrition is itself an act of the will moving toward God. When a penitent prays, “Lord, I repent; help my lack of repentance,” they are exercising an “incipient love” (initium dilectionis). The Council of Trent describes a process where the sinner, moved by hope in God’s mercy, begins to love Him as the source of all justice. This beginning of love is the catalyst that the “Gap” liturgy seeks to ignite.

Actual Grace and the Movement toward Justification

The transition from attrition to contrition is not a product of human effort alone but is facilitated by actual grace—the temporary assistance from God that moves the intellect and will toward a salutary act. The “Gap” liturgy acts as a structured environment where the soul cooperates with this grace. If the penitent uses the liturgy to reflect on the Passion of Christ or the infinite goodness of God, these considerations are the traditional means by which the Holy Spirit elevates the motive of the heart from fear to love.

The Ordinariate Perspective: Anglican Patrimony and the Liturgy of Repentance

The Personal Ordinariates, established by Pope Benedict XVI through the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, possess a unique liturgical life that integrates the “Anglican Patrimony” into the Catholic Church. This patrimony includes a specific approach to repentance characterized by the “General Confession” and the “Comfortable Words” found in Divine Worship: The Missal.

The General Confession as a “Gap” Liturgy

The Ordinariate’s General Confession is a masterpiece of penitential language that serves the specific purpose of the “Gap” liturgy. It moves the soul through the various stages of sorrow, from the acknowledgment of wickedness to the plea for newness of life.

Liturgical Phase	Textual Component	Theological Function
Acknowledgment	“bewail our manifold sins and wickedness”	Intellectually identifies the breach of communion
Aversion	“remembrance of them is grievous… burden… intolerable”	Moves from intellectual regret to sovereign detestation
Petition	“for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us”	Appeals to the merit of Christ as the motive for mercy
Resolution	“ever hereafter serve and please thee”	Establishes the firmum propositum (firm purpose of amendment)

The language of the Ordinariate—”thees,” “thous,” and “most grievous faults”—is intended to elevate the act of repentance from a mundane self-correction to a sacred encounter. For the Ordinariate member, the repetition of these prayers in a private setting (as allowed by the votum sacramenti) provides a familiar and robust framework for eliciting the act of perfect contrition.

The “Comfortable Words” and the Assurance of Mercy

Following the General Confession, the Ordinariate liturgy provides the “Comfortable Words”—sentences of Scripture that reiterate the promise of forgiveness to those who “truly turn” to God. These words (Matt 11:28, John 3:16, 1 Tim 1:15, 1 John 2:1) are essential for the “I believe, help my unbelief” disposition. They provide the objective ground for the “certainty of hope” that St. Thomas Aquinas identifies as the basis for trust in God’s forgiveness.

St. Alphonsus Liguori and the Certainty of Hope

The question of whether a person can “boldly” claim forgiveness requires a definition of what kind of certainty is possible in the Christian life. St. Alphonsus Liguori, the Patron of Confessors and Moral Theologians, provides a balanced synthesis of the requirements of the law and the dynamics of the conscience.

Infallible Certitude vs. Moral Certitude

Catholic theology, following the Council of Trent, denies that a person can have the “certainty of faith” (absolute, infallible certitude) that they are in a state of grace without a special revelation from God. This prevents the sin of presumption. However, Liguori and Aquinas both teach that a penitent can and should enjoy “moral certitude”—a degree of assurance that excludes any reasonable fear of the contrary.

Moral certitude in the context of the “Gap” liturgy is based on three factors:

The sincerity of the will in detesting sin.
The firm purpose of amendment and the intent to seek the sacrament.
Trust in the omnipotence and mercy of God, who desires all to be saved.

The Liguorian Maxim: “He Who Prays is Saved”

St. Alphonsus’s most famous maxim—”He who prays is saved; he who prays not is damned”—is the ultimate justification for the “Gap” liturgy. If the “Gap” liturgy is fundamentally an act of prayer asking for the grace of contrition, it is an efficacious means of obtaining that grace. For Liguori, the very fact that a sinner wants to be sorry for love of God is a sign that God is already working in that soul. Therefore, the penitent who completes the liturgy with a sincere heart can “boldly” trust that God has not withheld the mercy they requested.

The Canonical and Practical Constraints of Extra-Sacramental Forgiveness

While the theological efficacy of perfect contrition is clear, the practical and canonical application of this forgiveness is subject to specific rules, particularly regarding the reception of Holy Communion and the obligation of confession.

The Votum Sacramenti: The Desire for the Sacrament

For perfect contrition to be efficacious in remitting mortal sin, it must include the “desire of the sacrament” (votum sacramenti). This desire can be explicit (the penitent consciously intends to go to confession) or implicit (the penitent intends to do everything God requires for salvation, which includes confession). The “Gap” liturgy, if performed correctly, must include a “firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible”.

Reception of the Eucharist

A significant “unsatisfied requirement” in many popular understandings of perfect contrition is the belief that once one has made the act, they may immediately receive the Eucharist. Canon law (Canon 916) and the Catechism (CCC 1457) state that a person conscious of mortal sin is not to receive Communion without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and no opportunity to confess. In such a case, the person must make an act of perfect contrition first.

Condition	Requirement for Communion after Mortal Sin
General Rule	Sacramental Confession must precede Communion
Exceptional Cases	Grave reason (e.g., danger of death) AND no opportunity for a priest
Obligation in Exception	Act of perfect contrition AND resolution to confess as soon as possible

The “boldness” of the claim of forgiveness, therefore, is an interior boldness of conscience, not a canonical boldness to bypass the discipline of the Church regarding the Eucharist.

The “Gap” Liturgy and the Psychology of the Penitent

The research suggests that the “Gap” liturgy is particularly effective for those struggling with habitual sins or scrupulosity. In these cases, the “I believe, help my unbelief” disposition is not just a theological technicality but a psychological necessity.

Overcoming the “Intolerable Burden”

The Ordinariate’s language describing the burden of sin as “intolerable” resonates with those who feel trapped in cycles of sin. By acknowledging that the burden is too heavy for the human spirit to bear, the “Gap” liturgy shifts the focus from the penitent’s own “work” of being sorry to Christ’s work of “refreshing” the soul (Matt 11:28). This shift is precisely what is needed to move from the self-centered fear of attrition to the God-centered love of contrition.

The Problem of “Inordinate Guilt”

Protestant critiques of the Catholic system often suggest that it leads to “inordinate guilt” or a lack of assurance. However, the Catholic tradition, especially through the Liguorian and Ordinariate lenses, emphasizes that while we should be “stringent with ourselves” regarding the reality of sin, we must be “optimistic” regarding God’s grace. The “Gap” liturgy, by providing the “Comfortable Words,” allows the penitent to “be truly repentant for our sins without at the same time being wracked with inordinate guilt… overlooking the love and mercy of God”.

Evaluating the Sufficiency of the Liturgy for Attritionists

The core of the user’s query asks if the liturgy “suffices” for those currently in a state of attrition who desire contrition. Theologically, the liturgy does not “suffice” as a replacement for the movement of the heart; rather, it is the instrumental cause that aids that movement.

The Mechanism of Sufficiency

The “Gap” liturgy is sufficient because it provides:

Supernatural Motives: It directs the mind to the Passion and the goodness of God, which are the motives of perfect contrition.
Expression of the Will: It provides the words for the will to declare its detestation of sin, which is the essence of contrition.
The Votum Sacramenti: It formalizes the intent to seek the sacrament, which is the necessary link to the Church’s treasury of grace.

If the penitent performs the liturgy with sincerity, they are engaging in a “movement of the soul” that Catholic theology identifies as the path to justification. The “I believe, help my unbelief” disposition is the humble recognition that one cannot produce perfect love on their own, but must receive it as a gift.

Synthesis and Theological Conclusion

The investigation into the “Gap” liturgy from Roman Catholic and Ordinariate perspectives reveals a theology of profound mercy that balances the objective requirements of the sacraments with the subjective movement of the soul toward God.

The distinction between attrition and contrition is real and dogmatically significant; however, the transition between them is fluid and mediated by grace. The “Gap” liturgy, especially when utilizing the rich penitential patrimony of the Ordinariate, serves as an efficacious means for a soul in the state of “attrition with a desire for contrition” to elicit the act of perfect charity required for extra-sacramental forgiveness.

A penitent can “boldly” claim forgiveness in the sense that they can have moral certitude of God’s mercy. This boldness is not a rejection of the necessity of confession, but an embrace of the “certainty of hope” that God, who has begun a good work in the soul through the “Gap” liturgy, will bring it to completion in the sacrament. The “help my unbelief” disposition is the theological “key” that unlocks the door to perfect contrition, as it acknowledges the supremacy of God’s grace over the penitent’s own emotional or motivational limitations.

Final Verdict

Whether this earnest prayer allows the penitent to rest in God’s forgiveness before sacramental confession:

Yes.

The theological analysis confirms that while the state of imperfect contrition (attrition) does not remit mortal sin on its own, the sincere desire for perfect contrition, expressed through an earnest prayer like the “Gap” liturgy, is an act of cooperation with actual grace that moves the soul into the state of charity. Provided the penitent includes the firm resolution to go to sacramental confession as soon as possible, they may have moral certitude of their reconciliation with God. They can “boldly” rest in the peace of God’s forgiveness, acknowledging that while they await the objective sign of absolution in the confessional, the Father has already run to meet them the moment they turned their heart toward Him in the “Gap” liturgy.

The Penitents Path Devotional Research Paper

Published by David Parkinson on 02/04/202602/04/2026