There will be two small modifications in the phrasing of the prayer of absolution, which the priest prays to complete the sacrament, if you attend the Sacrament of Penance in 2023.
The new prayer is expected to be used in the United States starting in 2023, though it won’t be official until the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes it (USCCB).
The revised approved text, as reported by Aleteia, is below, with revisions highlighted in bold:
God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and poured out the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church may God grant you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, [sign of the cross] and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
And here’s what the prayer was before:
God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, [sign of the cross] and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
The new translation of the prayer was approved by the Catholic bishops of the United States in 2021, with 182 votes in favor, 6 votes against, and 2 abstentions. According to a USCCB newsletter posted online this week, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments authorized the translation in April 2022.
Penance, also known as reconciliation or confession, is the mechanism through which God grants forgiveness for sins. The contrite penitent confesses his or her sins to a Catholic priest, who then gives sacramental forgiveness. The penitent vows never to sin again and does an act of satisfaction, such as three Hail Marys.
God grants the penitent pardon and peace through the priest, and the penitent is reconciled to God.
Pope Francis has always emphasized the importance of receiving God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance during his pontificate.