Prayers Like Rhymes - The Act of Contrition

This is the Act of Contrition I remember from my childhood Missalette, the one that mentions the near occasion of sin. I was sorely puzzled when I started researching this prayer, because no lesser authorities than About.com, Catholic TV and bizarre schism website TrueCatholic.org offer a different Act, one which doesn't mention the NOOS.

Home shot, faithful reader O.: I never did use an Act of Contrition before coming to college, or much since. I don't remember ever learning such prayers. I knew from reading my Missalette and Imitation of Mary (talk about your pre-Vatican II spirituality) that such prayers existed: Act of Faith, Act of Hope, Act of Love. I don't remember learning the Our Father. I do remember my dear elderly babysitter teaching me the Hail Mary. I remember when I was about seven, I realized that I knew all the Mass responses, including the Creed, and I was proud. Now, after a period of interest in the Medjugorje apparitions and attendant spirituality, I can say the Hail Holy Queen - sometimes. And I know the Twenty-third Psalm. And several table graces. (My liberal, diversity-conscious high school had somehow retained the tradition of Grace on festal occasions, and would begin it "O Divine and Omnipresent One . . . ")

But I never did learn those Acts, or most other prayers than the minimum. I learned a lot of important things in Catholic middle school - a lot about the Bible and the Holy Land and what it means to live a good life. After I stopped going to Catholic school and went back to CCD, I'd have to say that the goodness and commitment of the teachers didn't find proportional reward in us learning anything useful or influential. I'd guess most students would be taught prayers like that in elementary school, the better to train the habit of their use. For whatever reason, we didn't do that in my childhood religious ed.

And when do you use them? I've heard of the Act of Contrition and other Acts being given for penance after Reconciliation. I think most of the priests I've encountered judge that this can make prayer seem like punishment. One of the few times I remember being asked to say any specific prayer, ever, was when there was some holdup getting out of the chapel and my sixth-grade teacher had us say 10 Hail Marys to keep us quiet. Let me back away from setting myself up as the classic oppressed Catholic-school girl; I loved my time there. I have very few stories in my head of a time in my life when a specific prayer was called for, and unfortunately, none of them are too inspiring.

And what's the good of using pre-existing prayers, instead of praying in your own words? Well, I can think of one - that prayers in our own words, for those without an extremely poetic or contemplative nature, can quickly minimize into a litany of requests. If you know the words for declaring your love for God, your hope of forgiveness, or your faith in the Trinity, you might remember how important it is to express those truths, too, when you pray.

Readers - did you learn lots of prayers in your childhood? How do you think that's affected the development of your prayer life?

And for blog-surfer bonus brownie points - where's the quote in my title from? No Googling, now.