Act of Hope
Also known as: Actus spei
English Text
O my God, relying on thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
Translation tradition: Traditional English
Latin Text
Domine Deus,
spero per gratiam tuam
remissionem omnium peccatorum,
et post hanc vitam aeternam felicitatem
me esse consecuturum;
quia tu promisisti, qui es infinitae bonitatis et fidelitatis. Amen.
Scripture: Romans 8:24–25; Hebrews 6:19
When to pray: Morning prayer; at the hour of death; whenever one needs to renew trust in God.
History & Background
The Act of Hope is one of the three acts of the theological virtues composed as catechetical formulas after the Council of Trent. Hope is defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church as "the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit" (§ 1817). Together with the Acts of Faith and Charity, it was included in the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2005), Appendix A, as a prayer all Catholics are encouraged to know. The prayer grounds hope explicitly in God's omnipotence and the merits of Jesus Christ rather than in human deserving.
Related Prayers
Source
https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html verbatim