The original source of this most excellent prayer is Pope Pius IX in 1928,
apparently his encycical "Miserentissimus Redemptor" as mentioned on
this website:

"...In 1928 Pope Pius XI issued his encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor
on reparation to the Sacred Heart.  In 1956 Pope Pius XII published his
encyclical Haurietis Aquas on the nature of devotion to the Sacred Heart."

I have not found the Latin version of this, located in the original Encyclical,
most likely,  and if another member has a copy of it, please post it here
on this thread, as it would be an addendum to this archive post, and not
a discussion item (as prohibited by the Library Rules).  For it is by the
issuance of an "official Latin text" that conformity throughout the Church
has been the norm of previous centuries, and now, under the
obfuscation inherent in the use of the vernacular since the regrettable
Vat.II,  a lot of confusion has come to everything.  Certainly, there were
encyclicals promulgated in German or French by pre-Conciliar popes, but
they were always for a specific reason, addressed to that particular
nation or culture.  This prayer is a universal one, with unlimited
application, for its domain is the extent of the Redemption of Our Lord
Jesus Christ on the Cross, and as such, demands a universal language,
which traditionally has been Latin in the Latin (Roman) Catholic
Church................




                                       

                    Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

     O sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much

forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thine altar

eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to

which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

     Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities,

which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon

and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own

personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path

of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and

Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke

of Thy law.

     We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage

committed against Thee;  we are determined to make amends for the manifold

offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the

foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent

violation of Sundays and holidays [sic], and the shocking blasphemies uttered

against Thee and Thy Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to

which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by

conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy divine

love;  and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and the

teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

     Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with

our blood.  We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor,

the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and

which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars;  we offer it in union with

the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious

faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make reparation, as far as we can

with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we

and others have committed in the past.  Henceforth we will live a life of

unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of

the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to

prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow

Thee.

     O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary our

model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act

of expiation;  and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto

death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day

come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest

and reignest God, world without end.  Amen.


Last edited:  Saturday, November 03, 2001



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For readers who have any kind of ADD or are easily distracted, the format
of the above prayer may be too intense for them to grasp the full
meaning.  For this problem I would recommend a format like this, following,
which incorporates a few more spaces and "bullets" to distinguish the
concepts being alluded to, so as to make the whole more comprehensible.
Even for those who don't think they have such a problem with
comprehension, I would recommend you read this, below, and think about
what it is you're looking at, and try to see if it does not give you a little
something to assist in your meditation of these immensely deep and
so very essential doctrines and principles of devout Catholic prayer.  I came
to this realization because of a penance that Fr. Hawker gave me some
years ago, when he said that I should pray this Act of Reparation.  The
first moment that I did so, I realized that once is not enough.  So I prayed
it every day for a week.  Nor was that enough.  Lent was coming at the
time, and so, as a matter of penitential practice for the season of Lent, I
thought, "What better voluntary penance could I do, than to memorize this
prayer, this most excellent prayer?"  And so it was decided, and so it was
done.  It was not a fulfillment of the very reasonable penance that I had
been given by a most holy and venerable priest of God, but truly a
"voluntary act of expiation," as the Prayer itself contains, literally.  

So how does one accomplish this?   Well, I would recommend a very simple
and effective method that works well in all such situations where a long
composition needs to be memorized..  It works equally well with the
Preamble to the Constitution or with the Gettysburg Address!  Simply
stated, you begin at the end and work your way backwards.  What I
actually did was to begin at the end of the first paragraph, "...the cruel
indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject."

How difficult is it to memorize that?!  It took me about 10 minutes!  

HAHAHAHAHAHA - I was laughing at the devil..  he hates it when you laugh
at him... TOUGH.

But that was enough for the first day.  The second day, I began adding the
rest of the first paragraph in 3 installments:  "...behold us prostrate before
Thine altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference
and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject."  It was
during this memorization that I decided to change the word "Thy altar" to
"Thine altar," because by frequent repetition the latter is easier to say,
and it conforms to English usage that when preceding a word that begins
with a vowel (like "altar" does) you can say "thine" instead of "thy," if you
so desire, and it is not incorrect.  It's sort of like "a" rather than "an."  We
say, "a hammer" but we say "an announcement."

The next day, I followed this by memorizing, "...is requited by so much
forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thine
altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and
injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject," and finally:  "O
sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much
forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thine
altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and
injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject."

Four days down, thirty-six more to go...    

This first paragraph, then, took a few days to memorize, but it was not
difficult at all.  Do you see how that works?  In practice, when you have
the end of the piece already internalized, as you add more to it, up front,
you are  A)  encouraged and rewarded by finishing with the part you have
already memorized, and  B)  finding it easier and easier to proceed, as
the part you are moving into is a part you have known the longest
already.  

I set the first paragraph aside then, and moved to the ending:  "...so that
we may all one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father
and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end.   Amen."

And proceeding likewise, each subsequent day I added a new segment
working backwards to the first paragraph, which I had already learned!  
I did repeat the first paragraph once every day, to be sure I had not
forgotten parts of it.  Sometimes I had to check the printed text..  I carried
around 3 x 5 cards with the various segments on them, and pulled them
out as necessary like flash cards, but a lot of times they were not
necessary at all.  

Lent lasts 40 days, and I was all done memorizing this prayer before
Holy Week..   Can you imagine how much easier Holy Week is when you
can say this most HolyWeek-ish of prayers by heart???  

But something happens to you when you memorize such a prayer..  It
changes you.  You gain a much deeper appreciation for the full depth of
its meaning, and it is no longer, as Hegel, Locke, Hume and Comte would
say, "Just Words."  As the great St. Lawrence asked his executioners
to 'turn him over,' so now the tables have turned, and it's now
John Dewey's turn, and he probably is "turning over in his grave" when
you read these words!  TOUGH.  HAHAHAHAHA


It is time to reclaim your Catholic Heritage.


This is a battle to the death..



      Viva Cristo Rey!     Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!




    O sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is

requited by so much..

     ~  forgetfulness

     ~  negligence

     ~  and contempt..

behold us prostrate before Thine altar,  

eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel..

     ~  indifference

     ~  and injuries

to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.


Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities..  

      ~  which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts  

we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone..

     ~  by voluntary expiation, not only for our own personal offenses..

          ~  but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of

               salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their

               Shepherd and Leader..

               ~  or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off

                    the sweet yoke of Thy law.


We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage

committed against Thee..  

     ~  we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses..

          ~  against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior

          ~  for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent
 
          ~  for the frequent violation of Sundays and holy days

          ~  and for the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy

                Saints.


We wish also to make amends..

      ~  for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are

            subjected

      ~  for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege,

            of the very Sacrament of Thy divine love

      ~  and lastly, for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and

            the  teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.


Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations

with our blood!


We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the

satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and

which Thou dost continue to renew daily on our altars..

     ~  we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother

     ~  and all the Saints

     ~  and of the pious faithful on earth.

And we sincerely promise to make reparation, as far as we can with the

help of Thy grace..

     ~  for all neglect of Thy great love

     ~  and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.


Henceforth we will live a life of..

     ~  unwavering faith

     ~  of purity of conduct

     ~  of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel

          ~  and especially that of charity.


We promise to the best of our power..

     ~  to prevent others from offending Thee

     ~  and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.


O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary our

model in reparation..

     ~  deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of

           expiation

     ~  and by the crowning gift of perseverance

     ~  keep us faithful unto death

          ~  in our duty

          ~  and the allegiance we owe to Thee

so that we may all one day come to that happy home,

where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost

livest and reignest, God, world without end.     Amen.  






*******************************************

There are other versions of this same prayer that have been "updated"
with modern vocabulary, for what reason?  Perhaps to make the user
more 'comfortable' in its use, that is, to remove some of the objectionable
penitential aspect latent in the traditional version.  Do you have a better
explanation?  The first of these, below, is only different by a few pronouns
and modern grammar, but has a few other typos as well.  The others, after
that below, are very much changed, removing the specific principles of
reparation and penance, even though they retain the title, "Act of Reparation."


Example of an 'updated' version more suitable to the modern ear:

Note: misspellings of "men" (me), "Thine altar" (Your alter), "Thy" (Your),
"Thee" (You), "Thou hast" (You have), "others" (other) and perhaps most
importantly, "Holy Ghost" (Holy Spirit)..


ACT OF REPARATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for me is requited by so much

forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Your alter (in

Your presence) eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference

and injuries, to which Your loving Heart is everywhere subject.

Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which

we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Your pardon and

declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own

personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying for from the path

of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow You, their Shepherd and

Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of

Your Law. We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage

committed against You; we are determined to make amends for the manifold

offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the

foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent

violations of Sundays and holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered

against You and Your Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to

which Your Vicar on earth and Your priest are subjected, for the profanation, by

conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Your

Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and

teaching authority of the Church which You have founded. Would, O divine Jesus,

we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in

reparation for these violations of Your divine honor, the satisfaction You once

made to Your eternal Father on the cross and which You continue to renews daily

on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Your Virgin

Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely

promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Your grace, for all

neglect of Your great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the

past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of

perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity.

We promise to the best of our power to prevent other [sic] from offending You

and to bring as many as possible to follow You.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in

reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of

expiation; and by the crowing gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in

our duty and the allegiance we owe to You, so that we may one day come to that

happy home, where You with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God,

world without end. Amen.





Act of Reparation
Source - Version 1:
(Especially for the First Friday of the Month)

        Adorable Heart of Jesus, glowing with love for us and inflamed with
zeal for our salvation!

        O Heart! ever sensible of our misery and the wretchedness to which
our sins have reduced us, infinitely rich in mercy to heal the wounds of our
souls, behold us humbly prostrate before Thee to express the sorrow that
fills our hearts for the coldness and indifference with which we have so
long requited the numberless benefits that Thou hast conferred upon us.
With a deep sense of the outrages that have been heaped upon Thee by our
sins and the sins of others, we come to make a solemn reparation of honor
to Thy most sacred majesty. It was our sins that overwhelmed Thy Heart
with bitterness; it was the weight of our iniquities that pressed down Thy
face to the earth in the Garden of Olives, and caused Thee to expire in
anguish and agony on the Cross.

        But now, repenting and sorrowful, we cast ourselves at Thy feet, and
implore forgiveness. Adorable Heart of Jesus, source of true contrition
and ever merciful to the penitent sinner, impart to our hearts the spirit of
penance, and give to our eyes a fountain of tears, that we may sincerely
bewail our sins now and for the rest of our days. Oh, would that we could
blot them out, even with our blood! Pardon them, O Lord, in Thy mercy,
and pardon and convert to Thee all that have committed irreverences and
sacrileges against Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love, and thus give
another proof that Thy mercy is above all Thy works.

        Divine Jesus, with Thee there are mercy and plentiful redemption:
deliver us from our sins, accept the sincere desire we now entertain, and
our holy resolution, relying on the assistance of Thy grace, henceforth to
be faithful to Thee.

        And in order to repair the sins of ingratitude by which we have
grieved Thy most tender and loving Heart, we are resolved in the future
ever to love and honor Thee in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar,
where Thou art ever present to hear and grant our petitions, and to be the
food and life of our souls. Be Thou, O compassionate Jesus! our Mediator
with Thy Heavenly Father, Whom we have so grievously offended;
strengthen our weakness, confirm these our resolutions of amendment,
and as Thy Sacred Heart is our refuge and our hope when we have sinned,
so may It be the strength and support of our repentance, that nothing in life
or death may ever again separate us from Thee.

        Amen.





- Version 2:

         O Jesus, Divine Saviour, deign to cast a look of mercy upon Your
children, who assemble in the same spirit of faith, reparation, and love, and
come to deplore their own infidelities, and those of all poor sinners, their
brethren. May we touch Your Divine Heart by the unanimous and solemn
promises we are about to make and obtain mercy for ourselves, for the
world, and for all who are so unhappy as not to love You. We all promise
that for the future:

For the forgetfulness and ingratitude of men...
          We will console You, O Lord.
For the way You are deserted in Your holy tabernacle...
For the crimes of sinners...
For the hatred of the impious...
For the blasphemies uttered against You...
For the sacrileges that profane Your Sacrament of Love...
For the outrages against Your divinity...
For the injuries of which You are the adorable Victim...
For the coldness of the greater part of your children...
For the contempt of your loving invitation...
For the infidelity of those who called themselves Your friends...
For the abuse of Your grace...
For our own unfaithfulness...
For the incomprehensible hardness of our hearts...
For our long delay in loving You...
For our tepidity in Your holy service...
For Your bitter sadness at the loss of souls...
For Your long waiting at the door of our hearts...
For the heartless scorn that grieves You...
For Your loving sighs...
For Your loving tears...
For Your loving imprisonment...
For Your loving death...

        Let us pray: O Jesus! Divine Savior, from whose Heart comes forth
this bitter complaint, "I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found
none," graciously accept the feeble consolation we offer You, and aid us so
powerfully by your grace, that we may, for the time to come, shun more and
more all that can displease You, and prove ourselves in everything, and
everywhere, and forever Your most faithful and devoted servants. We ask
it through Your Sacred Heart, O Lord, who live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit one God, world without end.

        Amen.





- Version 3:

        Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the
outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of
mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to
Thee!

        The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall
believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus!

        The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hopes of
immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole hope of mankind!

        The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall
love Thee, O infinitely amiable heart of Jesus!

        The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and
profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus!

        The more Thy holy laws are transgressed and ignored, the more
we shall delight to observe them, O most holy Heart of Jesus!

        The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more
frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most
liberal Heart of Jesus!

        The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten,
the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every
virtue!

        The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more we shall be
inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of
souls!

        The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the
more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy
Spirit, O Heart of Jesus!

        The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall
endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus!

        The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more we will
honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity
and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!

        O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy
apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the
kingdom of heaven.

        Amen.