Young People’s Forgiveness Prayer

By: Fr. Robert DeGrandis, S.S.J.

In the following prayer most of the significant areas will be covered. Often,
such a prayer will bring to mind other areas that need forgiveness. Let the Holy
Spirit move freely and guide your mind to persons or groups that you need to
forgive:

Lord, I forgive myself for my sins, faults and failings. For all that is truly bad in
myself or all that I think is bad, I do forgive myself.

Lord, I forgive myself for thinking I am not good looking enough, for being too fat
or too skinny, for not being popular, for feeling I have no outstanding talents, for not
being athletic, for not being smart, for doing badly in school, for lying, cheating, for
stealing, for being a problem in the classroom. Lord, I truly forgive myself this day.

Lord, I forgive myself for being lazy, for always getting in trouble, for
exaggerating. For insulting people; for gossiping; for not respecting adults; for using bad
language, especially for taking the Lord’s name in vain. For not being able to get a job,
for getting fired and for not being able to live up to the goals I have set for myself, I am
truly forgiving myself today.

Lord, I also forgive myself for an unforgiveness, especially toward myself; for
judging others; for hurting my boyfriend or girlfriend and for being dumped by my
boyfriend or girlfriend. I forgive myself for taking drugs, for smoking, for getting drunk,
for fighting, for being involved in vandalism. For not believing in God, for not praying and
for not going to church on Sunday. I now forgive myself.

Lord Jesus, I forgive myself for hating my family; for causing fights at home; for
being a bad example for my brothers and sisters; for competing [1-uping], especially
with my brothers and sisters. For feeling like I am a financial burden upon my family; for
running away from home. Lord, I truly forgive myself.

Jesus, help me to forgive myself for being vain, envious, for bad books and
movies, for having impure thoughts, for lewd conduct, for promiscuous behavior, for
masturbation, for participating in sexual relationships, for having an abortion, for getting
pregnant. I forgive myself for getting someone pregnant. Lord thank you for setting me
free.

And I also forgive myself for any delving into the occult [or pagan practices]: ouija
boards, horoscopes, seances, fortune telling and lucky charms, tarot cards, books on
witchcraft. [Watching tv or movies that promote witchcraft as a good thing]. I am truly
forgiving myself. [Lord, I forgive myself for using dream catchers, practicing reiki, zen, or
yoga]. Thank you, Lord, for Your grace at this moment.
 Lord, I extend my forgiveness to my brothers and sisters for being smarter than
I, for being more popular than I, for being better looking than I, for their lack of Love and
support, for telling on me, embarrassing me, yelling at me unjustly, for not associating
with me in public, not showing me affection. I now forgive them.

I now forgive them for physically harming me, for putting me down, for judging
me, for turning my friends against me, for competing [1-uping] with me, for competing
for our parents’ love and for getting more attention from our parents than I do. For
dropping out of school, running away from home, bad language, for being lazy, for
moving out, for getting married, for going away to school [or to work], eloping. Lord, I
forgive them today.

Jesus, I forgive them for not honoring our parents; for hitting our parents; causing
family problems; having bad friends; not going to church; for getting involved in the
occult; for being involved in vandalism and crime; for smoking, drinking and using drugs;
for attempting suicide, [for committing suicide]. I truly forgive them.

Lord, I also forgive them for promiscuous behavior, for living with someone, for
engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage, for getting pregnant, for having an
abortion. I forgive my brother for getting someone pregnant, for causing someone to
have an abortion. I forgive my brothers and sisters for any homosexual tendencies or
activity, for being a bad example, or making my life unpleasant in any way. I do forgive
them in Love. Thank you, Lord, for Your grace at this moment.

My parents need to be forgiven, Lord, for all the times they did not show me their
affection, for their lack of Love and support, for preferring my brothers and sisters to me,
for not being there when I needed them. I forgive them for lying to me, embarrassing
me, for not understanding me or listening to me, not trusting me, not respecting me as a
person or respecting my privacy, and for constantly centering on my faults. For the
times they told me I was unwanted, an accident, not what they expected, that I cost the
family a lot of money, or that they wished I were never born, I do forgive them.

Lord Jesus, help me forgive them for yelling at me or my brothers or sisters

unjustly; not affirming or reassuring me as they should; falsely accusing me; wrongly
judging me; for putting me down; for putting academic pressure on me; making me get a
job; not allowing me or my brothers and sisters; for sluffing me off to babysitters,
relatives or shopping malls; for not going to church; and for being poor, or not giving me
what I think I need. I truly forgive them with Your strength, Lord.

I also forgive them for any immoral practices, for cheating or stealing at work, for
swearing, drinking and alcoholism, for taking unnecessary drugs, for smoking, being
overweight, for being unemployed, for arguing with each other, hurting each other,
physically fighting with each other, for cheating on each other, for divorcing each other,
for remarrying. [I forgive my father or mother for committing suicide or refusing to take
care of their health and avoid unnecessary risks]. Lord, I truly forgive them today.
 Please help me forgive my relatives, Lord, my grandparents who have in any
way interfered in my family, been possessive of my parents, or who have turned one
parent against the other. I do forgive them, Lord.

Lord, I forgive my school teachers, professors and instructors of the past and
present. I forgive them for testing or grading me unfairly, for expecting too much of me,
for embarrassing me, insulting me, for not praising me for good work, for forgetting
about me, for comparing me to older brothers and sisters, for not teaching me anything,
for treating me like a child, laughing at me, not listening to me, lying to me, or for
confusing me. Lord I truly forgive them.

I also forgive them for not being sensitive to my problems, sending me to the
principal’s office or to the counselor, calling me a problem child, punishing me unjustly,
making me beg, for corporal punishments, expelling or suspending me, judging me, for
flunking me, falsely accusing me, threatening me, screaming or cursing, for flirting with
me. I do forgive them in Your name, Lord.

Lord, I also forgive them for hurting my friends, for teaching material that is too
hard to understand, for giving too much homework, favoritism, being a bad example,
putting my family down, calling my parents, causing family problems, for not respecting
me as a person, and for calling me dumb or stupid. I forgive them today.

Jesus, I forgive all bus drivers, lunch-room attendants, deans, principals,

assistant principals, counselors, substitute teachers, of the past as well at the
present. I forgive all other school staff members. I forgive those who punished me,
humiliated me, insulted me, treated me unjustly, made fun of me, called me dumb or
stupid or made me stay after school. I also forgive all coaches, athletic directors,
game officials, for bad calls, favoritism, for cutting me from the team, for workouts that
were too hard. Lord, truly do I forgive them.

Lord, I forgive my friends, who have caused me problems with my family. I

forgive them for ignoring me, competing [1-uping] with me, embarrassing me, for
judging me falsely, for putting me down, for using me, for having been two-faced
friends, for stealing from me, for causing me to lose my job [or postition]. I now forgive
them.

Jesus, I also forgive them for getting me into trouble, for telling on me, lying to
me, laughing at me, for not supporting me, for not being available when I needed them
or their help, for flirting with my boyfriend or girlfriend, for stealing my boyfriend or
girlfriend, for being a bad example, for getting me drunk, for starting me on drugs, for
having an abortion. I truly forgive them.

I also forgive all past and present boyfriends or girlfriends for not respecting
me, lying to me, cheating on me, using me, leading me on, getting me pregnant, forcing
me to have an abortion, breaking up with me. Jesus, I do forgive them all today.
 I now forgive my clergyman, my congregation and my church for all their lack
of support and love, lack of enthusiasm, not making me feel a part of the church, not
affirming me as they should, lack of friendliness and warmth, also lack of fellowship. For
making me feel like I am unworthy and insignificant. Lord, I do forgive them today.

And I also forgive them for not telling me what is right and wrong in a clear way. I
forgive the priests, ministers, and religious people for being bad examples, for
judging me, for boring sermons, boring music, for unfair rules, for judging young people
wrongly and causing family problems. I do forgive in Love.

God, I forgive You for seemingly allowing injustice and suffering to go on int the
world, for not allowing me to feel Your presence, for seemingly not answering my
prayers and for allowing ones whom I love to die. I do forgive You this day, Oh my God.

Lord Jesus, I especially pray for the grace of forgiveness for that one person in
life who has hurt me the most. I ask to forgive anyone whom I consider my greatest
enemy, the one who is the hardest to forgive or the one whom I said I would never
forgive.

Thank you, Jesus, that I am free of the evil of unforgiveness. Let Your Holy Spirit
fill me with light and let every dark area of my mind be enlightened.

Amen.