Expert: Maria - 10/5/2008

Question
I remember the phrase "Mea maxima culpa" from Catholic church years ago when all massses were in Latin. What does it mean?

Answer
Hello,

The Latin expression “mea maxima culpa” which belongs to the  traditional prayer in the Latin Mass of the Roman Catholic Church known as 'Confiteor' (I confess), where confession of sins is made by the believers who recognize their flaws before God, translates into English as “for my greatest fault” as well as "through my most grievous fault”.

In fact in this passage of the ‘Confiteor’ every believer confesses that he/she has sinned for /through his/her own fault (see below).

Best regards,
Maria
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Note that MEA MAXIMA CULPA is an ablative of cause where MEA means “for my”; MAXIMA means ‘greatest/most grievous’; CULPA means ‘fault’.

Here’s the passage of the 'Confiteor':

“Confiteor Deo omnipotenti et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, opere, et omissione: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa”
(I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word and deed through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault).