Catholic
Prayers
These are some of the prayers that Catholics
use...
1. The Magnificat (Canticle of Mary):
My soul
proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour for he
has looked with favour on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will
call me blessed, the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his
name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the
strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast
down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled
the hungry with good things, and the rich has sent away empty. He has come to
the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the
promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever. Glory be to
the Father......
2. Canticle of Zechariah:
Blessed be the Lord, the God
of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us
a mighty saviour, born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy
prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the
hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to
remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to
set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to
prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of
their sins. In the tender compassion of our Lord the dawn from on high will
break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory be to the Father....
3. Morning Prayer:
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
I will begin this day. I thank you, Lord, for having preserved me during the
night. I will do my best to make all I do today pleasing to You and in
accordance with Your will. My dear mother Mary, watch over me this day. My
Guardian Angel, take care of me. St. Joseph and all you saints of God, pray for
me..(add your daily offering)
4. Daily Offering:
O Jesus, through the immaculate heart of Mary, I offer
you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the holy
sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions
of your sacred heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the reunion of
all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all the
apostles of prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father
this month.
5. Evening Prayer:
O my God, at the end of this day I
thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry
that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have
committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this
night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your
protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray
for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell.
Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory... (followed by an Act of
Contrition)
6. Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for
having offended You and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven
and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are
all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your
grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life.
Amen
7. Prayer Before Meals:
Bless us O Lord, and these thy
gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen. or Dear Jesus, we thank you for this food and ask you to bless it to our
bodies, and our bodies to your service. Amen.
8. Anima Christi:
Soul of Christ, make me holy. Body of
Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, fill me with love. Water from Christ's side,
wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Good Jesus, hear me. Within your
wounds, hide me. Never let me be parted from you. From the evil enemy, protect
me. At the hour of my death, call me. And tell me to come to you. That with your
saints I may praise you. Through all eternity. Amen.
9. Guardian Angel Prayer:
Angel of God, my guardian
dear, to whom God's love, commits me here. Ever this day be at my side, to light
and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
10. Prayer to Our Lady:
Memorare Remember, O most loving
Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with
this confidence, we turn to you, O Virgins of virgins, our Mother. To you we
come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
do not despise our petitions, but in your mercy hear us and answer us. Amen.
11. Prayer to the Holy Spirit:
Breathe into me Holy
Spirit, That all my thoughts may be holy. Move in me, Holy Spirit, that my work,
too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is
holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy. Protect
me, Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. or Spirit of wisdom and
understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in
relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us
firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus' way of love. Spirit of knowledge
and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our
everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve
problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our
faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and
awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Amen. or Come, Holy Spirit
and fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fires of your
love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created and you will renew the face
of the earth. Amen.
12. The Angelus:
V: The Angel of the Lord declared unto
Mary. R: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary....) V: Behold the
handmaid of the Lord. R: Be it done unto me according to thy word. (Hail
Mary....) V: And the Word was made Flesh. R: And dwelt among us. (Hail Mary....)
V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R: That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ. LET US PRAY: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace
into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made
known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to
the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
It is
traditional to say the Angelus at: 6.00 am, 12.00 Noon, 6.00 pm
13. The Our Father:
Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in
Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. Amen.
14. The Hail Mary:
Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is
with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb
Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our
death Amen.
15. Glory Be to the Father:
Glory be to the Father and
to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever
shall be, world without end. Amen.
16. The Divine Praises:
Blessed be God. Blessed be His
Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be the Name
of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy
Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her Glorious
Assumption. Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St.
Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
17. The Apostle's Creed:
I believe in God, the Father
Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our
Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into
hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is
seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come
to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy
Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
18. Offering of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:
Eternal
Father, I offer the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with all its love, all its suffering
and all its merits; to expiate all the sins I have committed this day, and
during all my life; to purify the good that I have done this day and during my
life; to make up for the good I ought to have done and that I have neglected
this day and during all my life. Amen.
19. Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel:
St. Michael,
the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and
snares of the devil. May god rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince
of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and the other
evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. V: Most Sacred
Heart of Jesus, R: Have Mercy on us. V: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, R: Have
Mercy on us. V: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, R: Have Mercy on us. Amen.
20. At the End of the Day: Now I lay me down to sleep, I
pray the Lord my soul to keep; If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my
soul to take.
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