Devotions & Prayers

Catholic Devotions and Traditional Prayers

The Catholic life is a life of sincere prayer.

To help us to pray and thus draw closer to God in this busy world,

the Church provides various devotions.

VISITS TO OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

Your parish church is open during the day, so that you can come and pray to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament whenever you have time. If your church is not open, find one that is, or meet with your pastor and let him know of your need. Use this opportunity to talk to Our Lord about your difficulties at home or at work, about your joys and sorrows. Make regular visits to Him as you would to your friends and neighbors.

BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

At Benediction Our Lord is placed in a beautiful monstrance over the altar in the midst of lighted candles for your public adoration. The people sing ancient Latin hymns to Christ. Then you receive the blessing of Christ Himself.

HOLY HOURS

Frequently your pastor will have a public Holy Hour in the Church. You should attend. You can make a private holy hour at any time. In a holy hour, we adore our Blessed Lord actually present in our parish church; we answer Jesus' plea, "Can you not spend one hour with me?"

THE FORTY HOURS DEVOTION

IN HONOR OF OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

During Forty Hours Our Lord is publicly exposed on the altar, so that by our adoration and love we can make up for the many sins of the world, especially for the negligence and indifference He suffers in the Blessed Sacrament.

THE NINE FIRST FRIDAYS

Many Catholics receive Holy Communion on the first Fridays of nine consecutive months. They do this because Our Lord promised to St. Margaret Mary: "I promise in the excess of the mercy of My Heart, that Its all powerful love will grant to all those who receive Communion on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance that they shall not die under my displeasure, and without the Sacraments, that My Heart shall be their secure refuge at that last hour."

By receiving Holy Communion on the nine first Fridays, you will lay up spiritual insurance for yourself. Our Lord promises that you will have His grace, even the Sacraments, when you die. Even after the nine months are up, many good Catholics will continue to receive Communion on the First Fridays as long as they live.

PARISH SOCIETIES

The men of the parish should join the Holy Name Society. The women of the parish should join the Blessed Sacrament Society or the Altar and Rosary Society. The youth of the parish have their special societies. These groups receive Holy Communion as a group on a certain Sunday each month. Join your parish society, take part in its activities and receive Holy Communion regularly with them. The Church grants special indulgences who receive Communion with their parish society.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS OR THE WAY OF THE CROSS

The Way of the Cross is a prayerful visit to the scenes of Our Lord's passion and death. A station is a cross and picture hanging on the wall of the church which shows a scene from Our Lord's passion. You make the Way of the Cross by walking from station to station, pausing and praying at each one. This devotion will help you to be sorry for your sins, and it will give you the strength to practice virtue. Each time you make the Stations of the Cross you receive a large indulgence.

THE HOLY ROSARY

The Rosary consists of five "Our Fathers" and fifty "Hail Marys". The rosary is a powerful prayer by which we obtain grace from God by having Mary , His Mother, ask Him for that grace. The best way to learn how to say the Rosary is to follow the priest in your parish instruction class. Get a Rosary in your parish or buy one in a religious goods store. Do not try to learn the mysteries of the Rosary until you have learned how to use the beads.

NOVENAS

A Novena is nine days of prayer in honor of Our Lord or one of the Saints. The Apostles and the Blessed Virgin made the first novena when they awaited the coming of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday. There are novenas to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Mary Our Sorrowful Mother, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (The Blessed Mother), to St Anne, to St. Jude, to Our Lady of Fatima, to St. Anthony, to the Infant of Prague (The Infant Christ) Find a Church that has the particular novena that you want, get the novena book at the door of the church; join the public prayers of the novena. There are many other novenas besides the ones listed above.

PARISH MISSIONS

A mission is a series of sermons, prayers and other spiritual exercises conducted by a priest who has special training and experience in this work. The purpose of the mission is to renew the love of God in the people of a parish. A mission is a sort of inventory of your life; it is a new and valuable experience; many sinners are converted, and the just are strengthened in the practice of virtue. Parishes have missions every year or two.

DAY OF RECOLLECTION

A day of recollection is a day set aside for prayer and the consideration of heaven, hell, sin and other important Christian truths. Usually the priest will lead the day of recollection. If your parish does not have a day of recollection, you can make one yourself with the aid of a spiritual book which your parish priest will be glad to lend you.

RETREATS

A retreat is a series of sermons, prayers, and other spiritual exercises conducted by a priest It lasts for several days; it is held in a secluded place where everyone keeps silence. A retreat is even more helpful than a mission.

RELIGIOUS THIRD ORDERS

Religious Third Orders are branches of large religious orders which you may join. The purpose of Third Orders is to help lay people live a religious life in the world. In the United States you can join the Third Order of Franciscans, Augustinians, Benedictines, Carmelites and Servites.

INDULGENCES

After your sins have been forgiven some punishment due to your sins remains. Christ gave His Church the power to forgive even the punishment due to the sin, "Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in heaven.' (Matthew 16:19)

A plenary indulgence is the forgiveness of all the temporary punishment due to your sins; but people very often gain only part of the plenary indulgence because they have some attachment to sin. A partial indulgence is the forgiveness of part of the temporal punishment due to sin. To gain the indulgence you must be in the state of grace, have the intention of gaining the indulgence, and do what is required by the Church. To gain a plenary indulgence it is usually required that you go to Confession. You gain an indulgence every time you say the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, the Act of Faith, the Act of Hope, the Act of Charity, the Prayers of Mass, and Prayers at the Hour of Death. There are many other indulgenced prayers. In a Catholic prayer book you will find the indulgence at the end of each prayer.

PRACTICE OF EJACULATORY PRAYER DURING YOUR BUSY DAY

During your busy day, even while you are working, say short prayers like, "Jesus," "Jesus help me," "My God, I offer you all my work," "My God, I love you," "My Lord and my God". You can find these prayers in Catholic prayer books, or make up your own.

Every Catholic should know these prayers and recite them by heart, praying daily with good intention and sincerity

The Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary , full of grace! The Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst 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.

The Act of Contrition

Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven, and the pains of hell. But most of all, because I have offended Thee, my God, Who art all Good, and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

OTHER CATHOLIC PRAYERS

The Act of Faith

O My God, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

The Act of Hope

O My God, relying on Thy infinite goodness 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.

The Act of Love

O My God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul because Thou art all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

The Apostles' 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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

The Confiteor

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary , ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel; to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to an the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievious fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. May the Almighty God have mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life.

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen.

The Hail Holy Queen

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy , our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry , poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears ! Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary !

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help and sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I flee to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Grace before Meals

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts. which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Grace after Meals

We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest forever. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Morning Prayers

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

O My God, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee my prayers works and sufferings of this day, in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the intentions for which He pleads and offers Himself in all the Holy Masses, throughout the world, in thanksgiving for Thy favors, in reparation for our sins, for the petitions of our associates, and in particular for the intentions recommended this month by our Holy Father, the Pope.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. .

Evening Prayers

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Say the entire Our Father. Say the entire Hail Mary .

O my God, I thank Thee for Thy benefits, especially for those which I have received this day from Thy bounty. Enlighten me, and give me Thy grace that I may be truly sorry for my sins.

Examine your conscience to see if you have committed any sins today. Say the entire Act of Contrition.

Bless, O Lord, the repose I am about to take that I may be enabled to serve Thee better. May the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints pray for me.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here. Ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

May the Lord bless me and bring me to life everlasting. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Prayer Before a Crucifix

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul
I pray and beseech Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart
lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity,
with true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment,
while with deep affection and and grief of soul
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five Wounds,
having before my eyes that which David, thr prophet, spoke of Thee, my Jesus:
"They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
for the Holy Father's intentions

Other Catholic Prayers

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 his most precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
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.

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PRAYER FOR A VISIT TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

My Lord Jesus Christ, Who for the love which You bear to men, remain night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, waiting, calling and welcoming all who come to visit You; I believe that You are truly present in the Sacrament of the altar.

I adore You humbly, and I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me; in particular for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given me Your most holy Mother Mary as my mediatrix and for having called me to visit You in this church.

I salute Your most loving Heart, and this for three purposes: first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; secondly, to make amends to You for all the outrages which You receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies; thirdly, to adore You, by this visit, in all the places on earth in which You are present in this Sacrament and in which

You are least revered and most abandoned. My Jesus I love You with my whole heart! I grieve for having so often offended Your infinite goodness. I promise, by Your grace, never more to offend You and, as unworthy as I am, I consecrate myself to You completely; renouncing my entire will, my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. Do with me as You please and whatever You please with all that I have.

All that I ask and desire of You is Your holy love, final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Your will. I entrust to You the souls in purgatory, especially those who had the greatest devotion to You in the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the most Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to You all poor sinners.

Finally, dear Savior, I unite all my affections with those of Your most loving Heart and I offer them, thus united, to Your Eternal Father, beseeching Him in Your Name because of Your love, to accept them and to grant my petitions.

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AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I long for You in my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself entirely to You; never permit me to be separated from You.

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PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
O Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, glory of the Christian people, joy of the universal Church, salvation of the world; pray for us, and awaken in all the faithful devotion to the Holy Eucharist in order that they render themselves worthy to receive it daily.

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BLESSED ARTICLES

On the Use of Sacramentals

Catholics generally possess
several blessed religious articles. These articles remind him of Godand holy things and help him to pray.

They have no power of themselves.

THE CRUCIFIX

A good Catholic lives with the crucifix on his person; he dieswith his crucifix at his lips. There is one attached to your Rosary; that one is sufficient.You should look upon it frequently while you are praying.

You should also hang a crucifix in your home. We suggest the "sick-call-crucifix set" instead of the ordinary crucifix because this set contains not only the crucifix, but also the candles and holy water which you need when
you call the priest to your home for a sick call.

HOLY WATER

You should obtain a bottle of holy water from your parish church. Then buy a small
holy water font and place it in your home.
Holy water is blessed by the priest.
In this blessing he asks God to bring special help and grace to those who use the holy water.

CANDLES

Candles signify the presence of Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Lighted candles are used on the altar at Mass. Vigil lights are burned in front of the statues of the Saints. Have the priest bless the candles for you.

MEDALS

A religious medal is a piece of metal with an image of Christ, or the Blessed Mother,
or one of the saints. You should wear a medal to increase your devotion.It is your way of showing that you implore the assistance and protection of Our Lord, Our Blessed Lady or whatever Saint's image is on the medal.

SCAPULARS

A Scapular is part of the religious habit, a part of the clothing which some religious wear. The small Scapular that lay people may wear is a miniature of the large Scapular worn by religious sisters and priests. By wearing the Scapular you share in the good works and prayers of some religious orders of the Catholic Church.

PRAYER BOOKS
There are several excellent Catholic prayer books that canbe obtained either in your parish or from a Catholic religious goods store. You should have a prayer book.

MISSALS

The Missal is the large book which the priest uses in offering Mass. You can obtain a small Sunday Missal. Please obtain a Missal and use it at Mass.

INCENSE

Incense is perfumed powder made from the gum of trees in tropical countries. When sprinkled upon a glowing coal in the censer, it sends upward a white smoke and a fragrant odor. The sweet odor from the incense signifies the sweet odor of Christian virtue. The burning symbolizes
that your soul should be on fire with love of God. The smoke arising signifies your prayer arising from the church to God in Heaven.

BLESSED ASHES

On Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the priest places blessed ashes upon the foreheads of the people while he says the words: "Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return. The ashes placed upon your forehead in the form of a cross remind you that some day soon your body will turn to dust.The ashes also remind us that the Jews and early Christians did penance in sack cloth and ashes. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of our season of penance, our season of sackcloth and ashes.

STATUES AND PICTURES

Have statues or pictures of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints in your home. They help raise your mind to your future home: Heaven.

Prayer to Saint Joseph
to OBTAIN A CONVERSION

O glorious patriarch
who merited to be called just by the Holy Spirit, I urgently recommend to you the soul of (Name them),
which Jesus redeemed
at the price of His Precious Blood. You know how deplorable is the state
and how unhappy the life of those who have banished this loving Savior from their hearts, and how greatly
they are exposed to the danger of losing Him eternally. Permit not, I beseech you, that a soul so dear to me should continue any longer in its evil ways.
Preserve it from the danger
that threatens it. Touch the heart of this prodigal child,
and conduct them back to the bosom of the fondest of fathers. Abandon them not,
I implore you, until you have opened to him the gates of the heavenly city, where they will
praise and bless you throughout eternity for the happiness which he will owe to your powerful intercession.

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Prayer to Saint Joseph
FOR STRONG FAITH

Happy, blissful St. Joseph,
heir of the faith of all the patriarchs, obtain for me this beautifuland precious virtue:
increase in me a lively faith,
the foundation of all sanctity,
that faith without which no one can be pleasing to God. Obtain for me that faith which triumphs over all temptations of the world and conquers human respect; which can be shaken by nothing,
and is directed solely towards God. Cause me after your example to live by faith, to subject my heart and understanding to God, that once I may behold in heavenwhat I now firmly believe on earth.