CATHOLIC TREASURY of PRAYERS A COLLECTION OF PRAYERS FOR ALL TIMES AND SEASONS Illustrated CATHOLIC BOOK PUBLISHING CORP. New Jersey
CONTENTS Introduction... 5 Popular Prayers... 9 Daily Prayers Morning Prayers... 15 Evening Prayers... 21 Prayers for Every Day of the Week... 25 Prayers for Each Month of the Year... 35 Prayers for Liturgical Times... 49 Holy Mass The Church s Greatest Prayer... 61 Communion Prayers Prayers before Holy Communion... 82 Prayers after Holy Communion... 85 Visits to the Blessed Sacrament... 91 The Stations of the Cross... 97 The Psalms: Prayerbook of the Holy Spirit... 105 Prayers to Our Blessed Mother... 135 Prayers to St. Joseph... 139 Prayers to Patron Saints... 147 Prayers of Petition for Holiness of Life... 153 Index of Prayer Themes... 174 7
Jesus urged us to pray daily. 8
POPULAR PRAYERS The Sign of the Cross IN the name of the Father, and of the Son, = and of the Holy Spirit. 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 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. 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. Amen. 9
THE ORDER OF MASS THE INTRODUCTORY RITES Acts of prayer and penitence prepare us to meet Christ as he comes in word and sacrament. We gather as a worshiping community to celebrate our unity with him and with one another in faith. STAND Mass begins with an entrance procession of the ministers to the sanctuary, during which a chant is sung or the Entrance Antiphon of the day is recited. GREETING (3 forms) Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. PEOPLE: Amen. A Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. PEOPLE: And with your spirit. B OR Priest: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. PEOPLE: And with your spirit. 63
92 VISITS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT rying it out of love for Him in atonement. Then our human love will dimly resemble Divine love, becoming an eternal, universal, and saving love. Act of Adoration WE adore You, Most Holy Lord, Jesus Christ, here and in all the churches of the whole world, and we bless You because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world. Have mercy on us. (St. Francis of Assisi) Prayer of Adoration and Petition ADORE You, O Jesus, true God and true I Man, here present in the Holy Eucharist, as I humbly kneel before You and unite myself in spirit with all the faithful on earth and all the Saints in heaven. In heartfelt gratitude for so great a blessing, I love You, my Jesus, with my whole soul, for You are infinitely perfect and all worthy of my love. Give me the grace never more in any way to offend You. Grant that I may be renewed by Your Eucharistic presence here on earth and be found worthy to arrive with Mary at the enjoyment of Your eternal and blessed presence in heaven.
REPENTANCE 111 Prayer of Repentance Sorrow for sin LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger O or punish me in Your wrath. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am tottering; help me, O Lord, for my body is in agony. My soul is also filled with anguish. But You, O Lord how long? The mercy of God Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul; save me because of Your kindness. For among the dead who remembers You? In the netherworld who sings Your praises? I am exhausted from my sighing; every night I flood my bed with my tears, and I soak my couch with my weeping. My eyes grow dim because of my grief; they are worn out because of all my foes. Confidence in prayer Depart from me, all you evildoers, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has listened to my pleas; the Lord has accepted my prayer.
PRAYERS TO PATRON SAINTS Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help MOTHER of Perpetual Help, grant that I O may ever invoke your powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O pure Virgin Mary, let your name be henceforth ever on my lips. Whenever I call on you by name, hasten to help me. When I speak your sacred name or even think of you, what consolation and confidence, what sweetness and emotion fill my soul! I thank God for having given you so sweet, powerful, and lovely a name for my good. Let my love for you prompt me ever to greet you as Mother of Perpetual Help. Prayer to St. Jude Patron of Desperate Cases GLORIOUS St. Jude, you were honored O to be a cousin as well as a follower of Jesus, and you wrote an Epistle in which you said: Grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit. Obtain for us the grace of being people of faith and people of 147
INDEX OF PRAYER THEMES (Bold type indicates the main divisions of the book.) Blessed Sacrament, Visits to, 91-95 adoration, act of, 92 adoration and petition, 92 for today s needs, 93 invocations, 95 reparation, 93 to bring Christ into our day, 94 Communion Prayers, 81-90 After Holy Communion, 85-90 adoration, act of, 85 faith, act of, 85 love, act of, 85 St. Thomas Aquinas, prayer of, 87 thanksgiving, act of, 86 to Christ the King, 86 to Jesus and Mary, 89 to Jesus Christ Crucified, 88 to Our Redeemer, 88 to St. Joseph, 90 Before Holy Communion, 82-84 contrition, act of, 82 desire, act of, 83 hope, act of, 82 love, act of, 82 St. Thomas Aquinas, prayer of, 83 Daily Prayers, 15-23 evening prayers, 21-23 for divine help, 21 for the home, 22 to Blessed Trinity, 21 to Guardian Angel, 22 174 to Jesus, 22 to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, 23 invocations, 19 midafternoon prayer, 18 morning prayers, 15-17 for divine guidance, 15 for God s protection, 17 Holy Trinity, offering to, 15 morning offering, 16, 17 Each Month of the Year, Prayers for, 35-48 Blessed Virgin Mary, 39 Faithful Departed, 46 Holy Eucharist, 38 Holy Infancy, 47 Holy Name of Jesus, 35 Immaculate Heart of Mary, 42 Most Holy Rosary, 44 Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, 43 Precious Blood, 41 Sacred Heart of Jesus, 39 Sacred Passion, 36 St. Joseph, 37 Every Day of the Week, Prayers for, 25-33 Angels and Saints, 27 Blessed Sacrament, 29 Blessed Virgin Mary, 32 Holy Cross, 31 Holy Spirit, 26 Most Holy Trinity, 25 St. Joseph, 28
INDEX OF PRAYER THEMES 175 Holiness of Life, Prayers of Petition for, 153-173 Christ for peace of, 161 for wisdom of, 172 to follow example of, 160 death, for a happy, 173 Eucharist offering of, 160 to share, 165 faith, for light of, 165 faith, hope, love, for growth in, 168 for faith, hope, love, 155 forgiveness, for joy of, 159 God for eternal life with, 166 to be faithful to, 164 to live as child of, 169 to love above all, 153 to serve well, 162 God s forgiveness, for, 170 God s gifts, gratitude for, 169 God s guidance, for, 159 God s love, to grow in, 164 God s Spirit, to receive, 167 God s truths, for faith in, 157 Good Shepherd, to follow, 163 grace, for life of, 158 Holy Spirit, for gift of, 166 Jesus to become more like, 153 to be follower of, 171 to be offering with, 167 to share life of, 156 Mary, to follow example of, 154 Mass, for blessings of, 171 mind and body, for health of, 163 peace, the way to, 154 prayer, to live life of, 172 presence of God, to live in, 156 Resurrection, to share in, 170 Risen Lord, for faith in, 168 sin for forgiveness of, 161 to be cleansed from, 162 to turn from, 157 Spirit of Truth, for, 158 Holy Mass, Church s Greatest Prayer, 61-80 Liturgical Times, Prayers for, 49-60 Advent, 49 for Christ s triple coming, 49 to help others find Christ, 49 Christmas Time, 49-51 for Christ s rebirth in the Church, 50 joy at birth of Jesus, 51 that Christ be known, 51 to Jesus, God s greatest gift, 49 to know and love Jesus, 51 Easter Time, 55-57 for fruits of Resurrection, 55 praise of Christ s humanity, 55 to Christ ascended, 56 to the Holy Spirit, 57 to live a full life, 56 Lent, 52-54 of contrition, 53 to appreciate Mass, 54 to be freed of deadly sins, 52 to know Jesus Christ, 53 Ordinary Time, 58-60 for productive faith, 58
176 INDEX OF PRAYER THEMES to Christ in the world, 58 to encounter God in prayer, 60 to grow with the Church, 59 Our Blessed Mother, Prayers to, 135-138 fly to patronage, 135 Memorare, 135 Rosary how to say, 135 novena prayer, 137 prayer after, 137 Patron Saints, Prayers to, 147-151 Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 147 St. Aloysius, 150 St. Anthony of Padua, 148 St. Charles Borromeo, 149 St. Gerard Majella, 148 St. Isidore the Farmer, 151 St. John Baptist de la Salle, 151 St. Jude, 147 St. Peregrine, 149 St. Thomas Aquinas, 150 Popular Prayers, 9-14 Angelus, 12 contrition, act of, 11 Creed, Apostles, 10 Cross, sign of, 9 faith, act of, 10 Glory Be, 9 Hail, Holy Queen, 14 Hail Mary, 9 Holy Spirit, prayer to, 12 hope, act of, 11 Lord s Prayer, 9 love, act of, 11 meals blessing before, 14 grace after, 14 Regina Caeli, 13 Psalms, Prayerbook of the Holy Spirit, 105-133 before Confession, 123 extolling majesty of God, 113 for ardent longing for God, 125 for divine assistance, 109 for fraternal charity, 132 for God s mercy, 119 for help against enemies, 126 for home life, 130 for pardon and peace, 131 for spiritual need, 130 for true happiness, 106 in time of fear, 118 in time of trouble, 112 of a grateful heart, 129 of Christ on the Cross, 115 of longing and hope, 121 of praise from creation, 133 of repentance, 111 of thanks, 128 of trust in God, 107 to end wars, 124 to God the Supreme Good, 114 to the Good Shepherd, 117 St. Joseph, Prayers to, 139-145 for a happy death, 144 for spirit of work, 142 for the whole Church, 141 invocations, 145 litany of, 139 to know one s vocation, 143 To you, O blessed Joseph, 140 Stations of the Cross, 97-104