Catholic Prayers Come and explore the rich heritage of our Catholic prayers. If at times you feel o intimidated or o distracted, remember God is always there and ready help. He will help youu find the grace you need deal with the pressures and problems of daily life and grow in His love. A lovee this good is meant be shared. These prayers are for all of us. They are our Catholic prayers. Why Pray? Imagine trying build and deepen a friendship without communicating or spending time with your friend. In the same way, how can we let God fill our life with joy, light, strength,, and purpose if we don t spend time with him, get know him and enter in a dynamic, personal relationship with him in prayer? The Bonds of Prayer The bonds of prayer tie a Catholic Family gether. Prayer brings holiness in a family and creates a ritualistic setting where a family can unite in their common wishes and theirr faith. Parents introduce their children prayers at a young age, and children grow up with a deep connection prayerr as a form of communication with their family and with God. A simple grace before every meal is one fine way gently bring the Lord in daily life. Food means comfort and sustenance and it is important remember that it doesn t get onn the table by itself. The parents provided and cooked it, and God made the world from which the food springs. Thanking God is a good way remind children not take life for granted. To help the youth of St. Mary s understand their Catholic Prayers better, we have included many of the prayers we will be teaching in Religious Education. We have also included: Definition of the various forms of prayer Most common Catholic prayers How say the Rosary An examination of conscience How Celebrate Reconciliation n
The Forms of Prayer The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Prayerr and Christiann Life are inseparable (CCCC 2745). And, Prayer is a vital necessity (CCC 2744). Below are the definitions of the different forms of prayer. The five main types of prayerr are: Blessing and adoration Prayer of petition Prayer of intercession Prayer of thanksgiving Prayer of praise Blessing A prayer of blessing is a prayer that calls down God s Blessing upon us. From God alone all blessings flow. His goodness, his closeness, his mercy that is blessing. May the Lord bless you is the shortestt prayer of blessing. [2626 2627] Adoration every person who understands that he is God s creature will humbly recognize the Almighty and adore Him. Christian adoration, sees not only the greatness, omnipotence, and Holiness of God, but also kneels before the divine Love thatt became man in Jesus Christ. [2626 2627] Petition God, who knows us through and through, knows whatt we need. Nevertheless, God wants us ask, turn him in times of need, cry out, implore, lament, call upon him, indeed, even struggle with him in prayer. [2629 2933] Intercession As Abraham intervened by his prayer for the inhabitants of Sodom, as Jesus prayed for his disciples, and as the early Christian community looked not onlyy [their] own interests, but also the interests of others (Phil 2: :4), so o Christians always pray for everyone for people who are dear their hearts, for people who are not close them, and even for their enemies. [2634 2636m 2647] Thanksgiving Everything that we are and have comes from God. Paul says, What have you that you did not receive? (1 Cor 4:7). Being grateful God, the giver of all good things, makes you happy. [2637 2638, 2648] Praise God needs no applause. But we need express spontaneously our delight in God and the rejoicing in our hearts. We praise God because he exists and because he is good. We there by join even now in the eternal praise of the angels and saints in heaven. [2639 2642]
Prayers Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. All sacramental and Liturgical Prayers beginn with the Sign of the Cross, by blessing ourselves it conveys the powerful truth that something more than what we can see is happening. God is present, and the actions of the sacrament will be performed in his name. How make the Sign of the Cross As you say this, with your right hand uch your forehead when you say Father, uch your breastbone when you say Son, uch your left shoulder when you say Holy, and uch your right shoulder when you say Spirit. The Glory Be Glory be the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The Glory be, also known as the Doxology, is one of the earliest known prayers refer the Holy Trinity. Our Father (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 in temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen. The Our Father is the only prayer that Jesus himself taught his disciples (Mt 6:9 13; Lk11:2 4). That is whyy the Our Father is also called the the Lord s Prayer. Christians of all Christian denominations pray it daily, both in the liturgy and privately. The conclusion, For thine is the kingdom is mentioned as early as the Teachingg of the Twelve Apostles (Didache, ca. A.D. 150), and so it can be addedd the Our Father. The Our Father is more than a prayer it is a path that leads directly in the heart of our Father. The early Christians recited this original prayer of the Church, which is entrusted every Christian at Baptism, three times a day. We, o, should not let a day pass without trying recite thee Lord s Prayer with our lips, take it heart, and make it come true in our lives. The Apostles Cree ed I believee in God, the Father almighty, Crear of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, (at the words that follow, up andd including the Virgin Mary, all bow.) who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, diedd and was buried; he descended in hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; ; he ascendedd in heaven, and is
seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come 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. The Apostles Creed is a brief statement of the fundamental Christian beliefs. Itt is a profession of faith, like the Nicene Creed used at Mass. Tradition tells us that the Apostles Creed is handedd down from the Apostles themselves. It is likely that it was first written down, however, sometime after the aposlic age. Nicene Cr eed (Revised & Approved by USCCB 11/20/12) I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Lightt from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstanti al with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,, he suffered death and was buried and rose again on the third day in accordance of the Scriptures. He ascended in heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father, He will come again in glory judge the living and dead and hiss kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and aposlic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world come. Amen. The Nicene Creed is the most famous and influential creed in the hisry of the church, as it was the product of a theological controversy concerning the deity of Jesus Christ. It is the first creed obtain universal authority in the church, and unlike the Apostles Creed, it included a specific statement regarding the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Like the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed began as a baptismal confession that was a teaching ol for new convert. The Hail M Mary Hail Mary, full off 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. The first half of the Hail Mary is straight out of the Bible. The part before the semicolon is the angel Gabriel s greetingg the Virginn Mary at the Annunciation, when he ld her that she had been chosen by God bearr His Son, Jesus Christ (Luke 1:28). And the words after the semicolon were uttered by St. Elizabeth, the cousin of the Blessed Virgin, when Mary came visit her and St. Elizabeth felt St. John the Baptist leap in her womb (Luke 1:42).
Hail, Holy Queen Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy; Hail, our life, our sweetnesss and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy ward us; and after this our exile show un us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. The Act of Contri tion My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing do wrong and failing do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, do penance, sin no more, and avoid whatever leads me sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. The Act of Contrition is usually associated with the Sacrament off Penance, but Catholics should also pray it every day as part of their normal prayer life.. In it, we acknowledge our sins, ask God for forgiveness, and express our desire repent. The Prayer of St. Franc cis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, lett me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where theree is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek be consoled as console, be undersod as understand, be loved as love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,, it is in dying that we are born eternal life. Amen. and poverty. The Peace Prayer of St. Francis is a famous prayer which first appeared around the year 1915 A.D., and which embodies the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi's simplicity Morning Prayer D ear God, as I begin this day, keep me in your love and care. Help me live as your child day. Bless me, my family, and my friends in all we do. Keep us all close you. Amen. Evening Prayer De ear God, I thank you for day. Keep me safe throughout the night. Thank you for all the good I did day. I am sorry for what I have chosen do wrong. Bless my family and friends. Amen. Grace Before Meals Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Grace After Meals forever. Amen. We give thee thanks, for all thy benefits, almighty God, who lives and reigns
The Rosary This popular devotion of Roman Catholic tradition has its origins inn medieval times (around the 12 th and 1 centuries). Many people of this age could not afford purchase the Psalter (a book containing the 150 psalms) which were used by the religious orders and clergy. In order supply the greatt number of faithful with some prayer form which would be easily accessible, itinerant preachers developed and encouraged the use of a string with beads upon it. Each bead would represent a prayer be said either the Lord s Prayer, the Hail Mary, or the Glory Be. In time, other prayers would be added make up what we now call the Rosary. Originally, the rosary was called The Psalter of Jesus and Mary because it consists of the prayer Jesus gave us (The Our Father) and the prayer of the Angel Gabriel gave us (the Hail Mary). The word Psalter, as mentioned above, refers the Book of Psalms in the Bible, whichh has 150 psalms. When prayed completely, the original rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries) has 150 Hail Mary prayers. The word Rosary comes from the Latin word rosarium, which means a garland or bouquet of roses. Each of the prayers of the rosary is an offering of a rose Jesuss through Mary. The use of the beads or knots when praying dates back the earlyy days of Christianity; string or heavy cord was tied with knots and used help focus and keep track of the prayers. The word bead comes from biddan an Old English word which means pray. This prayer combines two very strong currents within the spirituality of the Church. First, the Rosary desires one meditate on the significant events of Christ s life. Second, this prayer also hopess emphasize the unique role of Mary, Mother of God in the plan of salvation. These two currents of Roman Catholic theology are meditated on by the recitation of the following prayers within the Rosary itself: thee Creed, the Lord s Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Doxology, the recitation of the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries. In 1520, Pope Leo X officially approved the universal use of the rosary. In 1571, St. Piux V, declared the first Feast of the Holy Rosary which was made universal by Pope Clement XI. In 1917 the Blessed Mother selected for herself the name Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima when she appeared three children of Fatimaa saying, I want you continue say your rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary obtain the end of the war and peace in the world. In 2002 Pope John Paul II introduced new mysteries (Mysteries off the Light or Luminous Mysteries) the Rosary and wrote his aposlic letter On the Most Holy Rosary (Rosarium Virginis Mariae). 13 th
The Mysteries of the Rosary are designed help focus our prayers on the life, ministry, and Passion of the Lord. It is recommended that you meditate on the mysteries of the rosary based upon the days of the week. The Prayers of the Rosary: The Sign of the Cross; the Apostles Creed; the Our Father; the Hail Mary; the Glory Be; Hail Holy Queen; Let Us Pray. 1. Holding the cross in your hand make the Sign of the Cross and recite the Apostles Creed 2. At the first bead recite Our Father 3. Touching the next three beads recite The Hail Mary (3X) 4. Holding the next bead (right above the medallion) recite the Glory Be and the Hail Holy Queen Prayer & announce the Mystery. 5. Moving through the next ten beads recite the Hail Mary; and the tenth Hail Mary repeat step 4 until you go through all five mysteries of the day. 6. After the last decade is complete recite the Glory Be, Hail Holy Queen and Make the Sign of the Cross. The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday) 1. The Annunciation of Gabriel Mary (Luke 1:26 28); 2. The Visitation of Mary Elizabeth (Luke 1:39 56); 3. The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1 21); 4. The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:22 38); 5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41 52) The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday) 1. The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36 56); 2. Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26); 3. Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:26); 4. Our Lord Carries the Cross Calvary (Matthew 27:32); 5. The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33 56) The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday) 1. The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (John 20:1 29); 2. The Ascension of Our Lord (Luke 24:36 53); 3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1 41); 4. The Assumption of Mary in Heaven ; 5. The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin as Queen of Heaven and Earth The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday) 1. The Baptism of Our Lord at the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13 16); 2. The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (John 2:1 11); 3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14 15); 4. The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:18); 5. The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (Matthew 26)