Catholic Prayers and Practices

 

The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  This prayer is used with Holy Water as Catholics enter and leave the church. A cross is traced on the body using the right hand, beginning at the head, moving to the breast and then from the left shoulder to the right shoulder.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Blessing Before Meals: Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
 
Blessing After Meals: We give you thanks for all thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns forever; may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
 
Simple Acts of Contrition:
  • O my God, I love you above all things.  I am truly sorry for all my sins, and I thank you for forgiving me.  Help me to stay close to you and to remember always your wonderful laws of love.  Amen.
  • Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
 
The Ten Commandments:
  1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.
  2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God in vain.
  3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
  4. Honor your father and mother.
  5. You shall not kill.
  6. You shall not commit adultery.
  7. You shall not steal.
  8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
  9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
  10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
 
The Sacraments:
Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist,
Anointing of the Sick, Penance, Holy Orders, and Matrimony
 
 
The Beatitudes:
  1. Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
  3. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
  4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
  5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
  6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
  7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
  8. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  9. Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and speak falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for My sake.
 
 
The Memorare: Remember, O most gracious 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 by this confidence, I fly unto you O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To you I come; before I stand, sinful and sorrowful.   O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.
 
Hail Holy Queen:   Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness 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 vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.   O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary; Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
 
Mysteries of the Rosary:
The Joyful Mysteries:                          The Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Annunciation                                           The Agony in the Garden
The Visitation                                                  The Scourging at the Pillar
The Nativity                                                     The Crowning with Thorns
The Presentation                                            The Carrying of the Cross
The Finding of the Child                                The Crucifixion
     Jesus in the Temple
 
The Glorious Mysteries:                      The Luminous Mysteries:
The Resurrection                                            Baptism of the Lord
The Ascension                                                Wedding at Cana
The Descent of the Holy                                 Proclamation of the Kingdom
    Spirit upon the Apostles
The Assumption                                             The Transfiguration
The Coronation                                               Institution of the Eucharist
 
How to Pray the Rosary:
  1. Make the sign of the cross and say the “Apostle’s Creed”
  2. Say the “Lord’s Prayer” (Our Father)
  3. Say three “Hail Marys”
  4. Say the “Glory be to the Father”
  5. Announce the first mystery and say the “Lord’s Prayer”
  6. Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the mystery
  7. Say the “Glory be to the Father”
  8. Announce the second mystery and repeat numbers 6 and7 until completing all the mysteries.
 
Fatima Prayer: (may add this prayer after each “Glory Be” in the rosary)
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
 
The Precepts (Laws) of the Church:
  1. To assist at Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation.
  2. To fast and abstain on the days appointed. (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday—no meat on all the Fridays in Lent)
  3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
  4. To receive Holy Communion during the Easter time.
  5. To contribute to the support of the Church.
  6. To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.
 
 
The Nicene Creed:
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, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial 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 with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his 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 apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
 
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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will 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.
 
 
 
Prayer to the Holy Spirit:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love, Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.
 
The Fruits of the Holy Spirit:           The Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
1. Charity                                                     1.Wisdom
2. Joy                                                           2. Understanding
3.Peace                                                        3. Counsel
4.Patience                                                    4. Fortitude
5.Kindness                                                   5. Knowledge
6.Goodness                                                  6. Piety
7.Generosity                                                 7.Fear of the Lord
8.Gentleness                                                           (Awe and Wonder)
9.Faithfulness
10.Modesty
11.Self-control
12.Chastity
 
The Theological Virtues:                 The Seven Capital Sins:
1.Faith                                                         1.Pride
2.Hope                                                         2.Covetousness
3.Charity                                                      3.Lust
                                                                     4.Anger
                                                                     5.Gluttony
The Cardinal Virtues:                       6. Envy
1. Prudence                                                 7.Sloth
2. Justice
3. Fortitude
4. Temperance
 
From the Epistle of St. James: 1:22-23
But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass.
 
Breastplate of St. Patrick: Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in the mouth of friend and stranger.
 
  

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen