Recommended Daily Prayers

Morning Prayers



You can start the day with…

Jesus Prayer (with the Sign of the Cross):
Lord Jesus, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner.

Or, use your thumb to do small marks of the Cross…

One marks one's forehead with the thumb and prays:
O God come to my assistance,
O Lord make haste to help me!

Then one marks one's lips saying:
Lord open my lips
and my tongue shall sing of Your Praise!

Then one marks one's chest with the thumb saying:
Create a clean heart in me, Lord,
and renew the Holy Spirit within me!

A Morning Prayer

God of my life,
I welcome this new day.
It is Your gift to me,
the first day of the rest of my life.
I thank You for the gift of being alive this morning.
I thank You for the sleep which has refreshed me.
I thank You for the chance to begin life all over again.  

Lord, this day is full of promise and of opportunity.
Help me to waste none of it.
This day is full of mystery and of the unknown.
Help me to face it without fear or anxiety.
This day is full of beauty and adventure.
Help me to be fully alive to it all.

During this day,
may I become a more thoughtful person,
a more prayerful person,
a more generous and kind person.
Help me not to be turned in on myself,
but to be sensitive and helpful to others.
Let me do nothing today that will hurt anyone,
but let me help at least a little,
to make life more pleasant for those I meet.

When night comes,
may I look back upon this day without regrets,
and may no one be unhappy
because of anything I have said or done
or anything I have failed to do.  

Lord God, bless this day for me and for all of us.
Make it a day in which we grow more like Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
and gentle as Mary His Mother.  

Lord Jesus Christ,
friend and brother,
may we know You more clearly,
love You more dearly,
and follow You more nearly,
day by day.

Amen.

Morning Offering (Short)

Almighty God, I thank you for your past blessings.
Today I offer myself - whatever I do, say, or think - to your loving care.
Continue to bless me, Lord.
I make this morning offering
in union with the divine intentions of Jesus Christ
who offers himself daily in the holy sacrifice of the Mass,
and in union with Mary, his Virgin Mother and our Mother,
who was always the faithful handmaid of the Lord.
Amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be…

Morning Prayer of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

O my God! I offer Thee
all my actions of this day
for the intentions and for the glory
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart,
my every thought,
my simplest works,
by uniting them to Its infinite merits;
and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them
into the furnace of Its Merciful Love. 
O my God! I ask of Thee for myself
and for those whom I hold dear,
the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will,
to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life,
so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.
Amen.

Arising from Sleep

O Master and holy God, who are beyond our understanding:
at your word, light came forth out of darkness.
In your mercy, you gave us rest through night-long sleep,
and raised us up to glorify your goodness
and to offer our supplication to You.
Now, in your own tender love,
accept us who adore You
and give thanks to You with all our heart.
Grant us all our requests,
if they lead to salvation;
give us the grace of manifesting
that we are children of light and day,
and heirs to your eternal reward.
In the abundance of your mercies, O Lord,
remember all your people;
all those present who pray with us;
all our brethren on land, at sea, or in the air,
in every place of Your domain,
who call upon your love for mankind.
Upon all, pour down your great mercy,
that we, saved in body and in soul,
may persevere unfailingly;
and that, in our confidence,
we may extol your exalted and blessed Name,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
always, now and forever.
Amen

The “Good Morning, God” Prayer

Good Morning, God!
You are ushering in another day,
untouched and freshly new.
So here I am to ask you, God,
if You'll renew me too.

Forgive the many errors that I made yesterday
and let me try again dear God
to walk closer in Your way.

But Lord, I am well aware,
I can't make it on my own.
So take my hand and hold it tight,
for I cannot walk alone.

Fatima Morning Offering

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings,
all that this day may bring, be they good or bad:
for the love of God,
for the conversion of sinners,
and in reparation for all the sins
committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Morning Prayer Upon Waking

I adore Thee, O my God,
and I love Thee with all my heart.
I give Thee thanks that Thou hast created me,
made me a Christian,
and preserved me this night.
I offer Thee the actions of this day;
grant that all of them may be according to Thy holy Will,
and for Thy greater glory.
Save me from sin and from all evil.
Let Thy grace be always with me.
Amen.

Morning Offering

Most Holy and adorable Trinity,
one God in three Persons,
I praise you and give you thanks
for all the favors you have bestowed on me.
Your goodness has preserved me until now.
I offer you my whole being
and in particular all my thoughts, words, and deeds,
together with all the trials I may undergo this day.
Give them your blessing.
May your divine love animate them
and may they serve your greater glory.
I make this morning offering
in union with the divine intentions of Jesus Christ
who offers himself daily in the holy sacrifice of the Mass,
and in union with Mary,
his Virgin Mother and our Mother,
who was always the faithful handmaid of the Lord.
Amen.

Prayer at the Start of the Day

As Morning breaks I think of you, O Lord,
and my desire is to serve You joyfully.
With gladness, I consecrate this day to Your Sacred Heart,
and offer whatever joys and sacrifices may come my way.
Thank You for the graces You will send,
all the love, all the beauty,
and the ways You will answer my prayers.
Today, may I love my enemies,
and treat others as I would ask to be treated;
may I forgive seventy times seven and show mercy;
may I welcome the prodigal,
have compassion for the Samaritan;
be a peace-maker
and love my neighbor unconditionally.
Take all my heart, and mind and strength, O Lord,
that this day may be truly lived
for Your greater honor and glory
and for the salvation of souls.
Amen.

Evening Prayers



Prayer to End the Day with

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.
Amen

Prayer for Protection During Sleep

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Whose unwearied eye neither slumbers nor sleeps,
but continually watches in defense of thy servants;
take me and mine, I beseech thee,
into thy protection,
and grant, that whilst my body is asleep,
my soul may be awake to Thee,
and that I may hereafter behold Thee in that blessed and heavenly country,
where thou, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, rulest eternally,
and where all the angels, with the blessed saints, are citizens forever.
Amen.  

Evening Prayer to God the Father

 

O eternal God and Ruler of all creation,  
You have allowed me to reach this hour.  
Forgive the sins I have committed this day by word,  
deed or thought.  
Purify me, O Lord,  
from every spiritual and physical stain.  
Grant that I may rise from this sleep to glorify You  
by my deeds throughout my entire lifetime,  
and that I be victorious over every spiritual  
and physical enemy.  
Deliver me, O Lord,  
from all vain thoughts and from evil desires,  
for yours is the kingdom,  
and the power, and the glory,  
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,  
now and ever, and forever.  
 
Amen.

Evening Prayer Before Going to Bed

I adore You, my God,
and I love You with all my heart.
I thank you for having created me,
for having made me a Christian,
and for having preserved me this day.
Pardon me for the evil I have done today.
If I have done anything good,
be pleased to accept it.
Protect me while I take my rest
and deliver me from all dangers.
May your grace be always with me.
Amen.   

Prayer at the End of the Day

Be present, O Lord,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
that we who are wearied with the work and changes of this fleeting world,
may rest upon Thy eternal changelessness.
Amen.   

Prayer for Protection During the Night

Oh Lord, we pray you to visit this home
and drive from it all snares of the enemy.
Let Your holy angels dwell in it
to preserve us in peace;
and let Your blessing be always upon us.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.  

Bedtime Prayer (Short)

Watch, O Lord,
with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight,
and give Your Angels and Saints charge over those who sleep.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Your weary ones,
Bless Your dying ones,
Soothe Your suffering ones,
Pity Your afflicted ones,
Shield Your joyous ones,
And all for Your love's sake.
Amen.  

Bedtime Prayer (Very Short)

Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake;
watch over us as we sleep,
that awake, we may keep watch with Christ,
and asleep, rest in his peace.
Amen.  

Special Prayers During the Day



The Angelus

[This is prayed at 6 AM (alternatively at 12 noon) and 6 PM, except during Eastertide.]

V. The angel of the Lord declared to 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. 

The Regina Coeli

[This is prayed at 6 AM (alternatively at 12 noon) and 6 PM, during Eastertide – from Easter to Pentecost.]

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia,
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia
Has risen as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia
R. For the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray:

O God, who gave joy to the world
through the resurrection of Your Son
our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant that we may obtain
through His Virgin Mother, Mary, the joys of everlasting life,
through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Three O’Clock Prayer to the Divine Mercy

You died Jesus
but the source of life flowed out for souls
and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.
O fountain of Life,
immeasurable Divine Mercy,
cover the whole world
and empty Yourself out upon us.

O Blood and Water
which flowed from the heart of Jesus
as a Fountain of Mercy for us,
I trust in You!

Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us
and the whole world.
(3 times)

Jesus King of Mercy,
I trust in You!

A Salutation Prayer to the Sacred Heart

(by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque)

Hail, Heart of Jesus, save me!
Hail, Heart of my Creator, perfect me!
Hail, Heart of my Saviour, deliver me!
Hail, Heart of my Judge, grant me pardon!
Hail, Heart of my Father, govern me!
Hail, Heart of my Spouse, grant me love!
Hail, Heart of my Master, teach me!
Hail, Heart of my King, be my crown!
Hail, Heart of my Benefactor, enrich me!
Hail, Heart of my Shepherd, guard me!
Hail, Heart of my Friend, comfort me!
Hail, Heart of my Brother, stay with me!
Hail, Heart of the Child Jesus, draw me to Thyself!
Hail, Heart of Jesus dying on the Cross, redeem me!
Hail, Heart of Jesus in all Thy states, give Thyself to me!
Hail, Heart of incomparable goodness, have mercy on me!
Hail, Heart of splendor, shine within me!
Hail, most loving Heart, inflame me!
Hail, most merciful Heart, work within me!
Hail, most humble Heart, dwell within me!
Hail, most patient Heart, support me!
Hail, most faithful Heart, be my reward!
Hail, most admirable and most worthy Heart, bless me!

Efficacious Novena of the Three Hail Marys

In Honour of the Power, Wisdom and Loving Mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1

Oh, Immaculate Mary,
Virgin most Powerful,
I beseech you,
through that immense Power
which you have received
from the eternal Father,
obtain for me Purity of heart,
Strength to overcome
all the enemies of my soul,
and the special favour
I implore in my present necessity.  

(State your intention here…)

Mother most Pure!
Forsake me not,
despise not my prayer,
graciously hear me for God's glory,
your honor, and the welfare of my soul.

To obtain this favour
I honour your Power
by reciting one Hail Mary.

Hail Mary…

2

Oh Virgin Mary,
my Mother,
through that ineffable Wisdom
bestowed upon you by the Incarnate Word of God,
I humbly beseech you,
obtain for me Meekness and Humility of heart,
a perfect knowledge of the divine Will,
and strength to accomplish it always.
Oh Mary, Seat of Wisdom,
as a tender Mother, lead me in the path
of Christian Virtue and perfection,
enlighten and enable me
to do what is most pleasing
to your beloved Son,
and obtain my petition.

To obtain this grace
I honor your Wisdom
by reciting one Hail Mary.

Hail Mary… 

3

Oh, Mother of Mercy,
Mother of penitent sinners,
I stand before you sinful and sorrowful,
beseeching you through the immense Love
given to you by the Holy Spirit
for us poor sinners,
obtain for me true and perfect contrition for my sins,
which I hate and detest with all my heart,
because I love God.
Mother most Merciful,
help me in my present necessity.
Turn then,
those eyes of Mercy toward us,
Oh Clement,
Oh Loving,
Oh Sweet Virgin Mary!

To obtain this precious gift,
I honour your Loving Mercy
by reciting one Hail Mary.

Hail Mary…

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 with this confidence,
I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come;
before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

Prayer for Purity

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
I entrust and consecrate myself entirely to you
- mind, heart and body.
Guard and defend me always from every sin.
May my mind be uplifted to heavenly things,
may my heart love God more and more,
may I avoid every evil occasion.
Hold me close to you,
so that I may keep watch
of my internal and external senses.
Preserve me from all impurity,
and help me to serve you with undefiled mind,
pure heart and chaste body,
so that in heaven I may join
the blessed company of the saints.

Prayer for the Help of the Holy Spirit

O God, send forth your Holy Spirit
into our hearts that we may perceive,
into our minds that we may remember,
and into our souls that we may meditate.
Inspire us to speak with piety,
holiness, tenderness and mercy.
Teach, guide and direct our thoughts and senses
from beginning to end.
May your grace ever help and correct us,
and may we be strengthened now with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of your infinite mercy.
Amen.

[This prayer is attributed to St. Anthony of Padua.]


My Sovereign Lady

O Holy Mary , our sovereign Lady,
into your blessed trust and special custody,
and into the heart of your mercy,
we, this day and every day,
and in the hour of our death,
commend our whole being.
To you we commit all our hope and happiness,
all our cares and concerns, and our whole life,
that, through your most holy intercession
and through your merits,
all our actions may be guided and governed
according to your will and that of your divine Son.
Amen.


Hail, Joseph

Hail Joseph, Son of David,
thou whose holiness surpasses that of all Angels and Saints,
blessed art thou amongst men,
thou who wert chosen to be the Spouse
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
of whom was born Jesus.

Glorious Saint Joseph,
now reigning body and soul in Heaven,
protector of the Universal Church,
pray for us poor sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe
that You are One God in Three Divine Persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
I believe that Your 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 You have revealed them,
who can neither deceive nor be deceived.

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on Your infinite goodness and promises,
I hope to obtain pardon of my sins,
the help of Your grace,
and life everlasting,
through the merits of Jesus Christ,
my Lord and Redeemer.

Act of Charity

O my God, I love You above all things,
with my whole heart and soul,
because You are all-good and worthy of all love.
I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You.
I forgive all who have injured me,
and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
have mercy on me, a sinner.

Act of Contrition

O 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 they offend thee, my God,
who are 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.

Act of Consecration

O Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Queen of heaven and earth,
and tender Mother of men,
in accordance with your ardent wish revealed at Fatima,
I consecrate to you myself,
my country, and all my fellow neighbors.
Reign over our hearts, dearest Mother,
so that we may be truly followers of Christ and His teachings,
in prosperity and adversity,
in joy and sorrow,
in health and sickness,
in life and death.
I want to atone for all my sins
and those of all mankind.
I desire God's blessing on my country and the whole world,
peace between all nations,
with love and justice practiced by all.
Amen.

Prayers for the Family



A Prayer for the Whole Family

Dear Lord, bless our family.
Be so kind as to give us the unity, peace, and mutual love
that You found in Your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

Saint Joseph, bless the head of our family.
Obtain for him the strength, the wisdom, and the prudence
he needs to support and direct those under his care.

Mother Mary, bless the mother of our family.
Help her to be pure and kind, gentle and self-sacrificing.
For the more she resembles you, the better will our family be.

Lord Jesus, bless the children of our family.
Help them to be obedient and devoted to their parents.
Make them more and more like You.
Let them grow, as You did,
in wisdom and age and grace before God and man.

Holy Family of Nazareth,
make our family and home more and more like Yours,
until we are all one family,
happy and at peace in our true home with You.

Amen.

Short Prayer for the Family

Blessed are you, loving Father,
Ruler of the universe:
You have given us Your Son as our Leader,
And have made us temples of Your Holy Spirit.

Fill our family with Your light and peace.
Have mercy on all who suffer,
And bring us to everlasting joy with You.

Father,
We bless Your Name for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for the Protection of the Family

O God of goodness and mercy,
  to Your fatherly guidance we commend our family,
  our household and all our belongings.
  We commit all to Your love and keeping;
  Fill this house with Your blessings
  even as You filled the holy House of Nazareth with Your presence.  
 
  Keep far from us, above all else,
  the blemish of sin,
  and may You alone reign in our midst by Your law,
  by Your most holy love
  and by the exercise of every Christian virtue.
  Let each one of us obey You,
  love You and set himself/herself to follow in his/her own life Your example,
  that of Mary, Your Mother
  and our Mother most loving,
  and that of Your blameless guardian, Saint Joseph.  
 
  Protect us and our house from all evils and misfortunes,
  but grant that we may be ever resigned to Your divine will
  even in the sorrows which shall please You to send us.
  Finally give to all of us the grace to live in perfect harmony
  and in the fullness of love toward our neighbor.
  Grant that every one of us may deserve by a holy life
  the comfort of Your holy Sacraments at the hour of death.
  O Jesus, bless us and protect us.  
 
  O Mary, Mother of grace and of mercy,
  defend us against the wicked spirit,
  reconcile us with Your Son,
  commit us to His keeping,
  that so we may be made worthy of His promises.  
 
  Saint Joseph, foster-father of our Savior,
  guardian of His holy Mother,
  head of the Holy Family,
  intercede for us,
  bless us and defend our home at all times.  
 
  Saint Michael,
  defend us against all the evil cunning of hell.  
 
  Saint Gabriel,
  make us understand the holy will of God.  
 
  Saint Raphael,
  preserve us from all sickness and from every danger to our lives.  
 
  Our holy Guardian Angels,
  keep our feet safely on the path of salvation both day and night.  
 
  Our holy Patrons,
  pray for us before the throne of God.  
 
  Yea, bless this house,
  O God the Father,
  who has created us;
  O God the Son,
  who has suffered for us upon the holy Cross,
  and You, O Holy Spirit,
  who has sanctified us in holy Baptism.
  May the one God in three Divine Persons preserve our bodies,
  purify our minds,
  direct our hearts
  and bring us all to everlasting life.  
 
  Glory be to the Father,
  glory be to the Son,
  glory be to the Holy Spirit!
 
 
  Amen.

Prayer for Special Graces

O dear Jesus, I humbly implore You
to grant Your special graces to our family.
May our home be the shrine of peace,
purity, love, labor and faith.
I beg You, dear Jesus,
to protect and bless all of us,
absent and present, living and dead.

O Mary, loving Mother of Jesus, and our Mother,
pray to Jesus for our family,
for all the families of the world,
to guard the cradle of the newborn,
the schools of the young and their vocations.

Blessed Saint Joseph,
holy guardian of Jesus and Mary,
assist us by your prayers
in all the necessities of life.
Ask of Jesus that special grace which He granted to you,
to watch over our home at the pillow of the sick and the dying,
so that with Mary and with you,
heaven may find our family unbroken in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Amen.

Consecration of the Family to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Most holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
united in perfect love,
as you look upon us with mercy and caring,
we consecrate our hearts, our lives, our family to you.
We know the beautiful example of your home in Nazareth
was meant to be a model for each of our families.
We hope to have, with your help,
the unity and strong, enduring love you gave to one another.
May our home be filled with joy.
May sincere affection, patience,
tolerance and mutual respect be freely given to all.
May our prayers be filled with the needs of others, not just our own,
and may we always be close to your sacraments.
Bless those who are present, as well as those who are absent,
both the living and the dead;
may peace be among us
and when we are tested,
grant us the Christian acceptance of God’s will.
Keep our family close to your Hearts;
may your special protection be with us always.
Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
hear our prayer.

Prayer for the Intercession of the Holy Family

O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer!
You came to enlighten the world
with Your teaching and example,
and to live the greater part of Your life
with Mary and Joseph in their home at Nazareth.
Thus You sanctified the family that was to be an example
to all Christian families.
Graciously receive our family,
which is dedicated and consecrated to You this day.
Protect it; guard it and establish it in holy fear,
in peace, and in the harmony of Christian charity.
By conforming ourselves to the model of Your family,
may we all without exception attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother!
By your intercession make this, our humble offering, acceptable to Jesus
and obtain for us His grace and blessings.
O St. Joseph, most holy guardian of Jesus and Mary!
Assist us by your prayers
in all our spiritual and temporal needs,
so that we may be able to praise our Divine Saviour, Jesus,
together with Mary and you for all eternity.
Amen.

Prayers for a Specific Purpose



Prayer for Daily Neglects

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
with all its love, all its sufferings and all its merits.

To expiate all the sins I have committed
this day and throughout my life.
Glory be…

To purify the good I have done poorly
this day and throughout my life.
Glory be…

To supply for the good I ought to have done,
and that I have neglected
this day and throughout my life.
Glory be…

Grace Before Meals



Prayer # 1

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

Prayer # 2

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For family and friends in a world where many walk alone;
We give you thanks, O Lord.

Prayer # 3

Our Dear Heavenly Father,
we thank Thee for this food.
Feed our souls on the bread of life
and help us to do our part in kind words and loving deeds.
We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prayer # 4

Lord God and Giver of All Good Gifts,
we are grateful as we pause before this meal,
for all the blessings of life that You give to us.
Daily, we are fed with good things,
nourished by friendship and care,
feasted with forgiveness and understanding.
And so, mindful of Your continuous care,
we pause to be grateful
for the blessings of this table.

(Pause for silent reflection.)

May Your presence
be the "extra" taste to this meal
which we eat in the name of Your Son, Jesus.
Amen.

Prayer # 5

Loving Father,
we thank you for bringing us together for this meal:
may we continue to live in your friendship
and in harmony with one another.
Bless this food,
a sign of your loving care for us,
and bless us in our daily lives.
Bless your Church throughout the world,
and all those who seek to do your will today.

Father of mercy,
all praise be to you
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Traditional Prayers

Note: The opening verses for the following prayers are used during ordinary time in the liturgical year. Refer to the appropriate verse recommended for other seasons.

Before a Principal Meal

V. [Sign of the Cross] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.

V. The eyes of all creatures look to you to give them food in due time.
R. You give it to them, they gather it up; you open your hand, they have their fill.

V. Let us call on the name of the Father, who always takes care of his children.
R. Our Father … but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

V. [Sign of the Cross] Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your goodness. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Before a Light Meal

V. [Sign of the Cross] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.

V. The poor shall eat and have their fill. Those who long for the Lord shall give him praise.
R. May their hearts live for ever.

V. Let us call on the name of the Lord, who gives us our daily bread.
R. Our Father … but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

V. Protect us, O Lord our God, and give us the help we need in our frailty. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Different Verses Used During Other Seasons

Advent:
V. Give ear, O Lord and shepherd of your people.
R. Stir up your power and come.

Christmas Season:
V. The Word became flesh, alleluia.
R. And dwelt among us, alleluia.

Lent:
V. No one lives on bread alone.
R. But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday:
V. For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
R. Death on a cross.

Easter Week:
V. This is the day the Lord has made, alleluia.
R. Let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia.

Easter Season:
V. With glad and generous hearts all who believed took their meals in common, alleluia.
R. Praising God, alleluia.

Grace After Meals



Prayer # 1

We give You thanks
for all Your benefits
O Almighty God
Who reigns forever;
World without end.
Amen. 

Prayer # 2

For food that stays our hunger,
For rest that brings us ease,
For homes where memories linger,
We give our thanks for these.

Prayer # 3

Blessed are you, Lord God,
ruler of the universe:
you provide us with food and drink
because you love us.

We thank you for your blessings,
and ask your help to live this day in your grace.
Amen.

Prayer # 4

Father of mercy,
we praise you and give you glory
for the wonderful gifts you have given us:
for life and health, for faith and love,
and for this meal we have shared together.

Father,
we thank you through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer # 5

Blessed are you, loving Father,
for all your gifts to us.
Blessed are you for giving us family and friends
to be with us in times of joy and sorrow,
to help us in days of need,
and to rejoice with us in moments for celebration.

Father,
we praise you for your Son Jesus,
who knew the happiness of family and friends,
and in the love of your Holy Spirit.
Blessed are you for ever and ever.
Amen.

Traditional Prayers

Note: The opening verses for the following prayers are used during ordinary time in the liturgical year. Refer to the appropriate verse recommended for other seasons.

After a Principal Meal

V. Let all your works praise you, O Lord.
R. Let all your people bless you.

V. We give you thanks for all your gifts, almighty God, living and reigning now and for ever.
R. Amen.

V. For the sake of your name, O Lord, reward those who have been good to us and give them eternal life.
R. Amen.
V. Lord, give all people the food they need, so that they may join us in giving you thanks.
R. Amen.

After a Light Meal

V. Our compassionate Lord has left us a memorial of his wonderful works.
R. He has given food to those who fear him.

V. Lord, you have fed us from your gifts and favors; fill us with your mercy, for you live and reign for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Or:
V. God is blessed in all his gifts and holy in all his works, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

V. For the sake of your name, O Lord, reward those who have been good to us and give them eternal life.
R. Amen.
Or:
V. Lord, give all people the food they need, so that they may join us in giving you thanks.
R. Amen.

Different Verses Used During Other Seasons

Advent:
V. Let us live soberly, justly, and devoutly in this world.
R. As we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christmas Season:
V. The Lord has made known, alleluia.
R. His saving power, alleluia.

Lent:
V. A time of penance has been granted us.
R. To atone for our sins and heal our souls.

Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday:
V. For our sake Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
R. Death on a cross.

Easter Week:
V. This is the day the Lord has made, alleluia.
R. Let us rejoice and be glad, alleluia.

Easter Season:
V. The disciples recognized the Lord, alleluia.
R. In the breaking of the bread, alleluia.

Prayer for Employment



God, our Father, I turn to you
seeking your divine help and guidance
as I look for suitable employment.
I need your wisdom
to guide my footsteps along the right path,
and to lead me to find
the proper things to say and do in this quest.
I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me,
but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment.
Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search,
but rather grant me this favor I seek
so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving
for your gracious assistance.
Grant this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Novena to St. Joseph, Patron of Workers, for Employment

Saint Joseph,
foster-father and protector of Jesus Christ,
spouse of the blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of God,
powerful protector of the Holy Church,
to you do I raise my heart and hands to implore your powerful intercession.
You searched nothing else in this world but the glory of God and the good of others.
You gave yourself completely to the Savior,
it was cause for joy to pray, to work, to sacrifice yourself, to suffer, to die for him.
You were unknown in this world even though Jesus knew you very well,
he would look at your simple and hidden life with complacency.
Saint Joseph, you have helped so many people so far I come to you with great trust.
In the light of God you can see what misses me,
you know my worries, my difficulties, my sorrow.
I commend to your fatherly sollicitude this specific task…
(find employment for example).
I am placing it in your hands that saved child-Jesus.
Ask for the grace to never separate me from Jesus by mortal sin,
to know him and love him even more and his blessed Mother,
to always live in the presence of God,
to do anything for his glory and the good of other souls,
and one day to reach the beatific vision of God
to praise him eternally with you.

Amen.

Prayers Before Reading the Holy Bible



Before Reading the Bible

Lord, inspire us to read your Scriptures
and to meditate upon them day and night.
We beg you to give us real understanding of what we need,
that we in turn may put its precepts into practice.
Yet we know that understanding and good intentions are worthless,
unless rooted in your graceful love.
So we ask that the words of Scripture
may also be not just signs on a page,
but channels of grace into our hearts.
Amen.

Prayer Inspired by St Benedict of Nursia

Gracious and holy Father,
give us the wisdom to discover you,
the intelligence to understand you,
the diligence to seek after you,
the patience to wait for you,
eyes to behold you,
a heart to meditate on you,
and a life to proclaim you,
through the power of the spirit of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.

Short Prayer

Lord, may Your Sacred Scripture be my delight.
Let me praise You for all the truths
I discover in these sacred books.
Help me to listen to the voice of the Spirit:
refresh me as I meditate
on the wonders of Your law.
Amen.

Long Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
sacred is Your Word.
Your kingdom come,
Your Words be heard
on earth as they are in heaven.
Give us today Your Sacred Word.
Forgive our neglect of it in the past
as we forgive those who neglect us.
Lead us toward an encounter with You
each time we delve into the Scriptures.
For Your presence, Your power, and Your glory
are ever present among us now and forever.
Amen

A Prayer Before Reading Scripture

Open my eyes, gracious Lord,
as I turn to your word.
I long to know you,
to understand life,
and to be changed.
Examine me, Lord,
by the floodlight of your truth.
Amen.

Prayers After Reading the Holy Bible



After Reading the Bible

Lord, I thank you for your special presence to me during this time.
I thank you for the opportunity to know you and your ways better.
Open my heart that I put into practice that which you have revealed to me.
Thank you Lord, for the gift and love of your sacred Word.
Amen.

Short Prayer

Lord, You have words of eternal life.
I adore You, I praise You,
I beseech You, and I thank You
for the gift of Sacred Scripture.
Amen.

Long Prayer

Let me not, O Lord,
be puffed up with worldly wisdom, which passes away,
but grant me that love which never abates,
that I may not choose to know anything among men but Jesus,
and Him crucified.
(1 Cor. 13:8; 2:2.)

I pray Thee, loving Jesus
that as Thou hast graciously given me
to drink in with delight the words of Thy knowledge,
so Thou would mercifully grant me
to attain one day to Thee,
the fountain of all Wisdom
and to appear forever before Thy face.
Amen.
(Prayer of St. Bede the Venerable)

A Prayer After Reading Scripture

May the word I have read, Lord,
be planted deeply in my mind and heart.
Help me not to walk away and forget it,
but to meditate on it and obey it
and so build my life on the rock of your truth.
Amen.

Holy Communion Prayers



Prayers Before Holy Communion



Prayer # 1

Father in heaven,
you have made us for yourself;
our hearts are restless
until they rest in you.
Fulfill this longing through Jesus,
the bread of life,
so that we may witness to him who alone satisfies
the hungers of the human family.
By the power of your Spirit
lead us to the heavenly table where we may feast
on the vision of your glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer # 2

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
Who, by the will of the Father,
with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit,
have by Your death given life to the world,
deliver me by this Your Most Sacred Body and Blood
from all my sins and from every evil.
Make me always cling to Your commandments,
and never permit me to be separated from You.
Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit,
live and reign, God, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer # 3

Let not the partaking of Your Body, O Lord Jesus Christ,
which I, though unworthy, presume to receive,
turn to my judgment and condemnation;
but through Your goodness,
may it become a safeguard and an effective remedy,
both of soul and body.
Who live and reign with God the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer Before Receiving the Eucharist

Come, O blessed Saviour,
and nourish my soul with heavenly Food,
the Food which contains every sweetness and every delight.
Come, Bread of Angels,
and satisfy the hunger of my soul.
Come, glowing Furnace of Charity
and enkindle in my heart the flame of divine love.
Come, Light of the World,
and enlighten the darkness of my mind.
Come, King of Kings,
and make me obedient to your holy will.
Come, loving Saviour,
and make me meek and humble.
Come, Friend of the Sick,
and heal the infirmities of my body
and the weakness of my soul.
Come, Good Shepherd, my God and my All,
and take me to yourself.
O most holy Mother, Mary Immaculate,
prepare my heart to receive my Saviour.

Heart of Jesus

May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
be praised, adored, and loved
with grateful affection, at every moment,
in all the tabernacles of the world,
even to the end of time.
Amen.

Prayers After Holy Communion



Prayer # 1

What has passed our lips as food, O Lord,
may we possess in purity of heart,
that what is given to us in time,
be our healing for eternity.
May Your Body, O Lord, which I have eaten,
and Your Blood which I have drunk,
cleave to my very soul,
and grant that no trace of sin be found in me,
whom these pure and holy mysteries have renewed.
Who live and reign, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer # 2

Dear Lord, help me to remove from my mind
every thought or opinion which You would not sanction,
every feeling from my heart which You would not approve.
Grant that I may spend the hours of the day
gladly working with You according to Your will.
Help me just for today and be with me in it.
In the long hours of work,
that I may not grow weary or slack in serving You.
In conversations,
that they may not be to me occasions of uncharitableness.
In the day's worries and disappointments,
that I may be patient with myself and with those around me.
In moments of fatigue and illness,
that I may be mindful of others rather than of myself.
In temptations,
that I may be generous and loyal,
so that when the day is over I may lay it at Your feet,
with its successes which are all Yours,
and its failures which are all my own,
and feel that life is real and peaceful,
and blessed when spent with You as the Guest of my soul.
Amen.

Prayer # 3

O God, how great is the gift that you saved for your fearers.
How sweet is your grace to those who love you.

I thank you my Lord for looking after me,
You granted me this holy food that doesn’t perish,
by which you opened to us the way to eternal life.

Kindle the flames of your love in me,
save the blessing of Your grace in my heart
not for judgment or to fall into judging
but to receive glory,
purity of soul and body
and to live with you,
survive for you
and continue with your grace.
So guide me to your holiness
and fill me with your grace
and consecrate me with your soul.
Glory to You, the Father and the Holy Spirit
now and until eternity,
Amen.

Prayer # 4

I give Thee thanks, O holy Lord,
Father Almighty, Eternal God,
Who nourish me, a sinner,
and Thine unworthy servant,
with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I had no merits, no deserts
which I could put forward in my own behalf.
But let not this holy Communion, I pray Thee,
turn to my judgment and condemnation:
let it rather obtain for me pardon and salvation.
Let it cleanse me from all my vices;
let it destroy all my concupiscenses and evil desires.
Let it increase my charity, my patience,
my humility, my obedience.
Let it defend me from all my enemies,
visible and invisible.
Let it appease all the evil propensities
of my mind and body;
and guide me so straight to Thee,
my true and only God,
that I may look forward to Thee
as the happy goal of all my endeavours.
Thus lead me, I pray Thee,
to that unspeakable festival,
when Thou, and Thy Son, and the Holy Ghost,
will be to me and all the Saints,
the complete fulness,
the end of hope,
the everlasting joy,
and the never-changing happiness:
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer # 5

We humbly beseech You, almighty god,
to grant that those whom You refresh with Your sacraments,
may serve you worthily by a life well pleasing to You.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer of St. Padre Pio After Communion

Stay with me, Lord,
for it is necessary to have You present
so that I do not forget You.
You know how easily I abandon You. 

Stay with me, Lord,
because I am weak,
and I need Your strength,
so that I may not fall so often. 

Stay with me, Lord,
for You are my life,
and without You, I am without fervor. 

Stay with me, Lord,
for You are my light,
and without you, I am in darkness. 

Stay with me, Lord,
to show me Your will. 

Stay with me, Lord,
so that I hear Your voice and follow You. 

Stay with me, Lord,
for I desire to love you very much,
and always be in Your Company. 

Stay with me, Lord,
if You wish me to be faithful to You. 

Stay with me, Lord,
for as poor as my soul is,
I want it to be
a place of consolation for You,
a nest of Love. 

Stay with me, Jesus,
for it is getting late,
and the day is coming to a close,
and life passes,
death, judgment, eternity approach.
It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop along the way
and for that, I need You.
It is getting late and death approaches.
I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
O how I need You, my Jesus,
in this night of exile. 

Stay with me tonight, Jesus,
in life with all its dangers,
I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did
at the breaking of bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion
be the light which disperses the darkness,
the force which sustains me,
the unique joy of my heart. 

Stay with me, Lord,
because at the hour of my death,
I want to remain united to you,
if not by Communion,
at least by grace and love. 

Stay with me, Jesus,
I do not ask for divine consolation
because I do not merit it,
but the gift of Your presence, oh yes,
I ask this of You. 

Stay with me, Lord,
for it is You alone I look for,
Your Love, Your Grace,
Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit,
because I love You and ask no other reward
but to love You more and more. 

With a firm love,
I will love You with all my heart while on earth
and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.

Amen. 

Anima Christi

Version 1:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Separated from Thee let me never be ("Permit me not to be separated from Thee")
From the malicious enemy defend me ("From the malignant enemy defend me")
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That with thy Saints I may praise Thee ("That I may praise Thee with Thy saints")
Forever and ever.
Amen

Version 2:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me;
Body of Christ, save me;
Blood of Christ, inebriate me;
Water from the side of Christ, wash me;
Passion of Christ, strengthen me;
O good Jesus hear me;
Within your wounds hide me;
separated from you, let me never be;
From the evil one protect me;
At the hour of my death, call me;
And close to you bid me; That with your saints,
I may be praising you forever and ever.
Amen.

Version 3:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

Version 4:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water flowing from the side of Christ, purify me.
Passion of Christ, comfort me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Hide me within Thy wounds.
Never permit me to be separated from Thee.
From the malignant enemy defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me,
And cause me to come to Thee,
That with the Saints and the Angels,
I may praise Thee For everlasting ages.
Amen.

Version 5:
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.

Translation by Cardinal John Henry Newman:
Soul of Christ, be my sanctification;
Body of Christ, be my salvation;
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins;
Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains;
Passion of Christ, my comfort be;
O good Jesus, listen to me;
In Thy wounds I fain would hide;
Ne'er to be parted from Thy side;
Guard me, should the foe assail me;
Call me when my life shall fail me;
Bid me come to Thee above,
With Thy saints to sing Thy love,
World without end.
Amen.

Prayers Against Calamities



Prayer Against Natural and Manmade Disasters

Loving Saviour Jesus,
a single word from You can protect us
from every perilous calamities
since by Your word alone,
the heavens, the earth and all living creatures were made.
As the Bible says, "It is better to trust in the Lord
than to put confidence in mortals and in princes",
I trust only in You Lord.
Your word says, "those who seek the Lord
shall not lack any good thing."
I once again acknowledge that You
who made a way for Your people through the Red Sea,
You who stopped the rains for three years,
You who rebuked the storms and walked on the sea,
You are present today with the same authority and power
to save us from this calamity.
Lord, if there be any unconfessed sins in my life,
I confess them all to You
and Lord, please forgive them for me.
Help me to stand firm in You
and to live a life pleasing to You hereafter.
Wash me with Your blood
that my sins may not be an obstacle
for You to save me in the critical hour.
Keep me as the apple of Your eye
and build a hedge around me.
You have promised,
"Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you,
and you shall glorify Me."
Father, I know that Your righteous right hand will protect us
and keep us all safe from every disaster
as You are our refuge
and ever-present help in times of trouble.
I praise You and thank You for Your loving-kindness.
Amen.

Leader:
Almighty God, Lord of the universe, Creator of everything,
we come to you seeking your divine protection
as we face our fears
and confront the threats that cause us anxiety.

V. From strong typhoons –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From relentless rains –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From deadly floods and storm surges –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From destructive earthquakes –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From volcanic eruptions –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From drought and pests –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From red tides and fish kills –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From diseases and epidemics –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From deadly lightning –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From fires and other misfortunes –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From fatal accidents and grievous injuries –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From violence and wars –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From criminality and acts of terrorism –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From corruption and sin –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.
V. From selfishness and indifference –
R. DELIVER YOUR PEOPLE LORD.

Leader:
Divine Jesus, you calmed the storms
and walked over the waters.
Give us fine weather.
Shield us from distress.
Drive away from our land
all calamities and disasters of nature.
We entrust ourselves to you now and forever.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary,
pray for us.

A Prayer During or After Natural Disasters

Oh God our Father:

In faith we acknowledge Your paternal care over us,
Your sons, daughters and children.
In hope we trust in Your divine providence
of giving us wisdom and courage
as we face the challenges in life.
In love we invoke Your help and guidance during these difficult days
of death and destruction in our dear country.

Ours is a prayer of thanksgiving
for once again reminding us
that ours is an imperfect world,
that heaven is not on earth,
and that nature every now and then tells us not to abuse her.
Ours too is a prayer of repentance
for calling upon You when we are in need and desperation
but forgetting You in favourable times and pleasing occasions.
Ours as well is a prayer of petition as we say:

Grant eternal peace to those who lost their lives.
Embrace the children who died in their innocence.
Help those who are hurt
and cure those who are sick.

Encourage those who suffer the destruction of their homes and properties,
and to once again stand up and rebuild their future.

Bless all those who extend their helping hands
to those in need of food, shelter and clothing,
who share their time, talents and resources with others.

Inspire more people to be men and women for their neighbors,
convinced that the more they are for others,
the taller they stand before you.

Spare us please from other natural disasters and devastations
if this be according to Your will
and for our own spiritual good and growth.

Through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Prayer in Time of Earthquakes (Short)

God our Father, You set the earth on its foundation.
Keep us safe from the danger of earthquakes
and let us always feel the presence of Your love.
May we be secure in Your protection
and serve You with grateful hearts.
Amen.

Prayer to Mitigate Natural Disasters

God the Father,
we join together in prayer
and petition heaven for divine intervention
to mitigate earthquakes and natural disasters.

We invoke the powerful name of Jesus
to calm the storms of time
and to bring forth a millennium
of peace and tranquility.

We pray to the Virgin Mary
to intercede on behalf of humanity
for God's hand of mercy to bless us
with divine protection.

We ask this and thank thee
in the name of Jesus.
Amen

ORATIO IMPERATA (Prayer for Deliverance from Calamities)

Almighty Father,
We raise our hearts to You in gratitude,
for the wonders of creation of which we are part,
for Your providence in sustaining us in our needs,
and for Your wisdom that guides the course of the universe.

We acknowledge our sins against You and the rest of Your creation.
We have not been good stewards of nature.
We have confused Your command to subdue the earth.
The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing,
and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference.

Global warming is upon us.
Typhoons, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural calamities
occur in increasing number and intensity.

We turn to you, our loving Father, and beg forgiveness for our sins.

We ask that we, our loved ones and our hard-earned possessions
be spared from the threat of calamities, natural and man-made.

We beseech You to inspire us all
to grow into responsible stewards of Your creation,
and generous neighbors to those in need.

Amen

Other Beautiful Prayers



Bless me, Heavenly Father

Bless me, heavenly Father,
forgive my erring ways.
Grant me strength to serve Thee,
put purpose in my days.
Give me understanding,
enough to make me kind.
So I may judge all people
with my heart, not my mind.
Teach me to be patient
in everything I do,
Content to trust Your wisdom
and to follow after You.
Help me when I falter
and hear me when I pray,
And receive me in Thy kingdom
to dwell with Thee someday.
 Amen.

Prayer of St. Patrick's Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this today to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in Jordan river,
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet ‘Well done’ in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors’ faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the star lit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

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 mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Prayer to the Father in Thanks

Eternal Father, we thank You for Your great love.
You give the world the best of Yourself,
the mirror of Your perfect transparency,
the splendor of Your very being,
Your Son Jesus.
We thank you for giving Jesus as our Saviour,
not as a tyrant, but as a friend,
not as a superior but as a brother.
Help us open our Hearts to His light
without fear of being overwhelmed
but exultant with the joy that comes
from this light upon all who accept it with gladness.
Amen.

The Prayer "Thank You God"

For all You have given,
Thank You God.

For all You have withheld,
Thank You God.

For all You have withdrawn,
Thank You God.

For all You have permitted,
Thank You God.

For all You have prevented,
Thank You God.

For all You have forgiven me,
Thank You God.

For all You have prepared for me,
Thank You God.

For the death You have chosen for me,
Thank you God.

For the place you are keeping for me in heaven,
Thank You God.

For having created me to love You for eternity,
Thank You God.

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the courage to change the things I can change,
the serenity to accept those I cannot change,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
But God, grant me the courage not to give up on what I think is right,
even though I think it is hopeless.
Amen. 

Prayer to the Divine Mercy

Eternal God,
in whom mercy is endless
and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible,
look kindly upon us
and increase Your mercy in us,
that in difficult moments
we might not despair
nor become despondent,
but with great confidence
submit ourselves to Your holy will,
which is Love and Mercy itself.
 Amen.

Prayer of Solace

May Christ support us all the day long,
till the shadows lengthen,
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over
and our work is done.
Then in his mercy
may he give us a safe lodging,
and holy rest and peace at the last.
Amen. 

Pentecost Sunday Sequence (Veni, Sancte Spiritus)

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of thine,
And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Alternative Pentecoste Sequence

Come, O Holy Spirit, come!
From Your bright and blissful Home
Rays of healing light impart.

Come, Father of the poor,
Source of gifts that will endure
Light of evry human heart.

You of all consolers best,
Of the soul most kindly Guest,
Quick'ning courage do bestow.

In hard labor You are rest,
In the heat You refresh best,
And solace give in our woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Let Your radiance in us shine,
And our inmost being fill.

Nothing good by man is thought,
Nothing right by him is wrought,
When he spurns Your gracious Will.

Cleanse our souls from sinful stain,
Lave our dryness with Your rain,
Heal our wounds and mend our way.

Bend the stubborn heart and will,
Melt the frozen, warm the chill,
Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful who in Thee,
Trust with childlike piety,
Deign Your sevenfold gift to send.

Give them virtue's rich increase,
Saving grace to die in peace,
Give them joys that never end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Corpus Christi Sequence (Lauda Sion)

Laud, O Zion, your salvation,
Laud with hymns of exultation,
Christ, your king and shepherd true:

Bring him all the praise you know,
He is more than you bestow.
Never can you reach his due.

Special theme for glad thanksgiving
Is the quick’ning and the living
Bread today before you set:

From his hands of old partaken,
As we know, by faith unshaken,
Where the Twelve at supper met.

Full and clear ring out your chanting,
Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting,
From your heart let praises burst:

For today the feast is holden,
When the institution olden
Of that supper was rehearsed.

Here the new law’s new oblation,
By the new king’s revelation,
Ends the form of ancient rite:

Now the new the old effaces,
Truth away the shadow chases,
Light dispels the gloom of night.

What he did at supper seated,
Christ ordained to be repeated,
His memorial ne’er to cease:

And his rule for guidance taking,
Bread and wine we hallow, making
Thus our sacrifice of peace.

This the truth each Christian learns,
Bread into his flesh he turns,
To his precious blood the wine:

Sight has fail’d, nor thought conceives,
But a dauntless faith believes,
Resting on a pow’r divine.

Here beneath these signs are hidden
Priceless things to sense forbidden;
Signs, not things are all we see:

Blood is poured and flesh is broken,
Yet in either wondrous token
Christ entire we know to be.

Whoso of this food partakes,
Does not rend the Lord nor breaks;
Christ is whole to all that taste:

Thousands are, as one, receivers,
One, as thousands of believers,
Eats of him who cannot waste.

Bad and good the feast are sharing,
Of what divers dooms preparing,
Endless death, or endless life.

Life to these, to those damnation,
See how like participation
Is with unlike issues rife.

When the sacrament is broken,
Doubt not, but believe ‘tis spoken,
That each sever’d outward token
doth the very whole contain.

Nought the precious gift divides,
Breaking but the sign betides
Jesus still the same abides,
still unbroken does remain.

Lo! the angel’s food is given
To the pilgrim who has striven;
see the children’s bread from heaven,
which on dogs may not be spent.

Truth the ancient types fulfilling,
Isaac bound, a victim willing,
Paschal lamb, its lifeblood spilling,
manna to the fathers sent.

Very bread, good shepherd, tend us,
Jesu, of your love befriend us,
You refresh us, you defend us,
Your eternal goodness send us
In the land of life to see.

You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow,
Grant us with your saints, lowest though ,
Where the heav’nly feast you show,
Fellow heirs and guests to be.

Amen. Alleluia.

Prayer of St. 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.

Prayers of St. Ignatius of Loyola



Prayer for Generosity

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.

Suscipe Prayer (“Take, Lord, Receive”)

Version 1:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding, and my entire will.
Whatever I have or hold, you have given me.
I restore it all to you
and surrender it wholly to be governed by your will.
Give me only your love and grace
and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more.

Version 2:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

Prayer for Knowledge and Gratitude

I ask God, the Father,
to give me an intimate knowledge of the many gifts I have received,
so that filled with gratitude for all,
I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty.

Eternal Lord of All

Eternal Lord of all things,
I come before your infinite goodness,
and before your glorious mother and all saints of the heavenly court,
to make my offering, with your help and favor:
it is my wish, desire and determination,
provided that it would be for your greater service and praise,
to imitate you in suffering injury, insults and poverty,
actual as well as spiritual,
should your most holy majesty choose to receive me in such a way of life.

Prayer against Depression

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will
through all things.

Anima Christi

[Wrongly attributed to St. Ignatius who included this prayer in his writings on the Spiritual Exercises.]

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds, shelter me.
From turning away, keep me.
From the evil one, protect me.
At the hour of my death, call me.
Into your presence lead me,
To praise you with all your saints,
Forever and ever.
Amen.

Disturb Us, Lord (Francis Drake Prayer)

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
Amen.

Prayer for Peace, to Mary, The Light of Hope



(By St. Pope John-Paul II)

Immaculate Heart of Mary
help us to conquer the menace of evil
which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today,
and whose immeasurable effects
already weigh down upon our modern world
and seem to block the paths toward the future.

From famine and war,
deliver us.  

From nuclear war,
from incalculable self-destruction,
from every kind of war,
deliver us.  

From sins against human life
from its very beginning,
deliver us.  

From hatred and from the demeaning
of the dignity of the children of God,
deliver us.

  From every kind of injustice in the life of society,
both national and international,
deliver us.  

From readiness to trample on the commandments of God,
deliver us.  

From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God,
deliver us.  

From the loss of awareness of good and evil,
deliver us.  

From sins against the Holy Spirit,
deliver us.  

Accept, O Mother of Christ,
this cry laden with the sufferings
of all individual human beings,
laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit
to conquer all sin:
individual sin and the "sin of the world",
sin in all of its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world
the infinite saving power of the redemption:
the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope.
 
Amen

Prayer to Our Lady for Protection Against All Danger

Mother of Jesus,
be our protector and defender
against all that is harmful or evil.
Bring our needs before Almighty God,
that we may be surrounded by God’s Holy Angels,
and give us the grace to conquer every danger
and overcome all that would threaten our health and well being.

Be for us light in times of darkness,
strength when we are weak,
wisdom in our confusion,
healing in times of illness,
and courage to work through life’s problems and difficulties.
Give us joy when we are sad,
bread to feed our hunger,
and eternal life to defeat the power of death.

Virgin Mary, guide our life-journey,
so that we may always walk safely
together with you and your Divine Son, Jesus Christ
in God’s loving friendship.
Amen.

The Magnificat

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and Holy is His Name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, His servant,
mindful of His mercy
– Even as He spoke to our father –
to Abraham and to his posterity forever.

Words of Pope Saint Gregory for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

  1. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who to redeem us,
    was crowned with thorns and was crucified,
    we adore and beseech You
    that Your Cross be our defense
    against our evil enemies.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  2. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who to redeem us,
    endured so much suffering
    and drank gall and vinegar,
    we adore and beseech You
    that Your sufferings be the cure of our souls.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  3. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    by the bitterness You suffered
    on the Cross because of our sins,
    particularly when Your soul parted from Your Body,
    we beseech You to have mercy on our souls
    on the day of their departure from this world.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  4. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who to redeem us,
    Your Sacred Body was anointed and buried,
    we adore and beseech You
    that Your death be our life.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  5. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who descended to the limbo of the Holy Fathers
    and freed those who were imprisoned there,
    we adore and beseech You
    not to permit our souls
    to be imprisoned in hell.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  6. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who with great power resurrected Yourself
    and ascended to Heaven,
    where You are seated at the right of God the Father,
    we pray to You to have mercy on us.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  7. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    the Good Shepherd,
    defend the just,
    enlighten sinners,
    have mercy on the faithful departed,
    and on us, great sinners.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  8. O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
    Who will come to judge us,
    to bring the just to Your glory
    and sinners to eternal punishment,
    we adore and beseech You
    that Your passion may free us from all pains
    and bring us to eternal life.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


  9. O most loving Father,
    we offer You the innocent death of Your Son
    and the loves of His Divine Heart
    for the pains that we, poor sinners,
    above all sinners, deserve;
    we also offer this Passion and cordial love
    for all our relatives and friends.
    We beseech You to have mercy on us.
    [‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]


Prayer:



O Jesus Christ, our Lord,
we humbly beseech You to grant us
the pardon and graces that are accorded by St. Gregory
to those who, through these holy prayers,
revere the mysteries of Your great Passion,
You who lives and reigns forever and ever.
[‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’]

The Universal Prayer

(attributed to Pope Clement Xi)

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith.
I trust in you: strengthen my trust.
I love you: let me love you more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning,
I long for you as my last end,
I praise you as my constant helper,
And call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom,
Correct me with your justice,
Comfort me with your mercy,
Protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
My words: to have you for their theme;
My actions: to reflect my love for you;
My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me:
In the way you ask,
For as long as you ask,
Because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
Strengthen my will,
Purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
And to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
And to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
Greed by generosity,
Apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself
And reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
Courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering,
unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
Temperate in food and drink,
Diligent in my work,
Firm in my good intentions.
Let my conscience be clear,
My conduct without fault,
My speech blameless,
My life well-ordered.
Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish your love for me,
Keep your law,
And come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
That my true future is the happiness of heaven,
That life on earth is short,
And the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
With a proper fear of judgment,
But a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death
To the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.