Prayers
If you would like some guidance regarding prayer, please consider reading the 'Power of Prayer' tab above.
Thanksgiving prayers after Holy Communion
Prayer before a Crucifix
Look down upon me good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment, while I contemplate with great love and tender pity, Thy Five wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee my Jesus. “They have pierced My hands and My Feet, they have numbered all My Bones.“ (Ps.21, 17-18)
Followed by Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, for the Pope’s intentions.
Soul of Christ
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.
Suffer me not to be separate from Thee.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to thee.
That with thy saints I may praise Thee.
Forever and ever. Amen.
By Saint Thomas Aquinas
I thank You, Lord, Almighty Father, Everlasting God, for having been pleased, through no merit of mine, but of Your great mercy alone, to feed me, a sinner, and Your unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this Holy Communion may not be for my judgment and condemnation, but for my pardon and salvation. Let this Holy Communion be to me an armour of faith and a shield of good will, a cleansing of all vices, and a rooting out of all evil desires. May it increase love and patience, humility and obedience, and all virtues. May it be a firm defence against the evil designs of all my visible and invisible enemies, a perfect quieting of all the desires of soul and body. May this Holy Communion bring about a perfect union with You, the one true God, and at last enable me to reach eternal bliss when You will call me.
I pray that You bring me, a sinner, to the indescribable Feast where You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, are to Your saints true light, full blessedness, everlasting joy, and perfect happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
By Saint Thomas Aquinas
Sweetest Jesus, Body and Blood most Holy, be the delight and pleasure of my soul, my strength and salvation in all temptation, my joy and peace in every trial, my light and guide in every word and deed and my final protection in death. O Jesu Dulcissime, Amen.
Act of Offering after Holy Communion
O Jesus, receive my poor offering.
Jesus, you have given yourself to me,
and now let me give myself to you:
I give you my body, that I may be chaste and pure.
I give you my soul, that I may be free from sin.
I give you my heart so that I may always love you.
I give you my every breath that I shall breathe, especially my last.
I give you myself in life and in death, that I may be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The Unity Prayer
Regarding the following prayer, these are the words of Our Lord Jesus to the Hungarian Visionary Elizabeth Kindelmann, third Order Carmelite. “Through this prayer, Satan will be blind, and souls will not be led into sin“.
Elizabeth Kindelmann, “My redeemer asked me to say this prayer, which expresses his longings.“
My adorable Jesus,
May our feet journey together.
May our hands gather in unity.
May our hearts beat in unison.
May our souls be in harmony.
May our thoughts be as one.
May our ears listen to the silence together.
May our glances profoundly penetrate each other.
May our lips pray together to gain mercy from the Eternal Father. Amen
O Blessed Lady, spread the effect of grace of thy Flame of Love over all Humanity. Amen
Please pray this prayer daily for yourself, your family members, friends, anyone who needs prayers, and your country.
Prayers for help
My Father in Heaven, I come to you in the name of your beloved Son Jesus of Nazareth who took on himself our sins and our diseases and our troubles and I cry to you, O Almighty God and Father – Help me. You know my needs, my difficulties, my problems, (name a few). I see no solution. I don’t know how I can get out of these problems. But my trust is in you. O Great Almighty God, Lord of Lords, my prayer is to you, my trust is in you.
You never send anyone away empty handed who comes to you in prayer. You have said, “Call on me in the day of trouble and I will help you”. I am in need, in great need. I don’t know what to do any more. But help me O God. Not because I have earned it but by your grace. I cry to you in the name of your powerful and beloved son Jesus, in his Holy Name, in Jesus’ name. I believe that you are helping me. I believe that you are giving me the solution. I believe it and I thank you for it. I thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen
Prayer to St. Joseph for help with most things
O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach you while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen
Say for nine consecutive mornings for anything you may desire. It has seldom been known to fail, as long as what you desire is also God’s Will.
Remember St. Joseph is the Worker, and this prayer will help if you are unemployed.
Help when taking exams
O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino who while on earth, did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew. Obtain for me a like favour in the examinations for which I am now preparing.
In return, I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked. I will also imitate your life of prayer and devotion.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
St. Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for us.
For those living alone
I live alone, dear Lord, stay by my side.
In All my daily needs, be Thou my guide.
Grant me good health, for that I pray.
To carry on my work from day to day.
Keep pure my thoughts, my every deed,
Let me be kind and unselfish in my neighbour’s needs.
Spare me from fire, from flood, malicious tongues,
From thieves, from fear, and evil ones.
If sickness or an accident befall me,
Then humbly, Lord, I pray, hear Thou my call.
And when I am feeling low or in despair,
Lift up my heart and help me in prayer.
I live alone, dear Lord, yet have no fear,
Because I feel Your presence ever near.
For those feeling lonely
Lord, as I begin this day, I thank you for your constant presence in my life. Even when I feel like no one understands me or that I am all by myself, I know that you are there with open arms to comfort me. Help me to remember that being alone does not mean that I am lonely.
Amen
Prayer for the elderly and frail
Dear Lord, as my life declines and my energies decrease,
more than ever hold me by Your Power,
that I may not offend You,
but daily increase in Your Love.
Give me strength to work in Your Service till the last day of my life.
Help me to ever have an increasing dread of venial sin,
or whatever would cause the slightest withdrawal of Your Love,
all day long, and at night keep me close to Your Heart;
and should I die, ere the morning breaks,
may I go rejoicing in that vision of Your entrancing beauty,
never to be separated from You. Amen
Prayers for the sick and the dying
Prayers for the sick and the dying – The Divine Mercy
“Pray as much as you can for the dying. By your entreaties [that is, insistent prayers] obtain for them trust in My mercy, because they have most need of trust, and have it the least. Be assured that the grace of eternal salvation for certain souls in their final moment depends on your prayer. You know the whole abyss of My mercy, so draw upon it for yourself and especially for poor sinners. Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul”
(Jesus to Saint Faustina. Diary, 1777).
One of the best means of assisting the dying is the one that Jesus revealed to St. Faustina and insisted that she use often — even continuously: The Divine Mercy Chaplet. Jesus said: “My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. … Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the merciful Saviour (Diary, 1541).
Earlier, Our Lord said to her, “At the hour of their death, I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this chaplet; or when others say it for a dying person, the indulgence is the same” (Diary, 811).
The Divine Mercy Chaplet
Recite on ordinary rosary beads Sr. Faustina, Diary 476)
The Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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.
Then on the “Our Father” beads (before each decade):
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On the “Hail Mary” beads (of each decade):
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding Doxology (after five decades):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world (Three times).
Optional Conclusion
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 (Diary, 950)
Prayer to St. Joseph, Patron Saint of the Dying
Faithful Joseph, with the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise,
you peacefully leave this world in Jesus and Mary’s hands.
Your faith transforms death into the sowing of life;
thus, God considers you to be a just man.
Your heart overflows in the presence of the Lord.
With your hands outstretched to God, your night is filled with prayers.
Surrounded by the living, you embark upon the great march to the promised land.
Open our eyes that we may glimpse the road to Life that lies beyond death.
May nothing, not denial, anger, nor depression, separate us from the Love of God.
Strengthen our faith in God who always finds ways of preserving us in his friendship.
Be beside us to hold our hands when we take our first steps toward the Eternal Kingdom.
Amen
Prayer to St Joseph for a happy death
O Blessed Joseph, who yielded up thy last breath in the arms of Jesus and Mary,
obtain for me this Grace, O holy Joseph, that I may breathe forth my soul in praise,
saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.” Amen
Prayer to Saint Joseph for a Happy Death
O Blessed Joseph, who yielded up thy last breath in the arms of Jesus and Mary,
obtain for me this grace, O holy Joseph, that I may breathe forth my soul in praise,
saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.” Amen
Prayer for Conversion
Jesus to St. Faustina
“The prayer most pleasing to Me is the prayer for conversion. Know, My daughter, that this prayer is always heard and answered“ (V1397)
Jesus said “I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion“
“Call upon My Mercy on behalf of sinners; I desire their salvation. When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give that soul the Grace of conversion. This is the prayer” (1,186)
“O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a found of mercy for us, I trust in You.“ (Diary of Sr Faustina (1,187)
Prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
The greatest thing we can do for the Holy Souls is to have a Mass offered for them, and we should also remember them after the Gospel and homily at Mass (the time for intercessions). Our prayers help them of course, but there is nothing more beneficial than the Holy Sacrifice of Our Lord, which is made present at each and every Mass.
There are various prayers that can be said:
Eternal rest unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen
I adore you, oh Holy Cross, adorned with the Sacred Body of my Lord, covered and smeared by His Precious Blood. I adore you, my God, hanging on the cross for me. I adore you, oh Holy Cross for love of Him Who is my Lord.” (St Brigid’s Prayer is to be said on Fridays to release souls from Purgatory.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. Amen. (St Gertrude)
For more information see St. Gertrude the Great: Prayer for Holy Souls in Purgatory (goodcatholic.com)
You can also say the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
The Rosary
How Many Beads Are on a Set of Rosary Beads?
Today, Roman Catholics use a rosary made up of 59 beads. The 6 large beads are used for praying the Our Father prayer, and the 53 smaller beads are used for praying the Hail Mary prayer. Other prayers of the rosary include the Apostles’ Creed, the Glory Be, and the Hail, Holy Queen.
There are 5 decades, or groups of 10 small beads, that make up the main portion of the rosary.
The Story of St. Dominic
It is widely believed that in 1214 St. Dominic had a vision of Mary. She is said to have presented him with the rosary, both the beads and the prayers to be prayed.
St. Dominic had a tremendous devotion to Mary and the rosary, which he promoted wherever he traveled to preach. He encouraged Catholics to gather in small groups to pray together what was an early form of the rosary. These were quite possibly the first expressions of the prayer groups and small group communities that are still having a powerful impact today.
The Story of St. Louis de Montfort
St. Louis de Montfort was ordained a priest in 1700. He was known not only as a preacher, but especially for his devotion to Mary and his practice of praying the rosary. Through this devotion he wrote often on the idea of being consecrated to Jesus through Mary, recognising that a powerful way to connect with God is through His mother. His writings make up some of the earliest works on Mariology, or the study of the theology of Mary. His book ‘True Devotion to Mary’ is one of the most renowned books on the Holy Rosary.
The Growth of the Rosary
The earliest form of the rosary developed when Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) popularised an earlier version of the Hail Mary prayer by asking it to be prayed on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Many individuals began praying the Hail Mary in a repetitive fashion using a string of beads to keep track of the prayers.
After the full development of the Hail Mary prayer, the term “rosary” was finally given in 1597. For 320 years, from 1597 until 1917, the form of both the Hail Mary and the rosary remained the same.
During those 320 years, there was much written and spoken about the rosary. Most notably, Pope Paul VI said when we pray the rosary we can experience the key moments of the Gospel. It is a simple, beautiful, and focused meditation, especially when focusing on the mysteries of the rosary.
The Fatima Prayer
On May 13, 1917, Mary appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. She told them to come back to that exact place on the 13th day of each month for the next six months. Mary promised she would appear to them each time and entrust a message to them.
Mary told the children to pray for world peace by reciting the rosary every day. On July 13, 1917, Mary asked the children to add a short prayer to the end of each decade of the rosary:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
Today this is referred to as the Fatima prayer, and many Catholics incorporate it into the rosary as Mary requested.
The Mysteries of the Rosary
The mysteries of the rosary were introduced by Dominic of Prussia sometime between 1410 and 1439. This gave each decade of the rosary a unique quality. Each mystery leads us to ponder very specific events in the lives of Jesus and Mary and the lessons they hold for our own lives today.
There were originally three sets of mysteries: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries.
On October 16, 2002, almost 600 years after the original Mysteries of the rosary were established, Pope John Paul II proposed adding a new set of mysteries called the Luminous Mysteries (the Mysteries of Light).
The rosary is ever new because the situations and mysteries we are pondering have an unlimited number of dimensions to consider.
The Rosary and You
The rosary is an incredibly rewarding spiritual practice for the men and women of any age, and all ages. It is like an ancient treasure map that has led countless men and women from all walks of life to the treasures of peace, joy, clarity, and contentment. But don’t take our word for it. Try it for yourself!
Adapted from an article ‚History of the Rosary‘ Dynamiccatholic.com
Download the how-to-pray-the-rosary.pdf (dynamiccatholic.com) to discover these beautiful prayers and meditation on the Gospels.
Prayers for Priests
A prayer for Priests
Keep them I pray Thee dearest Lord,
Keep them for they are Thine –
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them for they are in the world
Though from the world apart;
When earthly pleasure tempt, allure, –
Shelter them in Thy heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice,
For souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host.
That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless. Amen.
Follow with : Our Father…. Hail Mary… Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for them.
Litany of Prayers for Priests
By Richard Cardinal Cushing
O Almighty Eternal God our Father, look upon the face of Your Son, and for love of Him Who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on your priests.
Remember O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.
O Jesus, Our Eternal High Priest, I pray:
— for Your faithful and fervent PRIESTS;
— for Your unfaithful and tepid PRIESTS;
— for Your PRIESTS laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields;
— for Your tempted PRIESTS;
— for Your young PRIESTS;
— for Your dying PRIESTS;
— for the souls of Your PRIESTS in Purgatory.
But above all, I commend to You:
— the PRIESTS dearest to me;
— the PRIEST who baptised me;
— the PRIESTS who absolved me from my sins;
— the PRIESTS at whose MASSES I assist;
— the PRIESTS who taught and instructed me about You and Your Holy Scriptures;
— the PRIESTS who helped and encouraged me to accept You as my Lord and Savior;
— and all the PRIESTS whom You sent to touch my life and those of my loved ones.
Let Us Pray For: The Holy Father: fill him with Your grace, Lord;
Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops: give them your gifts, Lord;
Diocesan Priests: never leave them, Lord;
Priests in seminary work: give them Your wisdom, Lord;
Priests in hospital work: give them constancy, Lord;
Priests who are ill: heal them, Lord;
Priests in danger: deliver them, Lord;
Priests who are weak: strengthen them, Lord;
Priests who are poor: relieve them, Lord;
Priests who are zealous: help them, Lord;
Priests who want to love You: enkindle their hearts, Lord;
Priests who are sad: console them, Lord;
Priests who are worried: give them peace, Lord;
Priests who are old: sustain them, Lord;
Priests who are young: impel them for your glory, Lord;
Priests who are alone: accompany them, Lord;
Missionary priests: protect them, Lord;
Priests who are preachers: enlighten them, Lord;
Priests who direct souls: instruct them, Lord;
Parish priests: make them perfect, Lord;
Priests and religious who have died: bring them to Glory, Lord;
All the Church, militant and suffering: Lord, have mercy.
For all Priests:
— Give them Your wisdom, Lord.
— Give them virtues.
— Give them patience and charity.
— Give them obedience and kindness.
— Give them a burning zeal for souls.
— Give them an intense love for the Eucharist.
— Give them loyalty to the Pope and their Bishops.
— Give them respect for their dignity.
— Give them a great love for Mary.
— Give them rectitude for justice.
— Give them the gift of counsel.
— Give them strength in their labors.
— Give them peace in their sufferings.
— Give them humility and generosity.
— Let them be the light of souls.
— Let them be the salt of the earth.
— Let them practice sacrifice and self denial.
— Let them enkindle hearts with the love of Mary.
— Let them be other Christs.
— Let them be holy in body and soul.
— May they be men of prayer.
— May faith shine forth in them.
— May they be faithful to their priestly vocation.
— May their hands know only how to bless.
— May they burn with love for You and for Mary.
— May all their steps be for the glory of God.
— May the Holy Spirit possess them, and give them His gifts and fruits in abundance.
Let us pray, O God, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, You are the soul and the life of the Church. Hear the prayers we offer for priests. We ask this through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, their protector and guide. Amen.
Saint Faustina’s Prayer for Priests
O My Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church;grant it love and the light of your Spirit, give power to the words of priests, so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You.
Lord give us holy priests; You Yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest may the power of Your mercy, accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil’s traps and snares, which are continually being set for the souls of priests.
May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things. Amen
Prayers for Priestly Vocations
The Catholic Church, particularly in the West, are desperate for new vocations. Please remember, that without our priests, there are no Sacraments, and in particular, there is no Eucharist. Please pray for the new vocations we desperately need.