What is prayer, how to receive graces, list of main prayers
Prayer, the lifting of the mind and heart to God, plays an essential role in the life of a devout Catholic. Without a life of Catholic prayer, we risk losing the life of grace in our souls, a grace that comes to us first in baptism and then mainly through the other sacraments and through prayer itself (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2565). Catholic prayers allow us to worship God, recognizing his almighty power; prayers allow us to bring our thanks, our requests and our pain for sin before our Lord and God.
While prayer is not a unique practice for Catholics, Catholic prayers are generally formulaic in nature. That is, the teaching of the Church places us before how we should pray. Drawing on the words of Christ, the writings of Scripture and the saints and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he provides us with prayers rooted in the Christian tradition. Furthermore, our informal and spontaneous prayers, both vocal and meditative, are informed and shaped by those Catholic prayers taught by the Church. Without the Holy Spirit speaking through the Church and through her saints, we would not be able to pray as we should (CCC, 2650).
As the Catholic prayers themselves testify, the Church teaches us that we should pray not only directly to God, but also to those who have the power to intercede on our behalf. Indeed, let us pray to the angels to help us and watch over us; we pray to the saints in heaven to ask for their intercession and assistance; let us pray to the Blessed Mother to ask her to pray to her Son to hear our prayers. Furthermore, we pray not only for ourselves, but also for those souls in purgatory and for those brothers on earth who need it. Prayer unites us to God; in doing so, we are united with the other members of the Mystical Body.
This common aspect of prayer is reflected not only in the nature of Catholic prayers, but also in the very words of the prayers themselves. Reading many of the basic formal prayers, it will become evident that, for the Catholic, prayer is often understood as prayer in the company of others. Christ himself encouraged us to pray together: "Because wherever two or more are gathered in my name, here I am among them" (Matthew 18:20).
With the above characteristics of Catholic prayer in mind, you will be able to appreciate and understand the prayers listed below. Although this list is certainly not exhaustive, it will illustrate the different types of Catholic prayers that help form the treasure of prayers in the Church.
List of basic Catholic prayers
Sign of the cross
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us our daily bread today and forgive us our transgressions, since we forgive those who transgress you and do not lead us into temptation, but free us from evil. Amen.
Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. You are blessed 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.
Glory Be
Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As it was at the beginning, it is now, and always will be, an endless world. Amen.
Creed of the Apostles
I believe in God, Almighty Father, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and he was buried. He went down to hell; on the third day he rose from the dead; he went up to heaven and sat at the right hand of the Father; from there he will judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, in the holy Catholic Church, in the communion of saints, in the forgiveness of sins, in the resurrection of the body and in eternal life. Amen.
Prayers to the Madonna
The rosary
The six basic Catholic prayers listed above are also part of the Catholic rosary, a devotion dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of God. (CCC 971) The rosary is made up of fifteen decades. Each decade focuses on a particular mystery in the life of Christ and his Blessed Mother. It is customary to say five decades at a time, while meditating on a number of mysteries.
Joyful mysteries
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The birth of our Lord
The presentation of our Lord
The discovery of our Lord in the temple
Painful mysteries
The agony in the garden
The Scourge on the Pillar
The crowning of thorns
The transport of the cross
The crucifixion and death of our Lord
Glorious mysteries
The resurrection
The Ascension
The descent of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption of our Blessed Mother into Heaven
The coronation of Mary as queen of heaven and earth
Ave, Holy Queen
Hello, Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, life, sweetness and our hope. We cry to you, poor banned children of Eve. We make our sighs, mourning and crying in this valley of tears. Turn, then, courteous advocate, your eyes of mercy towards us and after this, our exile, show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O gracious, or loving, or sweet Virgin Mary. V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we can be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Memorize
Remember, dearest Virgin Mary, that it was never known that anyone who had fled to your protection had begged for your help or sought your intercession had not been helped. Inspired by this trust, we turn to you, Virgin of virgins, our Mother. We come to you, in front of you we are standing, sinful and painful. O Mother of the Incarnate Word, do not despise our petitions, but in your mercy listen to us and answer us. Amen.
The Angelus
The angel of the Lord declared to Mary. R. And she conceived the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary ...) Here is the handmaid of the Lord. R. Let it be done to me according to your word. (Hail Mary ...) And the Word became flesh. R. And he lived among us. (Hail Mary ...) Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we can be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: come on, we beg you, O Lord, your grace in our hearts; that we to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son, has been made known by the message of an angel, can with his passion and cross be led to the glory of his resurrection, through Christ our Lord himself. Amen.
Daily Catholic prayers
Prayer before meals
Bless us, O Lord, and these gifts of yours, which we are about to receive, from your generosity, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for our guardian angel
Angel of God, my dear guardian, to whom the love of God commits me here, always today at my side to illuminate and guard, to govern and guide. Amen.
Morning offer
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the holy sacrifice of Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your sacred heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation of sin, the meeting of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and all the apostles of prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.
Evening prayer
O my God, at the end of this day I thank you from my heart for all the graces I have received from you. I'm sorry I didn't make better use of it. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against you. Forgive me, my God, and gracefully protect me tonight. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, bring me under your protection. Saint Joseph, my dear guardian angel and all of you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have mercy on all the poor sinners and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls of purgatory.
Generally, this evening prayer is followed by an act of contrition, which is usually said in combination with an examination of conscience. A daily examination of conscience consists of a short account of our actions during the day. What sins have we committed? Where did we fail? In what areas of our life can we struggle to make virtuous progress? After determining our failures and sins, we do an act of contrition.
Act of contrition
O my God, I am sorry for having offended you and detesting all my sins, because I fear the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but above all because they offend you, my God, that you are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly decide, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to change my life.
Prayer after Mass
anima christi
Soul of Christ, make me holy. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, fill me with love. Water on the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Good Jesus, listen to me. In your wounds, hide me. Never let me separate you. From the evil enemy, protect me. At the hour of my death, call me and tell me to come to you so that with your saints I can praise you for all eternity. Amen.
Prayers to the Holy Spirit
Come on, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and light the fire of your love in them. Send your Spirit, and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.
Let's pray
O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful in the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that with the gift of the same Spirit we can always be truly wise and always rejoice in his consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers to angels and saints
Prayer to Saint Joseph
O glorious Saint Joseph, you have been chosen by God to be the adoptive father of Jesus, the purest spouse of Mary, always virgin, and the head of the Holy Family. You have been chosen by the vicar of Christ as heavenly patron and protector of the Church founded by Christ.
Protect the Holy Father, our sovereign pontiff and all the bishops and priests united with him. Be the protector of all those who work for souls in the midst of the trials and tribulations of this life and allow all the peoples of the world to follow Christ and the Church he founded.
Prayer to Archangel Michael
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the devil's wickedness and snares. May God reproach him, let us pray humbly and you, o prince of the celestial host, with the power of God, driven to hell by Satan and all the other evil spirits that roam the world in search of the ruin of souls. Amen.