Common Prayers

      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.

    Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  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.
 

O Come, O Holy Spirit, come!

Come as holy fire and burn in us.

Come as holy wind and cleanse us.

Come as holy light and lead us.

Come as holy truth and teach us.

Come as holy forgiveness and free us.

Come as holy love and enfold us.

Come as holy power and ennoble us.

Come as holy life and dwell in us.

Convict us, convert us,

Consecrate us, until we are wholly yours for your using,  Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
 

The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer.  It begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith.  The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels.  The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary.  St. Pius V officially added the second part of the Hail Mary.  The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ's life.  There are four sets of Mysteries:  Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and the Luminous that were added by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

The repetition in the Rosary is meant to lead one into restful and contemplative prayer related to each Mystery.  The gentle repetition of the words helps us to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells.  The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.

The Joyful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays of Advent:

1. The Annunciation

2. The Visitation

3. The Nativity

4. The Presentation in the Temple

5. The Finding in the Temple

The Sorrowful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays of Lent:

1. The Agony in the Garden

2. The Scourging at the Pillar

3. The Crowning with Thorns

4. The Carrying of the Cross

5. The Crucifixion and Death

The Glorious Mysteries are traditionally prayed on the Wednesday and Sundays outside of Lent and Advent:

1. The Resurrection

2. The Ascension

3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit

4. The Assumption

5. The Coronation of Mary

The Luminous Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Thursdays:

1. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan

2. The Wedding Feast at Cana

3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God

4. The Transfiguration

5. The Institution of the Eucharist

Praying the Rosary

1. Make the Sign of the Cross.

2. Hold the Crucifix, say an Our Father.

3. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads.

4. Say the Glory Be.

5. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture, then say the Our Father.

6. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, next say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.  Then say a Glory Be.  After finishing each decade, some say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima:  O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.

After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen:

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!  To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.  Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

The final dialogue and prayer are then said:

V.  Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.  O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.
 

    O my God, I am heartily sorry and beg pardon for all my sins, not so much because these sins bring the suffering of hell to me; but because they have crucified my loving Savior Jesus Christ and offended Your infinite goodness.  I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life.  Amen.
 

    God the Holy Spirit, Love of the Father and the Son, in order to belong entirely to you, I consecrate to you now and forever my heart and my will, my body and my soul, my understanding and my whole being, my thoughts and desires, my words and deeds, my joys and sorrows, my life and my death.  I also consecrate to you all who are near and dear to me.  Rule over us, O Spirit of Love, and guide us always.  Amen.
 

     I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

    I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.  Amen.
 

    I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

    I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.  God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.  For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

    For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

    I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.  I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.  I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

     Our Father in heaven, we thank you for all the fathers on earth who, like St. Joseph, accept the responsibility to care for and love their children.  May you strengthen them with the kindness, patience and wisdom they need to encourage and guide their children.  May they be supported by a steadfast wife, a caring family and good friends.  Most of all, may they know that you and you alone are the source of all that is good and truly valuable in this world.  Amen.
 

    Good and Gentle God, we pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women of theory who have joined with you in the wonder of bringing forth new life.  You who became human through a woman, grant to all mothers the courage they need to face the uncertain future that life with children always brings.

- Give them the strength to live and to be loved in return, not perfectly, but humanly.

- Give them the faithful support of husband, family and friends as they care for the physical         and spiritual growth of their children.

- Give them joy and delight in their children to sustain them through the trials of motherhood.

- Most of all, give them the wisdom to turn to you for help when they need it most. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the soul of Your apostles and disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me:

- the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal,

- the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth,

- the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven,

- the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation,

- the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints,

- the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable,

- the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease him.

Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true Disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit.  Amen.
 

    Jesus Lord, I offer you this new day because I believe in you, love you, hope all things in you and thank you for your blessings.

    I am sorry for having offended you and forgive everyone who has offended me.

    Lord, look on me and leave in me peace and courage and your humble wisdom that I may serve others with joy and be pleasing to you all day.
 

    Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; 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.

      Mary, most holy, you are the first and truest disciple of Christ.  Pray that I may live your poverty of spirit, your purity of heart, your singleness of purpose.  May I say, "Be it done to me" each time the Lord calls me to live the gospel in daily life.  Show me how to welcome the unexpected guest, to compassionate with the downtrodden and bear patiently the trials of life.  Mother of God, help me to be a holy mother, not because I desire status of glory, but because my children have a great need and right to all that I can give.  May I recognize your Son in their faces and in the gaze of all I meet. Amen.
 

      Faithful Shepherd, You are not a hireling who runs away at the sight of danger, but Your fidelity was tested and proved on the wood of the Cross.  Accept the gift of our gratitude for Your marvelous care.  Help us to hear and follow Your voice.

      Watchful Shepherd, who protects the flock and searches tirelessly for those who wander from the fold, retrieve the lost and bring them home.  Tend and heal their wounds.

      Good Shepherd, who lays down His Life for His sheep, nourish Your people with the Bread of Life, that we may reflect Your likeness and enjoy the spring of Living Water that never ends.  Amen.
 

      Lord Jesus Christ, with what long-suffering love have You always gently drawn me to Yourself, despite my sinfulness and failings.  How fondly have You keep me as the apple of Your eye, patiently waiting for my love in return.  How endlessly forgiving have You been of my pride, selfishness and error.  O Lord, make me patient with those around me so that I may convince them of how patient You have been with me.
 

      When I was a child, Heavenly Father, I knew nothing of wars, injustice, upheaval.  My world was so small and still, peaceful and secure.  Now that I am grown, I realize how distant our world is from this ideal.  Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, send the healing balm of Your love into this fractured world and restore our lost innocence, not because we have merited it, but out of the bounty of Your unconditional goodness.  As always, we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
 

      Loving Father, hear our prayer for ______, whom we entrust to Your care.  May s/he recover to complete health, for the glory of Your name and return to her/his duties to family, work and community.  If in Your Wisdom s/he must carry the cross of suffering, may s/he find strength in uniting these pains with Jesus, Your Son, whose triumph over suffering and death won for us the rewards of eternal life. Amen.
 

      Dear Mary, Mother of God and our mother, take into your special care all of those children living in the womb who are so beautiful, yet so vulnerable.  Intercede for those mothers who are having a difficult time carrying these children, whether emotionally or physically, that they may be drawn closer to the love of God, Whose tenderness and favors know no bounds.  Most holy Mother, pray for us who have the power to support expectant mothers in need of our help, that we may be a mirror of love of your Son, Who with the Father and Holy Spirit are one God forever and ever. Amen.
 

      Lord, we pray for the power to be gentle; the strength to be forgiving; the patience to be understanding; and the endurance to accept the consequence of holding to what we believe to be right.

      May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil and the power of love to overcome hatred.  We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe in a world emancipated from violence, a new world where fear shall no longer lead men to commit injustice, nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

      Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy to the task of making peace, praying always for the inspiration and the power to fulfill the destiny for which we and all men were created.  Amen.