BASIC CATHOLIC PRAYERS
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Apostles’ 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 the life everlasting. Amen.
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.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is
the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Doxology
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now
and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
An 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. Amen.
An Act of Hope
O my God, trusting in Your promises and because You are faithful, powerful and merciful, I
hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ, for the pardon of my sins, final perseverance and the
blessed glory of heaven.
An Act of Love
O my God, because You are infinite goodness and worthy of infinite love, I love You with my
whole heart above all things, and for love of You I love my neighbor as myself. I forgive all who
have offended me and ask pardon of all whom I have offended.
An 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.
Morning Offering
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 the Mass throughout the world. I offer
them for all the intentions of the Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, the
reunion of all Christians, and the intentions of our Holy Father, the Pope. Amen.
Prayer in the Morning
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of His servant David.
Through His holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in His sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for You will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:68-79)
Prayer in the Evening
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His Name.
He has mercy on those who fear Him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of His servant Israel
for He has remembered His promise of mercy,
the promise He made to our fathers,
to Abraham and His children for ever. (Luke 1:46-55)
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.
Prayer at Night
O my God, I thank You for having preserved me today and for having given me so many
blessings and graces. I renew my dedication to You and ask Your pardon for all my sins.
(review the day quietly then pray The Canticle of Simeon which follows)
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 (alleluia).
Lord, now let Your servant go in peace;
according to Your word:
for my eyes have seen Your salvation
which You have prepared in the presence of all
peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to Your people Israel. (Luke 2:29–32)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now
and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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 (alleluia).
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His most precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.
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 valley 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!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ. Amen.
Grace Before Meals
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thanksgiving After Meals
We give Thee thanks, almighty God, for all Thy gifts, who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
To whom God’s love
commits me here,
Ever this day,
be at my side,
To light and guard,
Rule and guide.
Anima Christi
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.
Hide me within your wounds,
keep me close to you,
defend me from the evil enemy,
call me at the hour of my death,
and bid me to come to you,
to praise you with your saints,
forever and ever. Amen.
Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that any one who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help,
or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence,
We fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins my Mother;
to thee do we come, before thee we stand,
sinful and sorrowful,
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not our petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer them. Amen.
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace…
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, full of grace…
And the Word was made Flesh.
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of grace…
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
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.
Miraculous Medal Prayer
O Mary, Conceived without Sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee, and for those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Church. Amen.
Morning Offering
Dear Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today — I only know that nothing will happen that was not foreseen by you and directed to my greater good from all eternity. I adore your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart for love of you, the pope, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Prayer of Surrender
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given to me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your love and your grace are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
We stand before You, Holy Spirit
Prayer of invocation to the Holy Spirit for an ecclesial assembly of governance or discernment (thus synodal)
Every session of the Second Vatican Council began with the prayer Adsumus Sancte Spiritus, the first word of the Latin original meaning, “We stand before You, Holy Spirit,” which has been historically used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years, being attributed to Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – 4 April 636). As we are called to embrace this synodal path of the Synod 2021-2023, this prayer invites the Holy Spirit to operate within us so that we may be a community and a people of grace. For the Synod 2021-2023, we propose to use this simplified version, so that any group or liturgical assembly can pray more easily.We stand before You, Holy Spirit,
as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us,
make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go
and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path
nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity
so that we may journey together to eternal life
and not stray from the way of truth
and what is right.
All this we ask of You,
who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son,
forever and ever.