Basic Catholic Prayers

1. Sign of the Cross (Short form)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


2. Sign of the Cross (Solemn form)

In the sign + of the Holy Cross, protect us + from our enemies, O Lord + in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(Note: 1st Sign of the Cross at the fore-head; 2nd Sign of the Cross on the lips; 3rd Sign of the Cross at the chest)

3. Glory be
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.

4. Our Father (The Lord's Prayer)
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.

5. 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.

6. The Apostles' Creed (I believe in God)
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; the third day
He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall 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.

7. Prayer before Confession ( I Confess)
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned through my thoughts and in my words, in what I have
done, and in what I have failed to do; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sister, to pray for me to the Lord our God. Amen.

8.The Angelus

i) For Ordinary Days
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to Your Word.

Hail Mary...

 And the Word was made flesh,
And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary...

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 You, O Lord, Your Grace into our hearts; that as we have known the incarnation of Christ, your Son by the message of an angel,
so by His passion and cross we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.  Glory be .....(3).

ii) Holy Week Prayer
(From Holy Wednesday evening to Holy Saturday evening)

Christ was made obedient unto death, for our sake. He obeyed even unto death on the Cross. So God, the Father has exalted Him. And given the name
above all.  Our Father.....

Let us pray

We beseech you, O Lord, Mercifully look upon this, your family, whom our Lord Jesus Christ saved by delivering himself
freely into the hands of his enemies, and suffered the torments of death, upon the cross; who lives and reign for all eternity.
Amen.  Glory be ......(3)

iii) Regina Coeli (The Queen of Heaven)

(From Easter Sunday to Trinity Sunday)

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.

Rejoice and be glad, O virgin Mary.

Alleluia.

For the Lord has 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. 
Glory be .......(3)

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

10. Ten Commandments
1. I am the Lord your God; you shall have
no other gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord
your God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy of the Lord's day.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against
your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's
goods.

The ten commandments shall be
summarized into two commandments:

1. You shall love the Lord your God above
all.

2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

11. Five Percepts of the Church
1. You shall attend Holy Mass on Sundays
and holy days of obligation.

2. You shall confess your sins at least once
a year and receive holy communion at least
during the Easter season.

3. You shall keep fasting and abstinence on
the days fixed by the church.

4. You shall not celebrate marriage during
the forbidden periods and with the forbidden
people.

5. You shall contribute to the support of the
Church and the pastors according to the
norms of the Church.

12. Seven Sacraments

1. Baptism

2. Confirmation

3. Eucharist

4. Reconciliation

5. Anointing of the sick.

6. Holy Orders

7. Matrimony

13. Requisites for a good Confession
1. Recollect committed sins orderly.

2. Repent of them sincerely.


3. Resolve not to repeat sins.

4. Tell the priest all sins, especially the
grave ones.

5. Do the penance the priest gives.

14. Requisites for receiving Holy Communion
worthily

1. Be in the state of grace.

2. Observe the one-hour fast (water does not
break the fast)

3. Be sufficiently devout and prepared.

15. Act of Faith
My God, I firmly believe all the Truths the Catholic Church believes and teaches,
because you, who can not deceived and be deceived, have revealed them.

16. Act of Hope
My God. I hope to obtain remission of sins, help of your grace and life everlasting
through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior; because you are almighty,
infinitely merciful and faithful in your promises.

17. Act of Love
My God, I love you with all my heart and above all things, because you are infinitely
good and supremely lovable. For your sake, I love myself. Pardon all those who have
hurt me; and I beg pardon to those whom I have hurt.

18. Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins,
because   I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because
I offended you my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve,
by your grace, to confess my sins, to repentance  and never more to offend you and
to  be careful to avoid the occasions of sin. Amen.

19. Fourteen Works of Mercy

a) Seven Corporal works of mercy
1. Feeding the hungry

2. Giving drink to the thirsty

3. To clothe the naked

4. To shelter the homeless

5. To visit the sick and the imprisoned

6. To help the poor and the needy

7. To bury the dead

b) Seven Spiritual works of mercy

1. Instructing the ignorant

2. Giving counsel to the doubting

3. To give comfort to the afflicted

4. To admonish wrong doers

5. To forgive offences

6. To bear patiently with others

7. To pray for the living and the dead.

20. Four Destinies of man
1. Death
2. Judgement
3. Heaven
4. Hell.

21. The Beatitudes
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

3. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

8. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

22. Four Characteristics of the True Church
1. The Church is One.

2. The Church is Holy

3. The Church is Catholic

4. The Church is Apostolic

23. Seven Capital Sins & their contrary virtues
1. Pride      - Humility

2. Avarice   - Generosity

3. Anger     - Patience

4. Gluttony - Temperance

5. Envy       - Brotherly love

6. Sloth      - Enthusiasm

7. Lust        - Modesty


24. The four fundamental virtues

1. Wisdom 

2. Justice 

3. Self-confidence 

4. Moderation


25. The Memorare of St. Bernard. 

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to thee I come, before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but, in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.


26. Three Main Religious Virtues

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Charity


27. Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

1. Wisdom 

2. Understanding 

3. Counsel

4. Fortitude 

5. Knowledge 

6. Piety 

7. Fear of the Lord.


28. Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit

1. Love 

2. Joy 

3. Peace 

4. Patience 

5. Kindness 

6. Goodness 

7. Generosity 

8. Faithfulness 

9. Gentleness 

10. Modesty

11. Self Control 

12. Chastity


29. Six Sins against the Holy Spirit

1. Despair that the heaven is unattainable.

2. Illusion that I can attain heaven without doing good.

3. Resisting truth knowingly.

4. Envy at the prosperity of others.

5. Obstinacy of sin.

6. Impenitence until last.


30. Six Main Attributes of God

1. Self - existent

2. Eternal (without beginning or end)

3. Pure Spirit

4. Infinitely good

5. Omnipresent

6. First cause of all


31. Three Theological Virtues

1. Faith 

2. Hope 

3. Charity


32. Four Sins crying to Heaven for Vengeance

1. Wilful murder

2. Sin of impurity against nature.

3. Oppression of the poor, widows & orphans.

4. Defrauding labourers of their wages.


33. Three Evangelical Counsels

1. Voluntary offering of obedience to God

2. Voluntary offering of Chastity to God

3. Voluntary offering of Poverty to God


34. Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, come; send forth from heaven the rays of Your light. Come, Father of the poor, Giver of gifts, Light of the heart. Come, You who are the best Consoler, sweet Host of the soul, sweet Refresher, rest in toil, coolness in heat, solace in tears. O Light most blessed, fill the innermost hearts of Your faithful. Without Your light, there is nothing in man, nothing that is not sinful. Wash what is unclean, water what is parched, bind up what is wounded, heal the sick, soften what is rigid, warm what is cold, and turn back what has gone astray. To Your faithful, who rely on You, grant Your seven holy gifts. Give us the merit of virtue, a happy death, and eternal joy. Amen.


35. Consecration to the Immaculate Heart

O Most Holy Mary, Immaculate, Most Glorious Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven, and Refuge of Sinners, I consecrate (renew) myself to your Immaculate Heart. I consecrate to you my life, all that I have, and all that I am. I give you my body, my heart, and my soul. I entrust my Christian vocation to you. Guide me to eternal life according to your disposition. I hereby promise to live a life according to the Gospel, so as to be an example to all in the practice of Christian virtues, especially love and purity, and to strive with all my heart to spread devotion to your Immaculate Heart.

O Immaculate One, perfect model of holiness, grant me the hope to become like Jesus, and sustain me in it.

Come, Holy Spirit. Come into me (into us, into the Church, into the whole world) through the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your beloved spouse.


36. The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Introductory Prayers

Lord God, who art the infinite source of all goodness, we, humble and ungrateful sinners, are unworthy to pray in Thy supreme and majestic presence. Nevertheless, trusting in Thine infinite mercy, we desire to offer this Rosary for the praise of the Holy Mother of God. Lord, help us to make this offering with devotion and mindfulness.

Apostles' Creed: I believe in God, the Father Almighty .........

Our Father: Our Father, who art in heaven ........

Holy Mary, daughter of God the Father, pray to thy Divine Son for us, that the virtue of faith may take root and bear fruit in us. 1 Hail Mary.

Holy Mary, mother of God the Son, pray to thy Divine Son for us, that the virtue of hope may grow within us. 1 Hail Mary.

Holy Mary, most beloved spouse of God the Holy Spirit, pray to thy Divine Son for us, that the virtue of charity/love may increase within us. 1 Hail Mary.

The Fatima Prayer recited after each decade of the Rosary:

"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy."

On Monday and Saturday, meditate on the “Joyful Mysteries”

First Decade: The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)                                                                                                                                                                                             1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Second Decade: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)                                                                                                                                                                                           1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Third Decade: The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1-21)                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fourth Decade: The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:22-38)                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fifth Decade: The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)                                                                                                                                                                                          1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

On Tuesday and Friday, meditate on the “Sorrowful Mysteries”

First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-56)                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26)                                                                                                                                                                                          1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31)                                                                                                                                                                                         1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32)                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33-56)                                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Our Father.    10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

On Thursday, meditate on the “Luminous Mysteries”

First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-16)                                                                                                                                                                          1 Our Father. 10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (Jn 2:1-11)                                                                                                                                                                1 Our Father. 10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be. 

Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15)                                                                                                                                                                                    1 Our Father. 10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-8)                                                                                                                                                                                             1 Our Father. 10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fifth Decade: The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (Mt 26)                                                                                                                                                                   1 Our Father. 10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

On Wednesday and Sunday, meditate on the “Glorious Mysteries”

First Decade: The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (John 20:1-29)                                                                                                                                                                                         1 Our Father.  10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord (Luke 24:36-53)                                                                                                                                                                                                     1 Our Father.  10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41)                                                                                                                                                                                   1 Our Father.  10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1 Our Father.  10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be.

Fifth Decade: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth                                                                                                                                                                                       1 Our Father.  10 Hail Marys. 1 Glory Be. 

Rosary Dedication                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      St. Michael the Archangel, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael the Archangels, St. Joseph the Great, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John the Apostles, and our Father St. Thomas—even though we are great sinners, we pray that you join this prayer we have recited together with your praises and present it as an offering at the holy feet of the Blessed Mother of God.


Litany of the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.


God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.


Holy Mary,  Pray for us. (repeat after each line)

Holy Mother of God,

Holy Virgin of virgins,

Mother of Christ,

Mother of the Church,

Mother of mercy,

Mother of divine grace,

Mother of hope,

Mother most pure,

Mother most chaste,

Mother inviolate,

Mother undefiled,

Mother most amiable,

Mother most admirable,

Mother of good counsel,

Mother of our Creator,

Mother of our Savior,

Virgin most prudent,

Virgin most venerable,

Virgin most renowned,

Virgin most powerful,

Virgin most merciful,

Virgin most faithful,

Mirror of justice,

Seat of wisdom,

Cause of our joy,

Spiritual vessel,

Vessel of honor,

Singular vessel of devotion,

Mystical rose,

Tower of David,

Tower of ivory,

House of gold,

Ark of the covenant,

Gate of heaven,

Morning star,

Health of the sick,

Refuge of sinners,

Comfort of Migrants,

Comforter of the afflicted,

Help of Christians,

Queen of Angels,

Queen of Patriarchs,

Queen of Prophets,

Queen of Apostles,

Queen of Martyrs,

Queen of Confessors,

Queen of Virgins,

Queen of all Saints,

Queen conceived without original sin,

Queen assumed into heaven,

Queen of the most holy Rosary,

Queen of Families,

Queen of Peace,


Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.


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

Let us pray, Grant, we beseech you, Lord God, that we your servants may rejoice in continual health of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow to delight in joy eternal. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

How to Pray: What is Intercessory Prayer?

Intercessory prayer is praying to God on behalf of another. The word “intercessor” has roots in Greek, and the Greek meaning is “to meet with, come between." Intercessory prayer is prayer before God on behalf of others. While there is no one right way to do intercessory prayer, there are certain tools that can help us along the way. Here are a few simple ideas that have proven to be useful in my own prayer journey.

Pray Scripture
Find passages that apply to a particular request and pray them over the person for whom you intercede; insert their name as you read the passage. I’ve found that this stretches my prayer vocabulary and often helps me align my prayers more closely with God’s will.

Pray in the power of Jesus’ name In her book Your Journey to a Prayerful Life, Barbara Schutt writes:

We stand in the place of the Son as we go to the throne of God. Praying in Jesus’ name also means that we go to God on the basis of Christ’s merit. We end in the place of the Son as we go to the throne of God. Praying in Jesus’ name also means that we go to God on the basis of Christ’s merit. We go in his authority and purity, having none of this in ourselves. We ask in accord with Christ’s will when we pray in Jesus’ name. When we pray in Jesus’ name, the demons tremble with fear. So Whenever we pray, let’s be sure to name the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if it is at the beginning, middle, or end. Awesome power rests in the name of Jesus (p. 12) with fear. So Whenever we pray, let’s be sure to name the name of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if it is at the beginning, middle, or end. Awesome power rests in the name of Jesus (p. 12).

When we pray in the name of Jesus we acknowledge that we have no power, goodness, or qualities that would be worthy for God to listen. We are utterly helpless and trust completely in Jesus Christ who is the only way.

Pray regularly, with dedication
Again, there’s no prescription here. I’m not going to say once a week, every day, or every hour. Experiment; find what works best for you in your schedule. But don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up. When we commit and dedicate ourselves to regular intercessory prayer we see lives, hearts, and circumstances change in accordance with God’s grace and mercy.

It is a love ministry This list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope these tips are useful to you in your important work of prayer. If you’d like to reflect more on what intercession is and what it means to be an intercessor, I invite you to consider this devotion on intercessory prayer from Oswald Chambers.

Finally, I love this simple quote from Barbara Schutt’s book: “Intercession is a love ministry” (p. 75). I think that’s beautiful. Your intercession reflects your love for God and a heart after his own heart; a heart that loves his people. God bless you as you seek to grow in your prayer life, and may others continue to be blessed through your prayerful intercession.

What is Catholic Charismatic Renewal?

Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) is a spiritual movement within the Catholic Church that emphasises the availability of the power and the many gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and the need for a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ in order to live life to the fullest.
CCR is part of the Charis family and has its international office in Rome. Charis exists to serve the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Worldwide. CCR consists of thousands of local prayer groups and communities, as well as special ministries and services, in almost every country around the world.
Praising God at a prayer meeting CCR emphasises the goodness of God, and proclaims, with the Church, that God’s grace is freely given to everyone. Jesus Christ fully revealed God, enabling each person to know God as good, as totally giving, and as one who shares fully in the human experience.
The experience of the first followers of Jesus was that they were empowered by God through the Holy Spirit to live a new kind of life — life in a fuller dimension whereby God’s power worked in them and through them in order to bring God’s love and grace to all who would receive it. Essentially, it is this experience of God that is at the basis of the Catholic faith.
The Church has experienced through the centuries the power of God working in and through imperfect people, all seeking to know God. CCR lies firmly within this tradition.