Thomas A. Nelson - Catholic Prayers: Compiled from Traditional Sources

Imprimatur: Rev. Msgr. David D. Kagan, J.C.L.
Vicar General
Rockford, Illinois
July 3, 2007

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Copyright 2006 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-89555-912-8
89555-912-9

Cover illustration and frontispiece: Painting by Heinrich Kaiser (1813-1900); photo by Victoria Ambrosetti. Photo ; 2007 TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

Prayer is a raising of the mind and heart to God. Prayer is made for four basic reasons: 1) to adore and praise God, 2) to thank Him for blessings received, 3) to ask pardon for and expiate (or make up for) our sins, and 4) to petition Him for all our needs. To be effective, prayer must be 1) humble, 2) confident, 3) persevering, 4) focused (not wilfully distracted) and 5) penitent (with sorrow for our sins). There are two types of prayer, mental and vocal. Mental prayer is meditation on spiritual truths; vocal prayer consists of repeating set words. All vocal prayer has some mental prayer built in. Catholic Prayers is a book of vocal prayer. St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870) found vocal prayer much easier than mental prayer and felt Our Lords sensible presence more in vocal prayer;

Everyone is obliged to pray, for without prayer as St. Alphonsus teacheswe shall not receive the actual graces necessary to save our souls. We must ask for them. Therefore, we should Pray without ceasing. (1 Thess. 5:17).

The Autobiography of St. Anthony Mary Claret, Louis Joseph Moore, C.M.F., Trans., 1945; TAN, 1985, p. 197.

Ibid., pp. 180, 181.

St. A. de Liguori, The Great Means of Salvation and Perfection, Part I, Ch. I, Sec. I.

Cf. Voice of the Saints, Sel. & Arr. by Francis W. Johnston, 1965; rpt. TAN, 1986, p. 35.

Offer to God the sacrifice of praise [the Mass], and pay thy vows to the most High. And call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 49:14-15).

Let nothing hinder thee from praying always, and be not afraid to be justified even to death, for the reward of God continueth forever. (Ecclesiasticus 18:22).

Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36).

Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8).

If two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father in heaven.* For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:19-20).

*This promise depends, of course, on the persons fulfilling the five requirements for effective prayer. (See page vi in this book.)

This most fundamental prayer is used to begin and end ones prayers and to ward off the attacks of the devil. It is especially powerful when used with Holy Water.

I N THE NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

O UR 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.

H AIL 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.

G LORY BE to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth 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 Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection of the Body, and life everlasting. Amen.

O MY GOD, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

O MY GOD, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

O MY GOD, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

It is good to begin our prayers by purifying our souls with 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 art 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.