Common Catholic Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father,
who art in Heaven,
hallowed by 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

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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

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Gloria

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

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Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth
And in Jesus Christ
His only Son, Our Lord
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
Was crucified, died and was buried.
On the third day, he rose again
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand
of God, the Father Almighty.
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 life everlasting.
Amen.

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Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through Him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
He came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
He was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day He rose again
in fulfillment of 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.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.


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Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe all the truths that the Holy Catholic Church believes and teaches; I believe these truths, O Lord, because You, the infallible Truth, have revealed them to her; in this faith I am resolved to live and die. Amen.

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Act of Hope

O my God, relying on Your promises, I hope that, through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, You wilt grant me pardon of my sins, and the graces necessary to serve Thee in this life and to obtain eternal happiness in the next. Amen

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Act of Love

O my God, I love You with my whole heart and above all things, because You art infinitely good and perfect; and I love my neighbour as myself for love of Thee. Grant that I may love You more and more in this life, and in the next for all eternity. Amen

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Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins, because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love.

I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

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The Angelus

(To be said at 6am, noon and 6pm daily, except during the Easter season)
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary,...

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord
R. Let it be done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary,...
V. And the Word was made flesh
R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary,...

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
R. 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.

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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

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Grace after meals

We give Thee thanks, O Almighty God,
for these Thy benefits
Who lives and reigns, world without end.
Amen.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
Amen.

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Prayer for the Pope

Let us pray for our Most Holy Father, Pope Benedict 16. May the Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. Amen

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Prayer before a crucifix

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Your sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech You that You would impress upon my heart lively sentiments of Faith, Hope and Charity, true repentance for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment, while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Your five most precious wounds, having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy of You, O good Jesus: they have pierced my hands and feet, they have numbered all my bones.

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Act of self dedication

Take O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. Amen

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Miserere (Psalm 50)

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness
In your compassion blot out my offence
O wash me more and more from my sin
And from my sin, cleanse me

For my offences, truly I know them
My sin is always before me
Against you, you alone have I sinned
What is evil in your sight, I have done

That you may be justified in your sentence
Vindicated when you condemn
Indeed, in guilt was I born
In sin, my mother conceived me
Behold, you are pleased with sincerity of heart
and in my inmost being you teach me wisdom

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