Prayers

Youngsters in the early grades often struggle to learn their prayers. There isn't time to spend on memorization in the parish classes, and we know that you, too, are pressed for time. Here are the five prayers that children are supposed to know before they make their first confession and receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time.

SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the Name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
 
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.
 
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 death.
Amen.
 
THE 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.
 
ACT OF CONTRITION
My God,
I am sorry for my sins
with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good
I have sinned against You
Whom I love above all things.
I firmly intend
with Your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In His name, my God, have mercy.
Amen.


*****


Here are some more prayers that will enrich your children's spiritual life: the Apostles Creed, Grace Before Meals, Guardian Angel Prayer, the Memorare and the Morning Offering.

APOSTLES' CREED
Said when saying the Rosary
 
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker 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, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell;
the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on 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
 
NICENE CREED
Said during Mass
 
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, one in Being with the Father.
Through Him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven:
-all bow during the following three lines-
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.
 
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.
 
GUARDIAN ANGEL PRAYER
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God's love entrusts me here,
ever this day [night] be at my side
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
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 with this confidence,
I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins my Mother;
to thee do I come,
before thee I stand,
sinful and sorrowful;
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in thy clemency hear and answer me.
Amen.
 
MORNING OFFERING
O Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Amen.


*****



Finally, how to pray the Rosary, with a list of all the mysteries:

The Rosary

About the Rosary

 

The Rosary is a devotion in which we pray specific prayers while meditating on some aspect of Christ or the Blessed Virgin's life. It is an ancient form of prayer. Our Lady asked us to pray the rosary at Fatima when she said, "Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world."

How to Pray the Rosary

1. Make the Sign of the Cross.
2. Recite the Apostles' Creed, holding the crucifix.
3. On the first bead above the crucifix, recite the Our Father.
4. On the next three beads, recite the Hail Mary.
5. Pray the Glory Be.
6. Announce (or call to mind) the appropriate Joyful, Sorrowful, or Glorious mystery for that decade of the rosary.
7. On the single bead, pray the Our Father.
8. On the next ten beads, pray the Hail Mary.
9. Optional: pray the Glory Be
10. Optional: pray the Fatima Prayer
The Fatima Prayer was given to the three shepherd children at Fatima by Our Lady, who asked that they recite it at the end of each decade of the rosary.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
11. Repeat Steps 5-9 for the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Decades.
12. Conclude with the Sign of the Cross.


The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Five Joyful Mysteries

The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Birth of Our Lord
The Presentation of Our Lord
The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple

The Five Luminous Mysteries

The Baptism in the Jordan
The Wedding at Cana
The Proclamation of the Kingdom
The Transfiguration
The Institution of the Eucharist

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries

The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord

The Five Glorious Mysteries

The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Coming of the Holy Ghost
The Assumption of our Blessed Mother into Heaven
The Coronation of our Blessed Mother



Pope John Paul II encouraged us to say the Joyful mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Luminous on Thursday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday. However, the Joyful mysteries are suggested on Sundays of the Christmas season and the Sorrowful mysteries on Sundays of Lent.