BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH Series

PRAYER TIME
A Collection of Catholic Prayers
“The family as domestic church is central to the work of the new
evangelization and to the future sustainability of our parishes.”
~ Supreme Knight Carl Anderson
 The Knights of Columbus presents
The Building the Domestic Church Series

Prayer Time
A Collection of Catholic Prayers

General Editor
Father Juan-Diego Brunetta, O.P.
Catholic Information Service
Knights of Columbus Supreme Council
 Imprimatur
William E. Lori, S.T.D.
Bishop of Bridgeport
July 25, 2007

Copyright © 2007-2018 by Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. All rights reserved.

The Imprimatur is an official declaration that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal

or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the
Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

Cover Photo: Peter Škrlep/Tamino Petelinsek © Knights of Columbus

Inside artwork: Woodcut of the Coronation of Mary, Roman Missal (page 10). Woodcut
of the Last Supper, Roman Missal (page 18). Matthew G. Alderman Crucifixion (page 24),
Saint Michael the Archangel (page 38), © The Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council,
2007. Paolo Veronese (1528-1588), The rest on the flight into Egypt. British Museum,
London, Great Britain. © Heritage Image Partnership/Art Resource, New York (page 54).

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 CONTENTS

A COMPANION FOR THE JOURNEY ..............................................i

FUNDAMENTAL PRAYERS
Sign of the Cross ................................................................1
Apostles’ Creed ..................................................................1
Our Father ........................................................................2
Hail Mary ..........................................................................2
Doxology............................................................................2
An Act of Faith ..................................................................2
An Act of Hope..................................................................3
An Act of Charity ..............................................................3
An Act of Perfect Contrition ..............................................3
An Act of Spiritual Communion ........................................3
Morning Offering ..............................................................4
Prayer in the Morning........................................................4
Prayer in the Evening ........................................................5
Prayer at Night ..................................................................7
Te Deum ............................................................................8
Divine Praises ....................................................................9
Grace Before Meals ............................................................9
Thanksgiving After Meals ..................................................9

DEVOTIONS TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The Angelus ....................................................................11
Regina Coeli ....................................................................12
Salve Regina ....................................................................12
Magnificat........................................................................13
Memorare ........................................................................14
 Mother of Mercy ..............................................................14
Our Lady of Guadalupe ....................................................14
Come, Lady, upon the heights ..........................................15
The Holy Rosary ..............................................................16

COMMUNION PRAYERS
O Sacred Banquet ............................................................19
Prayer for Before the Reception of Holy Communion ......20
Prayer for After the Reception of Holy Communion ........21
Soul of Christ ..................................................................22
Prayer Before the Most Blessed Sacrament........................22

FAVORITE PRAYERS
Prayer Before the Crucifix ................................................25
Prayer to the Holy Spirit..................................................25
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus ..................................26
Chaplet of Divine Mercy ..................................................28
Prayer for Growing ..........................................................29
Prayer for Vocations ........................................................29
Prayer to Know One’s Vocation........................................30
Pious Invocations ............................................................30
Stations of the Cross ........................................................31

PRAYERS FOR SPECIAL INTENTIONS

Prayer for the Church ......................................................33
Prayer for the Pope ..........................................................33
Prayer for the Bishop........................................................34
Prayer for Priests ..............................................................34
Prayer for Deacons and Other Ministers ..........................34
Prayer for Religious Priests, Brothers and Sisters..............35
 Prayer for the Laity ..........................................................35
Prayer in Time of Need ....................................................35
Prayer for the Family........................................................36
Prayer for a Deceased Person ............................................37
Prayer in Sorrow ..............................................................37

PRAYERS FOR THE INTERCESSION OF THE ANGELS AND THE SAINTS

Guardian Angel................................................................39
Holy Angels ....................................................................39
St. Faustina ......................................................................39
St. Francis of Assisi ..........................................................40
St. Ignatius of Loyola........................................................40
St. Joseph ........................................................................41
St. Jude ............................................................................41
St. Michael, the Archangel ..............................................41
St. Patrick ........................................................................42

HELPS FROM THE CATECHISM

Commandments of Love ..................................................43
Golden Rule ....................................................................43
Ten Commandments ........................................................43
Eight Beatitudes ..............................................................44
Corporal Works of Mercy ................................................44
Spiritual Works of Mercy ................................................45
Theological Virtues ..........................................................45
Cardinal Virtues ..............................................................45
Gifts of the Holy Spirit ....................................................46
Fruits of the Holy Spirit ..................................................46
Seven Capital Sins ............................................................46
Four Last Things ..............................................................46
 Precepts of the Church ....................................................47
Eucharistic Fast ................................................................47
Fast and Abstinence ........................................................48
Holy Days in the USA ....................................................49
Holy Days in Canada........................................................50

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION..............................................51

FAMILY PRAYER TIME ..............................................................55

 A COMPANION FOR THE JOURNEY
BY THE MOST REVEREND WILLIAM E. LORI, S.T.D.
ARCHBISHOP OF BALTIMORE

As long as I can remember, my mother has closed each day

by reciting prayers from a well-worn prayer book that was given
her as a young woman. I doubt there is a single page in that
volume she doesn’t know by heart yet in her hands that it is more
than a book. It is silent witness to years and years of daily prayer
and an ever deepening friendship with God.
When I was growing up, prayer books like that fell out of
fashion. It was said that we should not depend on prayers
composed by others and still less should we recite rote prayers;
rather, we should pray from the heart. Of course, we should pray
from the heart. At the same time, we shouldn’t be surprised that
our hearts and minds, when at prayer, need the encouragement
and guidance of holy men and women who have left behind
prayers that beautifully express God’s merciful love and foster our
devotion. Besides, it is important that even in our purely private
prayer, we use the vocabulary of faith and devotion common to
Catholics through the ages and across the globe.
Happily prayer books like the present volume are returning
to print. We are discovering how prayers drawn from the
Scriptures, rooted in the Liturgy, and flowing from the hearts of
the holy, the wise, and the learned help us in our journey toward
God. How readily we can be renewed in the joy and hope our
faith affords by prayerfully repeating Mary’s Magnificat! How
easily prayer from the heart can be launched by simple acts of
faith, hope, and love! How our participation in the Mass is aided
by prayers of preparation and thanksgiving for the gift and
mystery of the Eucharist.
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 Prayer Time is a wonderful companion to members of the
Knights of Columbus and their families. The Order constantly
stresses the importance of sound family life and that requires
families to pray together. How wonderful if Knights and their
families throughout the world would spend time together each
day offering prayers found in this wonderful volume. It goes
without saying, that Prayer Time is a wonderful companion for
anyone who truly wants to grow in holiness.
In introducing this book, it is my hope and prayer that
many will adopt it as a companion for their spiritual journey;
that this book will become a well-used and venerable resource for
your daily prayer and a witness to your growth in friendship with
the Lord. May God bless you and keep you in his love.

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 FUNDAMENTAL PRAYERS
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, ! and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.

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 by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will 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.
-1-
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 Thou art one God in three
Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; I believe that Thy
Divine Son became man, 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 Thou hast
revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Amen.

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 An Act of Hope
O my God, relying on Thy infinite power, goodness and
promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of Thy
grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ,
my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

An Act of Charity
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. Amen.

An Act of Perfect 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 offended 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.

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly present in the Most Holy
Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire to possess
Thee within my soul. Since I am unable now to receive Thee
sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace
Thee as being already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee;
never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
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Morning Offering
O my God, I offer Thee all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings
in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the intentions for
which He pleads and offers Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, in thanksgiving for Thy favors, in reparation for my sins,
and in humble supplication for my temporal and eternal welfare,
for the wants of our holy Mother the Church, for the conversion
of sinners, and for the relief of the poor souls in purgatory. I wish
to gain all the indulgences attached to the prayers I shall say and
to the good works I shall perform this day. Amen.

Prayer in the Morning: The Benedictus

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,
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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)

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in

all things to rely upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day
reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround
me. Teach me to treat all that comes to throughout the day with
peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings. In
unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and
embarrassing others. Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the
coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, and teach
me to pray. Amen.

On Sundays and holy days pray the Te Deum on page 8.

Prayer in the Evening: The Magnificat

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.

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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.

-6-
 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.

(make an examination of conscience 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).

-7-
Te Deum
O God, we praise Thee: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.

All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers, all the
Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee: Holy, Holy,
Holy, Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and earth are full of the
Majesty of Thy glory.

The glorious choir of the Apostles, the wonderful company of

Prophets, the white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.

The Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:

The Father of infinite Majesty; Thy adorable, true and only Son;
and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

O Christ, Thou art the King of glory! Thou art the everlasting
Son of the Father. When Thou took it upon Thyself to deliver
man, Thou didst not disdain the Virgin’s womb.

Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom

of Heaven to all believers.

Thou sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou will come to be our Judge.

We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast
redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. Let them be numbered with
Thy Saints in everlasting glory.

-8-
 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.

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.

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 Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Angelus
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. Be it 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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Regina Coeli
Throughout the Easter Season – from Easter to Trinity Sunday – the
Regina Coeli (Queen of Heaven) is prayed.

Queen of Heaven; rejoice, alleluia:

For He Whom Thou didst to merit to bear, alleluia,

Has risen as He said, alleluia.

Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray.

O God, Who through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, deigned to gladden the world: grant, we beseech Thee,
that through the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may receive the
joys of eternal life.

Through the Same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Salve Regina (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
Then do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this
valley of tears. Turn, then, O 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!

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 The Magnificat
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)

- 13 -
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it
known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help
or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by 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 mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

Mother of Mercy
O Mary, Mother of Mercy, watch over all people, that the Cross
of Christ may not be emptied of its power, that man may not
stray from the path of the good or become blind to sin, but may
put his hope ever more fully in God who is “rich in mercy.”
May he carry out the good works prepared by God beforehand
and so live completely “for the praise of His glory.” Amen.

Pope John Paul II

Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe

God of power and mercy, You blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. May her
prayers help all men and women to accept each other as brothers
and sisters. Through Your justice present in our hearts, may Your
peace reign in the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus
Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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 Come, Lady, upon the heights
COME, Lady upon the heights;
Mary, visit us,
you who already brought such joy
to the house of your kinswoman.

COME, Help of the World

remove the stains of sin
and, in visiting your people,
take away the threat of punishment.

COME, Star and Light of the Sea,

pour forth a ray of peace;
set straight what is crooked,
give innocence of life.

COME visit us, we pray you,

strengthen our vigor
with the energy of a holy impulse,
lest our soul waver.

COME, Royal Scepter,

bring back the wave of those in error
to the unity of the faith
by which the citizens of heaven were saved.

COME, that together with you

we may ceaselessly praise the Son,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit;
may they give us their help. Amen.

Hymn at Matins for the Blessed Virgin Mary (13th century)

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The Holy Rosary
Introductory Prayers:
1. The Apostles’ Creed
2. Our Father
3. Three Hail Marys, followed by a Glory be

Rosary Proper:
Our Father
4. Recall the First Mystery,

!
followed by Our Father

!
!
Glory be to
5. Ten Hail Marys Hail Marys the Father
6. Glory be, followed by
Second Mystery and Our Father
7. Ten Hail Marys (repeat as above
until five Mysteries are said) Glory be
!

Our Father
!

to the
Father Hail Marys
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES Our Father
(Monday and Saturday)
!

The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)

The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56) Apostles’
The Nativity (Luke 2:1-21) Creed
The Presentation (Luke 2:22-38)
The Finding in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES (Thursday)

The Baptism of the Lord (Matthew 3:13-17)
The Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2:1-11)
The Preaching of the Kingdom (Mark 1:14-15)
The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13)
The Institution of the Holy Eucharist (Matthew 26:17-29)

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THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES (Tuesday and Friday)
The Agony of Jesus in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-56)
The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:24-26)
The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31)
The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:32-34)
The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:35-56)

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES (Wednesday and Sunday)

The Resurrection (John 20:1-29)
The Ascension (Luke 24:36-53)
The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-47)
The Assumption (Song of Solomon 2:10-11,14)
The Coronation (Revelation 12:1-6)

After the Rosary:

8. Salve Regina (page 12)

V. Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

O God, whose only-begotten Son by His life, death and resurrection

has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life: grant, we beseech
Thee, that meditating on these mysteries in the most holy Rosary
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain
and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our
Lord. Amen.

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 Communion Prayers

O Sacred Banquet
O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of
His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a
pledge of future glory is given to us.

V. Thou didst give them bread from heaven.

R. Containing in itself all sweetness.

Let us pray:

O God, Who under a wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial

of Thy Passion; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate the
sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that we may ever feel
within ourselves the fruit of Thy redemption. Who livest and
reignest forever and ever. Amen.

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Prayer Before the Reception of
Holy Communion
Almighty and eternal God, behold, I approach the sacrament of
Thine only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. I approach as
one who is sick to the physician of life, as one unclean to the
fountain of mercy, as one blind to the light of eternal brightness,
as one poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.

Therefore I beseech Thee, of Thine infinite goodness, to heal my

sickness, to wash away my filth, to enlighten my blindness, to
enrich my poverty, and to clothe my nakedness, that I may
receive the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings, and the Lord of
Lords with such reverence and humility, with such contrition and
devotion, with such purity and faith, with such purpose and
intention, as may conduce to the salvation of my soul. Grant, I
beseech Thee, that I may receive not only the sacrament of the
Body and Blood of our Lord, but also the fruit and virtue of this
sacrament.

O most indulgent God, grant me so to receive the Body of Thine

only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, which He took of the
Virgin Mary, that I may be found worthy to be incorporated with
His mystical body and numbered among His members. O most
loving Father, grant that I may one day contemplate forever, face
to face, Thy beloved Son, Whom now on my pilgrimage I am
about to receive under the sacramental veils; Who lives and
reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world
without end. Amen.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

- 20 -
 Prayer After the Reception of
Holy Communion
I give thanks to Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God,
who hast vouchsafed, not for any merit of mine, but solely out of
the condescension of Thy mercy, to satisfy me a sinner, Thine
unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son
our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this holy Communion be not to me a condemnation

unto punishment, but a saving plea unto forgiveness. May it be
unto me the armour of faith and the shield of good will. May it
be the emptying out of my vices, the extinction of all
concupiscence and lust, the increase of charity and patience, of
humility and obedience, and of all virtues; a strong defense
against the snares of all enemies, visible and invisible; the perfect
quieting of all my evil impulses, both fleshly and ghostly; a firm
cleaving unto Thee, the one true God; and a pledge of a blessed
destiny.

And I beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring me, a

sinner, to the ineffable banquet, where Thou, with Thy Son and
the Holy Ghost, art to Thy saints true light, fullness of content,
eternal joy, gladness without alloy and perfect happiness.
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

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Soul of Christ (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.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Let me not be separated from Thee.
Defend me from the malignant enemy.
At the hour of my death, call me:
And bid me come to Thee.
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer Before the Most Blessed Sacrament

My Lord Jesus Christ, who for the love You bear us, remain night
and day in this Sacrament, full of compassion and of love,
awaiting, calling and welcoming all who come to visit You:
I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar.
I adore You from the abyss of my nothingness and I thank You
for all the graces You have given me until now, and in particular,
for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given
me Your Most Holy Mother Mary as my advocate, and for having
called me to visit You in this church.

I now salute Your most loving Heart, and this for three ends:
first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; second, to make amends
to You for all the outrages which You receive in this Sacrament
from all Your enemies; third, I intend by this visit to adore You

- 22 -
in all the places on earth in which You are present in this
Sacrament and in which You are the least revered and the most
abandoned.

My Jesus, I love You so with my whole heart. I grieve for having

until now so many times offended Your infinite goodness. I propose
by Your grace never more to offend You for the time to come; and
now, miserable and unworthy though I am, I consecrate myself to
You without reserve. I give You and renounce my entire will, my
affections, my desires, and all that I possess. From now on, use me
and all that I have as You wish. All I ask of You and desire is Your
holy love, final perseverance and the perfect accomplishment of
Your will.

I recommend to You the souls in purgatory, but especially those

who had the greatest devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and
to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to You all
poor sinners.

And finally, my dear Savior, I unite all my affections with the

affections of Your most loving Heart, and I offer them with You
to Your Eternal Father and beg him for Your sake and for love of
You, graciously to accept and grant them. Amen.

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

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 Favorite Prayers
Prayer Before the Crucifix
Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees
in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray
and beseech Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of
faith, hope and charity, true repentance for my sins and a most
firm purpose of amendment: Whilst with deep affection and grief
of soul I consider within myself and mentally contemplate Thy
five most precious Wounds, having before my eyes that which
David, the prophet, long ago spoke in Thy own person
concerning Thee, my Jesus, They have pierced my hands and my
feet; they have numbered all my bones.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful,
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Your love.

V. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created.

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray: O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did
instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that in the same Spirit
we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
My God, my Savior, I adore Thy Sacred Heart,
for that heart is the seat and source
of all Thy tender human affections for us sinners.
It is the instrument and organ of Thy love.
It did beat for us. It yearned over us.
It ached for us, and for our salvation.
It was on fire through zeal, that the glory
of God might be manifested in and by us.

It is the channel through which has come to us

all Thy overflowing human affection,
all Thy Divine Charity towards us.
All Thy incomprehensible compassion for us,
as God and Man, as our Creator and our Redeemer and Judge,
has come to us, and comes, in one inseparably mingled stream,
through that Sacred Heart.
O most Sacred symbol and Sacrament of Love,
divine and human, in its fullness,
Thou didst save me by Thy divine strength,
and Thy human affection, and then at length by that
wonder-working blood, wherewith Thou didst overflow.

O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus,

Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist,
and Thou beat for us still.
Now as then Thou save,
Desiderio desideravi—“With desire I have desired.”
I worship Thee then with all my best love and awe,
with my fervent affection, with my most subdued,
most resolved will.

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O my God, when Thou dost condescend to suffer me to receive
Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for a while take up
Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart.
Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual,
all that is hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder,
of all deadness.

So fill it with Thee, that neither the events of the day

nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it,
but that in Thy love and Thy fear it may have peace. Amen.

Blessed John Henry Newman

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Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Opening prayers
1. Using a normal rosary, make the Sign of the Cross on
the first large bead.
2. On the first small bead, recite the Our Father.
3. On the second small bead recite the Hail Mary.
4. On the third small bead, recite the Apostles’ Creed.

For Each Decade

5. On the large beads, recite:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and
Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

6. On the ten small beads, recite:

For the sake of Your sorrowful passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Concluding Prayer
7. After five decades, recite three times:
Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.

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 Prayer for Growing
With each new day that dawns I am growing up, O Lord. It’s not
too soon to start thinking of what I want to be. It’s very hard, I
think, to make the right decision but I pray that You will help
and guide me. Show me what to do. Let me share, someday, my
talents where they’re needed. And when You show me, give me
courage to be generous enough to do what You want.

Prayer for Vocations

O Father, inspire among Christians many holy vocations to the
priesthood that keep alive the faith and preserve the grateful
memory of your son Jesus through preaching his Word and
administering the Sacraments with which you ceaselessly renew
your faithful.

Call forth ministers of your mercy who, through the sacrament of

Reconciliation, may spread the joy of your forgiveness.

O Father, make the Church welcome joyously the many inspirations

of the Spirit of your Son and, docile to His teachings, nurture
vocations to the priestly ministry and to the consecrated life.

Support the bishops, priests and deacons, the consecrated persons

and all the baptized in Christ, so that they may faithfully fulfill
their mission at the service of the Gospel.

We ask for this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mary, Queen of the Apostles, pray for us!

Pope Benedict XVI

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Prayer to Know One’s Vocation
Lord, let me know clearly the work which You are calling me to
do in life. And grant me every grace I need to answer Your call
with courage and love and lasting dedication to Your will. Amen.

Pious Invocations
We adore You, O Christ, and we bless Thee; because by Thy holy
Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in Thee.

My Jesus, mercy!

Jesus, I trust in You.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation!

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I give You my heart and my soul.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may I breathe out my soul with You in peace.

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 Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross is a school of faith, the faith which by
its very nature “works through love” (Galatians 5:6).

Let us pray.

Brief pause in silence.

Jesus, innocent victim of sin,

receive us as companions on Your Paschal path,
which from death leads to life,
and teach us to live the time that we spend on earth
rooted in faith in You,
who have loved us and given Yourself up for us.
You are the Christ, the one Lord,
who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

The verse is said after each station is announced:

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.

R. Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

1. Jesus is condemned to death

2. Jesus takes up His cross
3. Jesus falls for the first time
4. Jesus meets His Mother
5. Jesus is helped by Simon the Cyrene to carry His cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
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11. Jesus is nailed to the cross
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. Jesus is taken down from the cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb

Let us pray.

Brief pause in silence.

Jesus, Lord rich in mercy,

You were made man so as to become our brother,
and by Your death conquer death.
You descended into Hades so as to free mankind,
to make us live again with You,
we are risen and called to sit with You in the heavenly places.
Good Shepherd who leads us to restful waters,
take us in Your hand when we cross the valley of darkness,
so that we may stay with You and contemplate for ever
Your glory. Amen.

The Way of the Cross at the Roman Coliseum with Pope John Paul II,
presiding on Good Friday, 2004.

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 Prayers for Special Intentions

Prayer for the Church

Heavenly Father, look upon our community of faith which is the
Church of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to witness to His love
by loving all our fellow creatures without exception. Under the
leadership of the Holy Father and the Bishops keep us faithful to
Christ’s mission of calling all men and women to Your service so
that there may be “one fold and one shepherd.” We ask this
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Pope

Heavenly Father, be pleased to bless and protect our Holy Father,
Pope N., whom You have chosen as the successor of Saint Peter
to be chief minister of unity and charity in the Church. Keep him
safe in holiness of life and in wise fulfillment of his awesome
responsibilities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer for the Bishop
Heavenly Father, in these trying times when the spirit of the age
threatens Christian values, give our bishop N. holiness of life and
wisdom to direct and guide our (arch)diocesan family of N. so
that we may grow in Your love. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Priests

Heavenly Father, bless and protect priests and fill them with the
joy and courage of their vocation as personal ministers of Christ
in preaching Your word, forming communities in Your name and
nourishing us with the Sacraments. We ask this through Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Deacons and Other Ministers

Heavenly Father, since the time of the Apostles You have
inspired the Church to commission certain members to assist in
a special way in the pastoral mission of Christ. Bless the deacons
and all other ministers that they may be humble and faith-
inspired in their service. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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 Prayer for Religious Priests, Brothers and Sisters
Heavenly Father, in Your wisdom You have called certain women
and men to a life of special consecration so that in prayerful
observance of a lifestyle of poverty, chaste celibacy and obedience,
they might be witnesses to us that, as Saint Paul says, “our true
citizenship is in heaven.” Give them, Lord, the grace of joy and
perseverance in their holy vocation. We ask this through Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Laity

Heavenly Father, You have called us all to holiness which means
sharing in Your divine life. Fill us with a sense of our true dignity
as those called to be Your daughters and sons in the world and
Your ambassadors of justice, love and peace. Give us the desire to
be worthy of this great calling and the courage to live up to it.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer in Time of Need

Heavenly Father, in my present need, help me to believe that You
are aware of my anxiety and will do what is best for me. Give me
the strength to trust You and put the present and future in Your
hands. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayer for the Family
Lord God, from You every family in heaven and on earth takes its
name. Father, You are Love and Life. Through Your Son, Jesus
Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, fountain of
divine charity, grant that every family on earth may become for
each successive generation a true shrine of life and love.

Grant that Your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of
husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the
families in the world.

Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for
their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love.

Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of

marriage, may prove mightier than all the weakness and trials
through which our families sometimes pass.

Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, grant

that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission
in the family and through the family. Through Christ our Lord,
who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Amen.

Pope John Paul II

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 Prayer for a Deceased Person
God of the spirits and of all flesh,
who have trampled death and annihilated the devil
and given life to Your world, may You Yourself,
O Lord, grant to the soul of Your deceased servant N.
rest in a place of light, a verdant place, a place of freshness,
from where suffering, pain and cries are far removed.

Do You, O good and compassionate God

forgive every fault committed by Your servant in word, work or
thought because there is no man who lives and does not sin.

You alone are without sin and Your justice is justice

throughout the ages and Your word is truth.

Since You, O Christ our God, are the resurrection,

the life and the repose of N., Your servant,
we give You glory together with Your un-begotten Father
and Your most holy, good and life-creating Spirit,
now and always and forever and ever.

Eternal rest grant unto N., O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.

Prayer in Sorrow
God of all consolation, in Your unending love and mercy for us,
You turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life. Show
compassion to Your people in sorrow. Be our refuge and our
strength to lift us from the darkness of this grief to peace and joy
in Your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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 Prayers for the Intercession
of the Angels and the Saints

Prayer to Your Guardian Angel

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me
here, ever this day (night) be at my side, to light and guard, to
rule and guide. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Angels

O leaders of the heavenly armies, although we are always
unworthy, we beseech you that with your prayers you may
encircle us with the protection of the wings of your angelic glory.
Watch over us as we bow low and earnestly cry out to you:
Deliver us from trouble, O princes of the heavenly armies.

Prayer of St. Faustina

Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself
may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart
to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will
abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most
merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence.
May your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me. Jesus I trust in You!
- 39 -
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be

consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be
loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in
pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are
born to eternal life.

Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my
understanding, and my whole will. Thou has given me all that I
am and all that I possess: I surrender it all to Thee that Thou may
depose of it according to Thy will. Give me only Thy love and
Thy grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will have no
more to desire.

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 Prayer to St. Joseph
O God, in Your wonderful providence You were pleased to choose
Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Your most holy Mother. Grant,
we beg You, that we may be worthy to have him for our
intercessor in heaven whom we venerate on earth as our protector.
You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to St. Jude

Saint Jude, glorious Apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus:
The name of the traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many,
but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of
thingsdespaired of. Pray for me, that finally I may receive the
consolations and the succor of Heaven in all my necessities,
tribulations and sufferings, particularly (here make your request),
and that I may bless God with the Elect throughout eternity.
Amen.

Saint Jude, Apostle, martyr and relative of our Lord Jesus Christ,
of Mary and of Joseph, intercede for us.

Prayer to St. Michael, the Archangel

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our
safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May
God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do Thou, O Prince of the
heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and
all the evil spirits, who wander through the world seeking the
ruin of souls. Amen

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Prayer of St. Patrick
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold
And lead, His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need; the wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward; the word of God
to give me speech, His heav’nly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort me and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in the hearts of all who love me,
Christ in the mouth of friend and stranger,

I bind unto myself the Name, the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation; Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
praise to the Lord of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Amen.

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 Helps from the Catechism

The Two Commandments of Love

1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.

2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

(Matthew 22:34ff; CCC* 2051-2055)

The Golden Rule

Do to others as you would have them do to you.
(Matthew 7:12; CCC 1970, 2407)

Ten Commandments
1. I am the LORD, your God: you shall not have strange gods
before me.
2. You shall not take the name of the LORD Your God in vain.
3. Remember to keep holy the LORD’S Day.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.

*CCC=Catechism of the Catholic Church

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 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.
(Exodus 20:2-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21; CCC 2056ff.)

The Eight Beatitudes

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
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 sons of God.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-23; CCC 1716-1729)

The Corporal Works of Mercy

1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To shelter the homeless.
5. To visit the sick.
6. To visit the imprisoned.
7. To bury the dead.
(CCC 2447)
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 The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. To counsel the doubtful.
2. To instruct the ignorant.
3. To admonish the sinner.
4. To comfort the sorrowful.
5. To bear wrongs patiently.
6. To forgive all injuries.
7. To pray for the living and the dead.
(CCC 2447)

The Three Theological Virtues

1. Faith
2. Hope
3. Charity
(1 Corinthians 13:13; CCC 2086-2094)

The Four Cardinal Virtues

1. Prudence 3. Fortitude
2. Justice 4. Temperance
(CCC 1805-1809)

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The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
1. Wisdom 5. Knowledge
2. Understanding 6. Piety
3. Counsel 7. Fear of the Lord
4. Fortitude (Isaiah 11:1-3; CCC 1829-1832)

The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit

1. Charity 7. Generosity
2. Joy 8. Gentleness
3. Peace 9. Faithfulness
4. Patience 10. Modesty
5. Kindness 11. Self-control
6. Goodness 12. Chastity
(Galatians 5:22-23; CCC 1829-1832)

The Seven Capital Sins

1. Pride 5. Gluttony
2. Greed 6. Envy
3. Lust 7. Sloth
4. Anger (CCC 1866)

The Four Last Things

1. Death 3. Hell
2. Judgment 4. Heaven
(CCC 1020-1041)

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 The Precepts of the Church
1. To keep holy the Lord’s Day by attending Mass on Sundays
and holy days of obligation and to rest from servile labor.
2. To confess your sins in the sacrament of Confession at least
once a year during the Easter Season.
3. To receive holy Communion at least once a year during the
Easter season.
4. To observe the days of fast and abstinence according to the
norms of the Church.
5. To observe the marriage laws of the Church.
6. To contribute to the needs of the Church.
(CCC 2041-2043)

Prescriptions for the Eucharistic Fast

1. Whoever is to receive the blessed Eucharist is to abstain for
at least one hour before holy communion from all food and
drink, with the sole exception of water and medicine.
2. A priest who, on the same day, celebrates the blessed
Eucharist twice or three times may consume something
before the second or third celebration, even though there is
not an hour’s interval.
3. The elderly and those who are suffering from some illness, as
well as those who care for them, may receive the blessed
Eucharist even if they have consumed something.
Code of Canon Law, canon 919

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Fast and Abstinence
On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Catholics are obliged to fast
and abstain (see below the Code of Canon Law, canons 1250-
1253). We are to turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel.

To fast means eating one main meal and eating a smaller amount
of food at other the times of the day. When fasting, snacking is
not permitted. Abstinence means that no meat is eaten on those
days for those between the ages of 14 and 60. As a way of keeping
the memory of the death of the Lord on Good Friday alive in our
spiritual life, Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence; the Church
also teaches that all Fridays are days of penance, and abstinence is
the preferred form of penance.

Meat is the flesh and organs of mammals and fowl.

The Code of Canon Law says the following on the observance of

fast and abstinence:

Canon 1250 All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent
are penitential days and times throughout the entire Church.

Canon 1251 Abstinence from eating meat or another food

according to the prescriptions of the conference of bishops is
to be observed on Fridays throughout the year unless they are
solemnities; abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash
Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion and Death of Our
Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Canon 1252 All persons who have completed their fourteenth
year are bound by the law of abstinence; all adults are bound
by the law of fast up to the beginning of their sixtieth year.
Nevertheless, pastors and parents are to see to it that minors
who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are
educated in an authentic sense of penance.

Canon 1253 It is for the conference of bishops to determine

more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence and to
substitute in whole or in part for fast and abstinence other
forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of
piety.

Holy Days of Obligation in

United States of America
In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of
obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of
America, in conformity with canon 1246 of the Code of Canon
Law, are as follows:

• January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God;

• Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity
of the Ascension;
• August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary;
• November 1, the solemnity of All Saints;
• December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception;
• December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity
of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1,
the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday,
the precept to attend Mass is abrogated. In some dioceses the
Solemnity of the Ascension is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday
of Easter.

Holy Days of Obligation in Canada

In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of
obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of Canada, in conformity
with canon 1246 §2 of the Code of Canon Law, are as follows:

• January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God;

• December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity
of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The bishops of Canada have transferred all other holy days to the
nearest Sunday.

- 50 -
 The Sacrament of Reconciliation
The sacrament of Reconciliation is a special encounter with Jesus
Christ and it is a fruitful source of grace. The Catechism of the
Catholic Church tells us: “The sacrament of Reconciliation with
God brings about a true ‘spiritual resurrection,’ restoration of the
dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which
the most precious is friendship with God” (1468). Indeed, the
sacrament of Reconciliation is a time for love, mercy and healing.
Regrettably, some see this sacrament of forgiveness and healing
as a cause for anxiety and fear. Jesus intended it to be a time of
compassion and mercy and every priest in confession is conscious
of being a minister of understanding and forgiveness. When
Jesus gave us this sacrament He knew well our human nature and
knew the need we have — that is, to encounter — to hear the
freeing words: “I absolve you of your sins. . . .” The Church
recommends monthly confession as a spiritual discipline. At a
minimum, Catholics must make a confession of sins when they
are conscious of mortal sin before the reception of holy
Communion. The precept of the Church says that Catholics
ought to confess their sins in the sacrament of Confession at least
once a year during the Easter Season.

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There are many blessings in frequent confession (cf. CCC 1425-
1498). Among such blessings are the following:

1. It restores divine life to those who have lost it through

mortal sin.
2. It increases grace and one’s capacity for grace and helps one
to grow in Christian maturity.
3. It brings order and peace into one’s life by causing one to
pause at regular intervals and ask oneself the all important
question: Where am I in my relationship with God?
4. It improves personal relations with others by making one
aware of attitudes and actions that cause pain to others.
5. It motivates one to practice the basic Christian virtues: faith,
hope, charity, humility, self denial, repentance, detachment
from the pagan ways of modern life.

Making a good confession entails contrition (sincere sorrow for

offending God), confession of sin (confronting our sinfulness in
an honest manner) and satisfaction (making amends by following
the priest’s advice and doing the penance he imposes). A good
confession requires preparation by prayer, examining the
conscience and the making the resolve not to sin again.

At the sacrament

Bless me, ! Father, for I have sinned. It has been (estimate time
since last confession) since my last confession.

Confess all your sins.

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 The 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.

Do the penance given by the priest.

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 Family Prayer Time
The thought behind Family Prayer Time is to provide a simple
formula to be used by the family that would like to set aside a
brief period once a month for praying together as a family.
Families come in all ages, of course, and it will be for the parents
to adapt the prayers and reflections to their own needs. As time
goes on, the family may be inspired to write its own prayer
service. That would be a welcome and wonderful development.

How is family prayer time to be arranged? There is no set rule.

One method that has been helpful is to decide that on one day
each month, after the evening meal, even before the dishes are
washed, the family would gather to pray together. It is a little
awkward at first, but once the custom is established, everyone’s
schedule is arranged so that all can be on hand. Needless to say,
God’s blessing will be on the effort.

These reflections concentrate on the place of Jesus in our lives

and on the family virtues illumined by the example of the Holy
Family: love, concern, forgiveness, outreach to others, and a sense
of vocation, an awareness that each one is called by God to a
special mission in life. Obviously, where very young children are
present, be mindful of the language of the prayers, and the
readings from sacred Scripture may be done from a children’s
version of the Bible.

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Parent: Let’s begin with the Sign of the Cross.

All: In the name of the Father ! and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit. Amen.

All: Dear Jesus, we are here to spend a few minutes with

You in prayer. We want to praise You, to pray for
ourselves, our friends and neighbors, and for everyone
in the world. We know that You came to call all of us
to know, love and serve Your heavenly Father so that we
would be a happy family and at peace.

Parent: Jesus, be close to us now as we pray to the Father in the

words You taught us.

All: 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.

Parent: Jesus, we want to pray to Your Mother too. We

remember how the angel told her she was to be Your
Mother. We remember how she went to Elizabeth who
praised her for saying to God,“Be it done to me as You
wish.” That was saying a big “yes” to God. We want to
ask Mary to pray for us because we know, Jesus, that if
we are close to her, we will be close to You.

All: 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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Parent: Jesus, as God, You were in existence before the world
was made. Then You became man with Mary as Your
mother so that You could tell the world how You and
the Father and the Holy Spirit together love all of us
and want to share Your holy life with us. All praise to
this Most Holy Trinity.

All: 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.

Parent: (N.) will you read for us so that we will have something
special to think about? (Here mother or father asks
someone to read a Bible passage selected from the
following: the Annunciation, Luke 1:26-38; the
Visitation, Luke 1:39-80; Jesus’ birth, Luke 2:1-20,
2:3; Jesus’ baptism, Mark 1:1-11; the Wedding at
Cana, John 2:1-11; the cure of leper, Mark 1:40-45; the
feeding crowd, Matthew 15:32-38; the ten lepers, Luke
17:11-19; the laborers in vineyard, Matthew 20:1-16;
the merciless servant, Matthew 18:21-35; the Pharisee
and tax collector, Luke 18:9-14; the good Samaritan,
Luke 10:25-37; the Good Shepherd, John 10:1-21).

Parent: Let’s talk a little bit about the gospel passage. Would
you like to tell the story your own words? Who were
the good people in the story? Were there any bad
people in the story? Suppose you had been there; what
would you have done? What does the story mean for
your life?

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(Here mother or dad gives each child a chance to answer. At the
end, he or she can talk briefly about a lesson that can be learned
from the scripture passage.)

Parent: I think now that we should pray for our family and for
all families. We can begin by remembering the Holy
Family of Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph. They had their
good times and parties and they had their hard times
too, or when Jesus went to Jerusalem and got lost. But
they were happy because they loved each other and
were kind and helpful to each other. So let us pray that
God will help us to be a kind and loving family with
each one trying to obey God and to help one another.

(The following paragraphs may be added occasionally.)

Of course, the Holy Family had relatives and friends,

and they cared about them too. We remember how
Mary went to stay with Elizabeth when she was going
to have a baby. And Saint Joseph was a carpenter and
was always fixing things for the neighbors. And Jesus,
besides being a young boy was also God, so He was
always being good to others. Imagine living next to
Jesus! Could He ever help you with your homework! So
let us pray for our friends and relatives that God will
bless them and keep them from harm.

When Jesus grew up and left home to go around

preaching about God the Father and His love for us all,
Jesus remembered how happy He had been with His
family and tried to make everyone understand that we
are really one big family, with God as our Father. He
talked about being kind, about forgiving those who
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hurt us, about saying bad things about other people,
about taking care of the hungry and those who have no
families of their own. Jesus also taught us to pray for
everyone, even our enemies. So let us pray for
everybody in the world and especially for those who
have no one to care about them.

There were men and women who listened to Jesus and

prayed with Him for those who were poor or sick or
hungry or did not know that God the Father loved
them. Jesus said to many of these men and women, “I
am glad that you are praying with me. But I would like
you to work with me too.” So the Apostles and others
went around preaching about God’s love. Other men,
and some women too, were busy helping the sick and
feeding the hungry and teaching the children. As we
grow up, Jesus says to us, “I am glad that you are
praying for your family and for others. I would like you
to work with me too.” To some He says, “I want you to
get married and teach your children to be good and
loving. To some boys he says, “I would like you to be
priests when you grow up.” To others Jesus says, “I
would like you to be religious brothers when you grow
up.” To some girls He says, “I would like you to be
nuns when you grow up.” And to still others, boys and
girls, Jesus says, “I would like you to grow up to be
single people working in the world and helping me to
make others understand that God loves them.” So let us
pray that as we grow up, we will try to know what
Jesus wants us to be, and that we will be ready to listen
to Him.

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 Closing Prayer
All: Dear Jesus, we pray with You to the Heavenly Father
for all the men and women and children of the world,
those who live with their families and those who do
not. Make us kind and generous to one another and
protect us with Your loving care.

Mary, our Mother, and good Saint Joseph, keep us close

to Jesus so that we too will be a holy family. Amen.

(making the Sign of the Cross)

Parent: Now let us close by asking God’s blessing. May

almighty God bless us, ! Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

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“Faith is a gift of God which enables us to know and love
Him. Faith is a way of knowing, just as reason is. But
living in faith is not possible unless there is action on our
part. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to
make a decision to respond to divine Revelation, and
to follow through in living out our response.”
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, 38.

About Catholic Information Service

Since its founding, the Knights of Columbus has been
involved in evangelization. In 1948, the Knights started
the Catholic Information Service (CIS) to provide
low-cost Catholic publications for the general public as
well as for parishes, schools, retreat houses, military
installations, correctional facilities, legislatures, the
medical community, and for individuals who request
them. For over 70 years, CIS has printed and distributed
millions of booklets, and thousands of people have
enrolled in its catechetical courses.

CIS offers the following services to help you come to

know God better:

Individual Booklets
Contact CIS for a complete list of booklets and order
the ones you want.

Home Study Course

CIS offers a free, graded home study course through
the mail. In ten rigorous lessons, you will gain an
overview of Catholic teaching.

On-Line Courses
CIS offers two free on-line courses. To enroll, visit
www.kofc.org/ciscourses.
 CATHOLIC INFORMATION SERVICE®
True Catholic Information. Not Mere Opinions.

In the case of coming generations, the lay faithful must offer

the very valuable contribution, more necessary than ever, of a
systematic work in catechesis. The Synod Fathers have gratefully
taken note of the work of catechists, acknowledging that they
“have a task that carries great importance in animating ecclesial
communities.” It goes without saying that Christian parents are
the primary and irreplaceable catechists of their children…;
however, we all ought to be aware of the “rights” that each baptized
person has to being instructed, educated and supported in the faith
and the Christian life.
Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laici 34
Apostolic Exhortation on the Vocation and Mission
of the Lay Faithful in the Church and the World

About the Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus, a fraternal benefit society founded in
1882 in New Haven, Connecticut, by the Venerable Servant of God
Father Michael J. McGivney, is the world’s largest lay Catholic
organization, with more than 1.9 million members in the Americas,
Europe, and Asia. The Knights support each other and their
community, contributing millions of volunteer hours to charitable
causes each year. The Knights were the first to financially support
the families of law enforcement and fire department personnel
killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and to work
closely with Catholic bishops to protect innocent human life and
traditional marriage. To find out more about the Knights of
Columbus, visit www.kofc.org.

Whether you have a specific question or desire a broader, deeper

knowledge of the Catholic faith, CIS can help. Contact us at:

Knights of Columbus, Catholic Information Service

PO Box 1971 New Haven, CT 06521-1971
Phone 203-752-4267 Fax 800-735-4605
[email protected]
www.kofc.org/cis

Proclaiming the Faith

in the Third Millennium
309 8/18