Beginning Catholic: The Essentials: Basic Catholic Prayers [Ecumenical]

BeginningCatholic.ocm ^ | not given | BeginningCatholic.com

[Salvation]

 

The Essentials:
Basic Catholic Prayers

These are the basic Catholic prayers. We use some of these at Mass (the Catholic liturgy). A lot of other prayers also include one or more of these.

The sign of the cross

The simplest, most basic Catholic prayer.

Catholics begin their day and many activities with the sign of the cross. It is a sacramental, a practice that helps us open ourselves to receiving God's grace more effectively.

While saying this prayer, bless yourself by making the sign of the cross with one hand: touch your fingers to your forehead at the word "Father", to your heart at the word "Son," to your left shoulder at "Holy", and right shoulder at "Spirit".

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

Our Father

Also called The Lord's Prayer, since Jesus taught it to his disciples (see Matthew 6:9-13).

The Our Father is the foundation of Christian prayer (Catechism, 2759). Most people learn it before all other basic Catholic prayers.

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

The Hail Mary is well-loved and beautiful basic Catholic prayer. It combines two lines from Scripture (Lk 1:28 and Lk 1:42) with a humble request for Mary to pray for us.

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.

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.

Apostles Creed

Also see the separate article on the Apostles Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 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 the life everlasting.
Amen.

The main article on Catholic prayers contains many other wonderful basic Catholic prayers. You'll also find sound guidance for easily developing your prayer life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also has many wonderful pages about the Our Father, which comes first before all other basic Catholic prayers (opens a new browser window; be sure to use that page's "Next" button to read the subsequent pages there).

[Salvation]

This is an Ecumenical thread. Please follow the directions of the Religion Moderator.

Guidelines for Ecumenical threads

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

[Salvation]

Beginning Catholic: The Catholic Church's Origin [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Infallibility: Keeping the Faith [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Moral Conscience: Catholic Teaching for a Strong Faith [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Catholic Morality: Life in Christ [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: When Was The Bible Written? [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Books of the Catholic Bible: The Complete Scriptures [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Accept No Substitutes: Catholic Orthodoxy [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Basic Tenets of Catholicism [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Creed Of The People Of God: The Essentials/Catholic Belief [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Creeds: Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Understanding The Bible: A Catholic Guide To The Word of God [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Kingdom of God — Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching Into ...[Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Great Catholic Prayers [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Essentials: Basic Catholic Prayers [Ecumenical]

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[CdMGuy]

Please add. Thanks

[annalex]

If you want to be on the Catholic Theology for non-Catholics list but are not on it already, or if you are on it but do not want to be, let me know either publicly or privately.

Previously posted:

On Salvation Outside the Catholic Church
The Great Heresies
SALVATION PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
JUSTIFICATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING
Hermits and Solitaries [Ecumenical]
THE PRIESTHOOD DEBATE
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND MERIT
A Well-Rounded Pope [Ecumenical]
A Monastery to Last 1,000 Years [Ecumenical]
Explaining Purgatory from a New Testament Perspective [Ecumenical]
In the Crosshairs of the Canon [How We Got The Bible] [Ecumenical]
'An Ordinance Forever' - The Biblical Origins of the Mass [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Christian Atheism
Vatican plea to uncover Virgin Mary and show her breast-feeding baby Jesus
Why do Catholics have to confess their sins to a priest instead of praying straight to God? [Ecu]
Our Times: The Age of Martyrs
The Eucharist - the Lord's Sacrifice, Banquet and Presence
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Morality: Life in Christ [Ecumenical]
Chosen In Him: The Catholic Teaching on Predestination [Ecumenical]
The Sacraments [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]
Catholic Art
Evangelicals: Change of Heart toward Catholics
Beginning Catholic: The Creed Of The People Of God: The Essentials/Catholic Belief [Ecumenical]
An open letter to Mr. Stephen A. Baldwin, Actor, and “born again” Christian.
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Kingdom of God — Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching Into The Heart Of Your Faith
The Language of Love

[annalex]

There is also a triple sign of the cross that people make before hearing the Gospel at Mass. After the priest begins the gospel reading with the words “A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew (or Mark, Luke, John)”, extend the thumb toward yourself with the rest of the fingers relaxed and gently curved, and with the thumb trace a cross (vertical then horizontal motion barely touching the skin) on your forehead, then another one on the lips and a third one on the chest. The voiced response is “Glory to You Lord”, but the meaning of the crosses is to pledge the intention to understand the Gospel in your mind, proclaim it with your lips, and love it with your heart.

Other silent prayers used during the Mass are genuflexion toward the Tabernacle entering and leaving the pew (except to receive the Holy Communion), striking your chest (gently) during the general Rite of Confession at “sinned through my own fault”, a bow at “through the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man”, and, of course, kneeling before the Mass, at the Eucharistic Prayer and before and after the Communion Rite, and after the Mass is complete.

Prayers of gesticulation and posture are important. We believe that our body speaks its own language in which it should pray just as our mind prays, and our lips pray. It is interesting that in the Rosary prayer these three elements find themselves in a complex harmony: our fingers work the beads, our lips repeat the Hail Marys while our mind is on the Mysteries of the Gospel. In addition, intentions are often said at the beginning of the decade, as well as, of course, Our Father and Glory Be bracket the Hail Marys.

[Salvation]

Good point.

“May God be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart!”

[Salvation]

**”May God be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart!”**

The priest’s words are slightly different, perhaps referring to the proclamation of the Gospel. My priest told me and I am not remembering right now.