PRAYERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Prayer, the lifting of the mind and heart to God, plays an essential role in the life of a devout Catholic. Without a life of prayer, we risk losing the life of grace in our souls, grace that comes to us first in baptism and later chiefly through the other sacraments and through prayer itself (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2565). Through prayer we enter into the presence of the Godhead dwelling in us. It is prayer which allows us to adore God by acknowledging His almighty power; it is prayer that allows us to bring our thanks, our petitions, and our sorrow for sin before our Lord and God.
To the left (under the highlighted word PRAYERS), you can see several links that will take you to various prayers. We have divided these prayers into sections: Basic Catholic Prayers, Rosary Prayers, Novena Prayers, Prayers Composed by Saints, and Divine Mercy Prayers.
Drawing from the words of Christ, the writings of Scripture and the saints, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church supplies us with prayers grounded in Christian tradition. Further, our informal, spontaneous prayers—both vocal and meditative—are informed by and shaped by those prayers taught by the Church, prayers that are the wellspring for the prayer life of all Catholics. Without the Holy Spirit speaking through the Church and through her saints, we would not know how to pray as we ought (CCC, 2650).
As the prayers themselves witness, the Church teaches us that we should pray not only directly to God, but also to those who are close to God, those who have the power to intercede upon our behalf. Indeed, we pray to the angels to help and watch over us; we pray to the saints in Heaven to ask their intercession and assistance; we pray to the Blessed Mother to enlist her aid, to ask her to beg her Son to hear our prayers. Further, we pray not only on our own behalf, but also on the behalf of those souls in Purgatory and of those brothers on earth who are in need. Prayer unites us to God; in doing so, we are united to the other members of the Mystical Body.
This communal aspect of prayer is reflected not only in the nature of Catholic prayers, but also in the very words of the prayers themselves. In reading many of the basic formulaic prayers, it will become apparent that, for the Catholic, prayer is often meant to be prayed in the company of others. Christ himself encouraged us to pray together: "For wherever two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
Keeping in mind the aforementioned characteristics of Catholic vocal prayer will enable you to appreciate and to understand the prayers included in the links. While these prayers are only a sample of all the vocal prayers that have been composed, they will illustrate the different kinds of Catholic prayers that help to form the treasury of prayers in the Church. Other forms of prayer include contemplative prayer and meditation.
BASIC CATHOLIC PRAYERS
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 amongst 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.
The 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.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the
right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
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 thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, 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!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.
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,
We fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
To thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful;
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not our petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer us. Amen.
The Angelus
V- The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R- And she conceived by 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,
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water flowing from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O Good Jesus, hear me
Within your wounds, hide me.
Never let me be separated from thee.
From the enemy, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me,
that with the angels and saints I
may praise thee for all eternity. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael
Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection 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
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because I have offended Thee my God, Who is all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
Miraculous Medal Prayer
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee, and for those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to thee. Amen.
Morning Offering
O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you all my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of our bishops and of all apostles of prayer and, in particular, for those recommended by Our Holy Father this month.
Evening prayer
O my God, at the end of this day I thank you most heartily for all the graces I have received from you. I am sorry that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against you. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear guardian angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory.
Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful 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 us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Prayer before a Crucifix
My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you, asking you most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the prophet David spoke long ago concerning yourself: "They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have counted all my bones!"
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.
Grace After Meals
We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, O Almighty God, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
THE HOLY ROSARY
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"I am the Lady of the Rosary. Pray the Rosary every day... and offer sacrifices for sinners...
In the end My Immaculate Heart will triumph."
--Our Lady to the three child-seers at Fatima, Portugal
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HOW TO SAY THE ROSARY
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1
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While holding the crucifix make the Sign of the Cross. and then recite the Apostles Creed.
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2
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Recite the Our Father on the first large bead.
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3
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Recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity on each of the three small beads, in honor of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
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4
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Recite the Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.
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5
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Recite the Fatima Prayer "O my Jesus" on the large bead.
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6
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Recall the first Rosary Mystery and recite the Our Father on the large bead.
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7
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On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also refered to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery.
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8
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On the next large bead, recite the Glory Be to the Father and the Fatima prayer.
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9
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Each succeeding decade is prayed in the same manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the Our Father, ten Hail Mary’s while reflecting on the mystery, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima prayer.
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10
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When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is Customarily concluded with the Hail Holy Queen, and the Sign of the Cross.
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THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY
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Day of the Week that the Rosary is Prayed
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Mysteries to Pray
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Sunday
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The Glorious Mysteries
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Monday
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The Joyful Mysteries
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Tuesday
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The Sorrowful Mysteries
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Wednesday
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The Glorious Mysteries
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Thursday
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The Luminous Mysteries
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Friday
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The Sorrowful Mysteries
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Saturday
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The Joyful Mysteries
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After choosing a set of mysteries (using the above charts), meditate on each mystery. For pictures to aid in your meditation, click on one of the links to the left: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or Glorious. The Rosary prayers are below.
The Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER (optional): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, our Mother Mary, Hail! At thy feet, we humbly kneel to offer thee a crown of roses... (continue with words below to go with the mystery you are praying)
JOYFUL: ...snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each ten bound together with our petition for a particular grace.
LUMINOUS: ...sunlit yellow roses to remind thee of thy Son's ministry, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each ten bound together with our petition for a particular grace.
SORROWFUL: ...blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
GLORIOUS: ...full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace.
(continuation from above)... O Holy Queen, dispenser of God's graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
The Apostle's 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 the world of the dead, and on the third day, He rose again. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
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.
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.
Fatima Prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
CLOSING PRAYER (optional): 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 by meditating on these mysteries of 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.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE ROSARY MYSTERIES:
The Joyful Mysteries - With the introduction of the new Mysteries of Light, the Joyful Mysteries are now said on Mondays and Saturdays, and focus on the early life of Jesus.
1. The Annunciation - The angel of God appears to Mary and tells her she is to be the Mother of God - (pray for the virtue of humility).
2. The Visitation - Mary, on hearing of Elizabeth's own pregnancy, goes to visit her cousin - (pray for the virtue of charity).
3. The Birth of Our Lord (the Nativity) - Away from home and with nowhere to stay, Mary and Joseph welcome Jesus into the world - (pray for the virtue of poverty).
4. The Presentation - Mary and Joseph present Jesus to His Heavenly Father in the temple 40 days after His Birth - (pray for the virtue of obedience).
5. The Finding in the Temple - After searching for three days, Mary and Joseph find the 12-year-old Jesus sitting among the learned doctors of the temple - (pray for the virtue of piety).
The Luminous Mysteries - Said on Thursdays, these mysteries focus on the life of Christ during His ministry on earth.
1. The Baptism of Our Lord - As Christ descends into the waters, the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares Him the beloved Son, while the Spirit descends on Him to invest Him with the mission which He is to carry out - (pray for the virtue of detachment from the world).
2. The Wedding Feast at Cana - The first of Jesus' signs, given at Cana, is when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers - (pray for the virtue of trust in God's will).
3. Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God - Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls us to conversion and forgives the sins of all who draw near to Him in humble trust. These are the inauguration of the ministry of mercy which He continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation - (pray for the virtue of desire for holiness).
4. The Transfiguration - During the Transfiguration, the glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to “listen to Him” and to prepare to experience with Him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with Him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit - (pray for the virtue of spiritual courage).
5. The Institution of the Eucharist - At the Last Supper we see the institution of the Holy Eucharist, in which Christ offers His Body and Blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies “to the end” His love for humanity, for whose salvation He will offer Himself in sacrifice - (pray for a greater virtue of devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament).
The Sorrowful Mysteries - Generally said on Tuesdays and Fridays, these mysteries focus on the suffering and death of Jesus.
1. The Agony in the Garden - The thought of our sins and His impending, horrible death make Jesus sweat tears of blood - (pray for the virtue of contrition).
2. The Scourging at the Pillar - Jesus is stripped of His clothing and dignity and is lashed repeatedly, leaving His body a mass of bloody wounds - (pray for the virtue of purity).
3. The Crowning of Thorns - Jesus is ridiculed for claiming Kingship when they place a crown of thorns on His head - (pray for the virtue of courage).
4. The Carrying of the Cross - Jesus shoulders His own cross, carrying it and dragging it to Golgotha, our sins being the weight of that cross - (pray for the virtue of patience).
5. The Crucifixion of Our Divine Lord - After three hours of agony, watched by His Beloved Mother, Jesus dies - (pray for the virtue of self-denial).
The Glorious Mysteries - Said on Wednesdays and Sundays, these mysteries focus on the whole purpose of the life and death of Jesus, His glorious resurrection, and our redemption from sin and the place of honor accorded to His Blessed Mother, Mary.
1. The Resurrection - Jesus rises from the dead three days after His crucifixion, as He had said He would - (pray for the virtue of faith).
2. The Ascension - Forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus ascends into Heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father, there to judge the living and the dead at the end of the world - (pray for the virtue of hope).
3. The Descent of The Holy Spirit - Jesus sends the Holy Spirit on His apostles and disciples in the form of fiery tongues - (pray for the virtue of charity to others).
4. The Assumption - Our Lady's soul returns to God and her glorified body is assumed into heaven - (pray for the gift of eternal happiness).
5. The Coronation - Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth, of Angels and Saints, to rule over our lives forever and into eternity - (pray for the greater devotion to Mary).
MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROSARY
The word Rosary means "Crown of Roses". Our Lady has revealed that each time someone prays a Hail Mary, they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is, therefore, the most important one. The Holy Rosary is considered a perfect prayer because within it lies the awesome story of our salvation. During the Rosary we meditate on the mysteries of joy, of sorrow, of faith, and of the glory of Jesus and Mary. It's a simple prayer—one we can all say together with Her, the Mother of God. With the Hail Mary, we invite Her to pray for us.
Our Lady always grants our request. She joins her prayer to ours. Jesus can never say no to whatever His Mother asks. In every one of her apparitions on earth, the heavenly Mother has invited us to say the Rosary as a powerful weapon against evil, to bring us to true peace. With your prayer, joined with our heavenly Mother, you can obtain the great gift of bringing about a change of hearts and conversion. Each day, by praying the Rosary you can drive away many dangers and evils. It can seem a repetitive prayer but instead it is like two sweethearts who many times say one another the words: "I love you"... St. Pope John Paul II, on October 16, 2002, by way of his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, (“On the Most Holy Rosary”) added five new mysteries of the Rosary: the Luminous Mysteries, also known as the Mysteries of Light.
Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, "The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description."
The rosary has been written about by both saints and popes and continues to be mentioned in reported Marian apparitions. The Virgin Mary has made 15 specific promises to those who pray the Rosary. The Fifteen rosary promises range from protection from misfortune to meriting a high degree of glory in heaven. In the 18th century, the French priest, Fr. Louis de Montfort, elaborated on the importance of the rosary and its power in his book, Secret of the Rosary. He emphasized the power of the rosary and provided specific instructions on how it should be prayed, e.g. with attention, devotion, and reverence, with reflective pauses between the beads and smaller pauses between the phrases of the prayers.
One of the forces that drove the spread of the rosary during the 19th century was the influence of the Rosary Pope, a title given to Leo XIII (1878–1903) because he issued twelve encyclicals and five Apostolic Letters on the rosary, as well as instituted the Catholic custom of daily rosary prayer during the month of October. Pope Leo XIII said that the rosary was a vital means to participate in the life of Mary and to find the way to Christ. He called the Rosary a “path through Mary to Christ.” The Rosary as a family prayer was supported by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Ingruentium malorum, in which he said, "The custom of the family Rosary is a most efficacious means to live a Christ-like life."
The rosary beads provide a physical method of keeping count of the number of Hail Marys said as the mysteries are contemplated. The fingers are moved along the beads as the prayers are recited. By not having to keep track of the count mentally, the mind is free to meditate on the mysteries. Although counting the prayers on a string of beads is customary, the prayers of the rosary do not actually require a set of beads but can be said using any type of counting device, by counting on the fingers, or by counting without any device at all.
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
It is suggested that, while praying the Hail Mary's, you gaze at the picture below the meditation to assist in contemplating its mystery.
The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation ~ At the announcement that she would give birth to "the Son of the Most High" without knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of faith, certain that "with God nothing will be impossible". She responded, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." Thus, giving her consent to God's word, Mary becomes the Mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for salvation wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with Him and dependent on Him, by God's grace.
THE ANNUNCIATION
The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation ~ Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my Lord." In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God”.
THE VISITATION
The Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity ~ The Word became flesh so that we might know God's love: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
THE NATIVITY
The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation ~ The presentation of Jesus in the temple shows Him to be the firstborn Son who belongs to the Lord. With Simeon and Anna, all Israel awaits its encounter with the Savior. Jesus is recognized not only as the long-expected Messiah, the "light to the nations" and the "glory of Israel," but also as "a sign that is spoken against." The sword of sorrow predicted for Mary announces Christ's perfect and unique oblation on the cross that will impart the salvation God had "prepared in the presence of all peoples."
THE PRESENTATION
The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple ~ The finding of Jesus in the temple is the only event that breaks the silence of the Gospels about the hidden years of Jesus. Here Jesus lets us catch a glimpse of the mystery of his total consecration to a mission that flows from his divine sonship: "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's work?" Mary and Joseph did not understand these words, but they accepted them in faith. Mary "kept all these things in her heart" during the years Jesus remained hidden in the silence of an ordinary life.
THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
It is suggested that, while praying the Hail Mary's, you gaze at the picture below the meditation to assist in contemplating its mystery.
The First Luminous Mystery: Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan River ~ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John tried to refuse Him with the protest, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me!" Jesus answered him, "Give in for now; we must do this if we are to fulfill all of God’s demands." So John gave in. After Jesus was baptized, He came directly out of the water. Suddenly, the sky opened and He saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove, and hover over Him. With that, a voice from the heavens said, "This is my beloved Son. My favor rests on Him." The Baptism in the Jordan is first of all a mystery of light. Here, as Christ descends into the waters, the innocent one who became "sin" for our sake (cf. 2Cor 5:21), the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares Him the beloved Son (cf. Mt 3:17 and parallels), while the Spirit descends on Him to invest Him with the mission which He is to carry out.
JESUS' BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN RIVER
The Second Luminous Mystery: The Miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana ~ The second mystery of light is the first public miracle of Jesus, when He changed water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana (cf. Jn 2:1- 12), thus opening the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers. He reveals himself as Lord and miracle worker. In the mysteries of light, apart from the miracle at Cana, the presence of Mary remains in the background. The Gospels make only the briefest reference to her occasional presence at one moment or other during the preaching of Jesus (cf. Mk 3:31-5; John 2:12), and they give no indication that she was present at the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist. Yet the role she assumed at Cana in some way accompanies Christ throughout His ministry. The revelation made directly by the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan and echoed by John the Baptist is placed upon Mary's lips at Cana, and it becomes the great maternal counsel which Mary addresses to the Church of every age: "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:5) This counsel is a fitting introduction to the words and signs of Christ's public ministry and it forms the Marian foundation of all the Mysteries of Light.
THE MIRACLE AT THE WEDDING FEAST AT CANA
The Third Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God ~ After John's arrest, Jesus appeared in Galilee proclaiming the Gospel. "This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the Good News!" In this Mystery of Light, Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls sinners to conversion (cf. Mk 1:15), and forgives the sins of all who draw near to Him in humble trust (cf. Mk 2:3-13; Lk 7:47- 48). He continues to exercise this forgiveness until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which He has entrusted to His Church.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The Fourth Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration ~ Jesus took Peter, John, and James, and went up onto a mountain to pray. While He was praying, His face changed in appearance and His clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly two men were talking with Him, Moses and Elijah. They appeared in glory and spoke of His passage, which He was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him had fallen into a deep sleep; but awakening, they saw His glory and likewise saw the two men who were standing with Him. When these were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, how good it is for us to be here. Let us set up three booths, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (He did not really know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and the disciples grew fearful as they entered it. Then from the cloud came a voice which said, "This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to Him." When the voice fell silent, Jesus was there alone. The disciples kept quiet, telling nothing of what they had seen at that time to anyone. The mystery of light "par excellence" is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to "listen to him" (cf. Lk 9:35 and parallels) and to prepare to experience with Him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with Him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit.
THE TRANSFIGURATION
The Fifth Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist ~ During the meal Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. "Take this and eat it," He said. "This is my Body." Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them. "All of you must drink from it," He said, "for this is my Blood, the Blood of the Covenant, to be poured out on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink this fruit of the vine from now until the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom." Then, after singing songs of praise, they walked out to the Mount of Olives. ~ This final mystery of light, in which Christ offers His Body and Blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies "to the end" His love for humanity (Jn 13:1), for whose salvation He will offer himself in sacrifice.
THE INSTITUTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
It is suggested that, while praying the Hail Mary's, you gaze at the picture below the meditation to assist in contemplating its mystery.
The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden ~ The cup of the New Covenant, which Jesus anticipated when He offered Himself at the Last Supper, is afterwards accepted by Him from His Father's hands in His agony in the garden at Gethsemane, making Himself "obedient unto death." Jesus prays: "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me...." Thus He expresses the horror that death represented for His human nature. Like ours, His human nature is destined for eternal life, but unlike ours, it is perfectly exempt from sin, the cause of death. Above all, His human nature has been assumed by the divine person of the Author of Life. By accepting in His human will that the Father's will be done, He accepts His death as redemptive, for "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the Cross."
THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN
The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar ~ Jesus knew and loved each of us all during His life, His agony, and His Passion and gave Himself up for each one of us: "The Son of God...loved me and gave Himself for me." He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation, "is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that...love with which the Divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings" without exception.
THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR
The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns ~ It is precisely in the Passion, when the mercy of Christ is about to vanquish it, that sin most clearly manifests its violence and its many forms: unbelief, murderous hatred, shunning and mockery by the leaders and the people, Pilate's cowardice and the cruelty of the soldiers, Judas' betrayal so bitter to Jesus, Peter's denial, and the disciples' flight. However, at the very hour of darkness, the hour of the prince of this world, the sacrifice of Christ secretly becomes the source from which the forgiveness of our sins will pour forth inexhaustibly.
THE CROWNING WITH THORNS
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross ~ The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men." But because in His incarnate divine person He has in some way united Himself to every person, "the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the Paschal Mystery" is offered to all people. He calls His disciples to "take up their cross and follow” Him, for "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example so that we should follow in His steps." In fact, Jesus desires to associate with His redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of His mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of His redemptive suffering.
THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS
Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion ~ The Church is born primarily of Christ's total self-giving for our salvation, anticipated in the Institution of the Eucharist, and fulfilled on the Cross. "The origin and growth of the Church are symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from the open side of the Crucified Jesus." "For it was from the side of Christ as He slept the sleep of death upon the cross that there came forth the 'wondrous sacrament of the whole Church.' " As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam's side, so the Church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross.
THE CRUCIFIXION
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
It is suggested that, while praying the Hail Mary's, you gaze at the picture below the meditation to assist in contemplating its mystery.
The First Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection ~ Christ's Resurrection and the Risen Christ Himself is the source of our future resurrection: "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.... For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." The Risen Christ lives in the hearts of His faithful while they await that fulfillment. In Christ, Christians "have tasted...the powers of the age to come" and their lives are swept up by Christ into the heart of divine life, so that they may "live no longer for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised."
THE RESURRECTION
The Second Glorious Mystery: The Ascension ~ When His visible presence was taken from them, Jesus did not leave His disciples orphans. He promised to remain with them until the end of time; He sent them His Spirit. As a result communion with Jesus has become, in a way, more intense: "By communicating His Spirit, Christ mystically constitutes as His body those brothers of His who are called together from every nation.
THE ASCENSION
The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit ~ The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This joint mission henceforth brings Christ's faithful to share in His communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prepares humankind and goes out to them with His grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the Risen Lord to them; recalls His word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of His Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ, supremely in the Eucharist, in order to reconcile them and to bring them into communion with God, so that they may "bear much fruit”.
THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Fourth Glorious Mystery: The Assumption ~ The motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the Cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven, she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.
THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY
The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The Coronation of Mary ~ The splendor of an entirely unique holiness, by which Mary is enriched from the first instant of her conception comes wholly from Christ: She is "redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son." The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "with every spiritual blessing," and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love."
THE CORONATION OF MARY
NOVENA PRAYERS
A novena is a set of prayers repeated for nine consecutive days, usually with a particular intention in mind. Novenas take many forms. Some are prayed directly to God while others seek the intercession of saints. Novenas are often prayed leading up to a special occasions such as the Feast of St. Therese; however, they may be prayed at any time.
NOVENA TO ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX
Oh Glorious Saint Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and counsel mankind, I implore your miraculous intercession. So powerful are you in obtaining every need of body and soul, that our Holy Mother Church proclaims you a prodigy of miracles, the greatest saint of modern times. Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (name your petition here), and to fulfill your promise of spending heaven doing good upon earth. Henceforth, dear Little Flower of Jesus, I will fulfill your plea to be made known everywhere, and to never cease to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen.
NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH
O glorious St. Joseph, Faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to you do we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now seek. O Guardian of the Word Incarnate, we have confidence that your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. O Glorious St. Joseph, through your love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Amen.
NOVENA TO THE INFANT OF PRAGUE
Divine Infant Jesus, I want to give You my hands to touch those I meet with Your love and peace. I want to serve You with all my heart and make You known and loved. I ask You to heal those in pain, to encourage the hopeless, to console the sorrowing, and to provide for those in want. I ask You to reach out to the lonely. I especially plead for the many people suffering from great poverty and injustice. Miraculous Infant, I believe that You love me and know all of my needs. I place them in Your hands, especially my present concerns (mention silently). I trust in Your love and care. I love you and want to honor and praise You, now and forever. Amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (3 times) Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3 times)
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
(Three Options from Which to Choose)
OPTION ONE: O Sacred Heart of Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of...... (here name your request)
Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
OPTION TWO: O Sacred Heart of Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of.......(here name your request) Our Father...Hail Mary....Glory Be To the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
OPTION THREE: O Sacred Heart of Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of.....(here name your request)Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father...Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Dearest Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it be Your Holy Will to grant it: (mention your request). Teach me, Divine Spirit, to know and seek my last end; grant me the holy fear of God; grant me true contrition and patience. Do not let me fall into sin. Give me an increase of faith, hope and charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state in life. Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily. Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits. Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life. I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
PRAYERS COMPOSED BY SAINTS
Holy Spirit Prayer of St. Augustine (354-430)
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy.
Prayer of St. Augustine (354-430)
For behold, you were within me, and I outside; and I sought you outside and in my ugliness fell upon those lovely things that you have made. You were with me and I was not with you. I was kept from you by those things, yet had they not been in you, they would not have been at all. You called and cried to me and broke upon my deafness; and you sent forth your light and shone upon me, and chased away my blindness; You breathed fragrance upon me, and I drew in my breath and did not pant for you; you touched me, and I have burned for your peace. --St. Augustine
Prayer of Saint Francis (1182-1226)
Lord, make me an instrument of your 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;
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.
Amen. --St. Francis of Assisi
Prayer of Saint Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)
Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
Amen.
Bookmark of St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices. Christ has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world. Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people.
Prayer of Saint Thomas More (1477-1535)
Good Lord, give me the grace, in all my fear and agony, to have recourse to that great fear and wonderful agony that Thou, my sweet Savior, hadst at the Mount of Olivet before Thy most bitter passion, and in the meditation thereof, to conceive ghostly comfort and consolation profitable for my soul. Almighty God, take from me all vainglorious minds, all appetites of mine own praise, all envy, covetise, gluttony, sloth, and lechery, all wrathful affections, all appetite of revenging, all desire or delight of other folks' harm, all pleasure in provoking any person to wrath and anger, all delight of exprobation or insultation against any persons in their affliction and calamity. And give me, good Lord, a humble, lowly, quiet, peaceable, patient, charitable, kind, tender, and pitiful mind, with all my works, and all my words, and all my thoughts, to have a taste of Thy Holy, Blessed Spirit. Give me, good Lord, a full faith, a firm hope, and a fervent charity, a love to the good Lord incomparable above the love to myself; and that I love nothing to Thy displeasure, but everything in an order to Thee. Take from me, good Lord, this lukewarm fashion, or rather keycold manner of meditation, and this dullness in praying unto Thee. And give me warmth, delight and quickness in thinking upon Thee. And give me Thy grace to long for Thy holy sacraments, and especially to rejoice in the presence of Thy very blessed body, sweet Savior Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar, and duly to thank Thee for Thy gracious visitation therewith, and at that high memorial, with tender compassion, to remember and consider Thy most bitter passion.
Prayer of Thomas a Kempis (1380-1471)
God, our Father, we are exceedingly frail and indisposed to every virtuous and gallant undertaking. Strengthen our weakness, we beseech you, that we may do valiantly in this spiritual war; help us against our own negligence and cowardice, and defend us from the treachery of our unfaithful hearts. for Jesus Christ's sake.
Prayer of Saint Edmund of Abingdon (1170-1240)
Into Thy hands, O Lord, and into the hands of Thy holy angels, I commit and entrust this day my soul, my relations, my benefactors, my friends and my enemies, and all Thy people. Keep us, O Lord, through the day, by the merits and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, from all vicious and unruly desires, from all sins and temptations of the devil, and from sudden and unprovided death and the pains of hell. Illuminate my heart with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit; grant that I may ever be obedient to Thy commandments; suffer me not to be separated from Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen
Prayer of Saint Ephrem (306-373)
O Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of apathy and meddling, of idle chatter and love of power. Instead, grant to me, your servant, the spirit of integrity and humility, of patience and love. Yes, O Lord and God, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge others, for you are blessed, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Grant me grace, O merciful God, to desire ardently all that is pleasing to You, to examine it prudently, to acknowledge it truthfully, and to accomplish it perfectly, for the praise and glory of Your name. Amen.
DIVINE MERCY PRAYERS
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Origin of this Devotion: In the 1930s, Our Blessed Lord appeared to Sister Faustina, a nun who was a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. He told her to spread His message of Divine Mercy throughout the world. She was also asked to become an example of how to be merciful to others, as well as an instrument for reemphasizing God's plan of mercy for the world. The message of mercy that Sister Faustina received continues to be spread throughout the world. She has been canonized as a Saint, and her diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, has become the handbook for devotion to The Divine Mercy. Through Saint Faustina, Jesus also revealed special ways to live out the response to His mercy--one of which is the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which can be said as both a prayer for the three o'clock hour and as a novena.
The Words of Our Lord to Saint Faustina: "Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you ... Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death ... When they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between my Father and the dying person, not as the Just Judge but as the Merciful Savior ... Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from my infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy ... Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will."
How to Recite the Chaplet of Mercy: Recite the Chapel using ordinary rosary beads (with five decades). The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from the Diary of Saint Faustina and followed by a closing prayer.
Opening Prayers
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
Continue with the Following Prayers:
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 amongst 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.)
The Apostle's 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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.)
Then, on the large bead before each decade, pray:
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Your Dearly Beloved Son, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
On the ten small beads of each decade, pray:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Conclusion Prayer (Pray three times):
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Optional Closing Prayer: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY NOVENA
The Chaplet can be said anytime, but the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena. (Note: The Novena can be prayed at any time; however, to pray the Novena so that it ends on Divine Mercy Sunday, begin the first day on Good Friday.) Jesus promised, "By this Novena (of Chaplets), I will grant every possible grace to souls." For each of the nine days, our Lord gave Saint Faustina a different intention: all mankind, especially sinners; the souls of priests and religious; all devout and faithful souls; those who do not believe in God and those who do not yet know Jesus; the souls who have separated themselves from the Church; the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children; the souls who especially venerate and glorify His mercy; the souls detained in purgatory; and souls who have become lukewarm.
"I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw therefrom strength and refreshment and whatever grace they have need of in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death."
PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR EACH DAY OF THE NOVENA
First Day: Today bring to Me ALL MANKIND, ESPECIALLY ALL SINNERS
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.
Second Day: Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard–upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.
Third Day: Today bring to Me ALL DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SOULS
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.
Fourth Day: Today bring to Me THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD AND THOSE WHO DO NOT YET KNOW ME
Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
Fifth Day: Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM MY CHURCH
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son's Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.
Sixth Day: Today bring to Me THE MEEK AND HUMBLE SOULS AND THE SOULS OF LITTLE CHILDREN
Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.
Seventh Day: Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ESPECIALLY VENERATE AND GLORIFY MY MERCY
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen.
Eighth Day: Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ARE DETAINED IN PURGATORY
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.
Ninth Day: Today bring to Me SOULS WHO HAVE BECOME LUKEWARM
Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.
