Prayers and
Practices of the Catholic Church
Important
Things Every Catholic Should Know
The Ten Commandments
1. I am the Lord your
God. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not take
the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
3. Remember to keep
holy the Sabbath.
4. Honor your mother
and your father.
5. You shall not
kill.
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 spouse.
10. You shall not covet
your neighbor's goods.
The Seven Laws of the
Catholic Church
1. To worship God by
participating in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. To avoid those
activities (like unnecessary work) that would hinder worship, joy, and
relaxation.
2. To lead a
sacramental life. To receive Holy Communion frequently and the Sacrament of
Reconciliation regularly.
3. To study Catholic
teachings in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, to be confirmed, and
then to study and advance the cause of Christ.
4. To observe the
marriage laws of the Church. To give religious training, by word and example, to
one's children.
5. To strengthen and
support the Church - one's own parish community and parish priests, the
worldwide church, and the pope.
6. To do penance,
including abstaining from meat and fasting from food on appointed days.
7. To join in the
missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church.
Days of Fast (Adults
18 to 59)
* Two small meals and
one regular meal
* No food eaten
between meals
Ash Wednesday
Good Friday
Days of Abstinence
(all those over 14)
* No meat eaten on these
days.
Ash Wednesday
All Fridays of Lent
Holy Days of Obligation
in the United States
The Catholic Church sets
aside certain days each year for special observances. On these days, Catholics
are required to attend Mass. These days are:
January 1 : Solemnity of
Mary
Ascension:
Fortieth Day after Easter
Assumption: August 15
All Saints Day:
November 1
Immaculate
Conception: December 8
Christmas: December
25
The Seven
Sacraments
Baptism Reconciliation Marriage
Confirmation Anointing of the Sick Holy Orders
Eucharist
Corporal Works
of Mercy Spiritual Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry
Warn the sinner
Give drink to the
thirsty
Counsel the doubtful
Clothe the naked
Instruct the ignorant
Visit the sick
Comfort the sorrowing
Shelter the homeless
Bear wrongs patiently
Visit the imprisoned
Forgive all injuries
Bury the dead
Pray for the living and the dead
The Theological
Virtues
Faith
Hope
Charity
The Cardinal
Virtues
Prudence
Temperance
Justice
Fortitude
The Gifts of
the Holy Spirit
wisdom,
understanding, right judgment (counsel), courage (fortitude), knowledge,
reverence (piety), wonder and awe (fear of the Lord).
Fruits of the
Holy Spirit
charity
patience
generosity
modesty
joy
kindness gentleness
self-control
peace
goodness
faithfulness
chastity
Rosary:
Beads Keep Believers in Touch with the Divine
History of the Rosary
October - Month of the Holy Rosay
How to Say the Rosary
Mysteries of
the Rosary
Joyful Mysteries
(Monday, Saturday)
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Birth of Jesus
The Presentation of
Jesus in the Temple
The Finding of Jesus
in the Temple
Sorrowful
Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)
The Agony in the
Garden
The Scourging at the
Pillar
The Crowning with
Thorns
The Carrying of the
Cross
The Crucifixion and
Death of Jesus
Luminous
Mysteries (Thursday)
The Baptism of Our
Lord
The Wedding Feast at
Cana
The Proclamation of
the Kingdom of God
The Transfiguration
of Our Lord
The Last Supper When
Jesus Gave Us the Eucharist
The Glorious
Mysteries (Wednesday, Sunday)
The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Descent of the
Holy Spirit
The Assumption of
Mary
The Coronation of
Mary as Queen of Heaven
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who
mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the land.
Blessed are they who
hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean
of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the
peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who
are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
The Way of the
Cross
1. Jesus is
condemned to death.
2. Jesus
accepts His cross.
3. Jesus falls
the first time.
4. Jesus meets
His mother.
5. Simon of
Cyrene helps Jesus carry His cross.
6. Veronica
wipes the face of Jesus.
7. Jesus falls
the second time.
8. Jesus meets
and speaks to the women of Jerusalem.
9. Jesus falls
the third time.
10. Jesus is stripped
of His garments.
11. Jesus is nailed
to the cross.
12. Jesus dies on the
cross.
13. Jesus is taken
down from the cross.
14. Jesus is placed
in the tomb.
Prayer of St.
Francis
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.
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.
Basic Prayers
Sign of the
Cross
In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Our Father
Our Father, who are
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 are 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 to the
Father
Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Morning
Offering.
O Jesus, through the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You 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 Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls,
reparation for sin, the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the
intentions of our bishops and of all members of the Apostleship of Prayer and in
particular for those recommended by our holy Father this month. Amen.
The Magnificat
My soul
magnifies the Lord:
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid: for,
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me
blessed.
For He that is mighty has done great things to me: and holy
is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation until generations, to them
that fear Him.
He has showed might with His arm: He has scattered the proud
in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their seat, and has exalted
the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he
has sent away empty.
He has received Israel His servant, being mindful of His
mercy:
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for
ever. Amen.
The Apostles
Creed
We believe in one
God, the Father Almighty,
creator
of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus
Christ,
His only Son, our Lord.
Who was conceived by
the power of the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin
Mary,
Suffered under
Pontius Pilate,
and was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the
dead.
On the third day He
arose from the dead.
He ascended into
heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father.
He will come again to
judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the
Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic
church,
the forgiveness of
sins,
the resurrection of
the dead,
and 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 towards 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.
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 upon the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, we imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise through the same
Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Memorare
Remember O most gracious virgin Mary, that
never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help,
or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I
fly unto you, O virgin of virgins my Mother. To you do I come, before thee I
stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not reject my
petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.
Prayer for Those Who Have Died
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and
let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of all the
faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in
Thee.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your
love for me.
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