Prayer is defined as the raising of one's mind and heart to God. Speaking to Him, with Him, and also opening ourselves to listen to Him speaking to us. As noted in the USCCB's reference on prayer, The Catechism clearly defines prayer as a "vital and personal relationship with the living and true God" (CCC, no. 2558). Prayer is Christian "insofar as it is communion with Christ" (CCC, no. 2565), and a "covenant relationship between God and man in Christ" (CCC, no. 2564).
Prayer can be thought of as a lifeline. It not only connects us in our relationship with God - both personally and in community, but it also serves as a weapon against temptations and the attacks of the Enemy. In this section, we have listed links to key prayers, devotions, and resources that will hopefully aid and support you in your walk with God through the Person of Christ.
As St. Thomas Aquinas prayed:
Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know You, a heart to seek You,
wisdom to find You, conduct pleasing to You,
faithful perseverance in waiting for You,
and a hope of finally embracing You.Amen.
Here you will find a listing of prayers , and we share those that we are able in both English and in Latin.
"Why Latin?" you ask? "Why not just English or some other langauge?"
The Church has a long, rich history that is handed down to each member of the Faithful through Scripture and Tradition.
As a person may have what's called a "mother language", the langauge that he or she speaks natively, so to the Church has a "mother langauge" - Latin, which is rooted in the three Sacred Langagues: Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.
These are not arbitrary selections of languages, though. Hebrew was the language that God first spoke to His people through from through the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Hebrew was one of the native languages the Christ spoke as during His earthly ministry, in addition to Aramaic - a more common dialect that was used. Greek was the common laguage used throughout the region of the Roman Empire, and Latin was the official, formal language of Rome. It was in these three languages that Pilate had the placquard inscribed that hung above Our Blessed Lord's Head as He died on the Cross for you. It was in these langauges that the Gospels, the Epistles of St. Paul, and the other writings and teachings of the early Church Fathers were written and shared. And so, it is because of this that the Church adopted these languages, and adopted Latin as her official language since Latin was the official langauge of the Roman Empire - through which the Christian Faith of the Catholic Church spread to every corner of the world.
It is from Latin that we see the most accurate translation to any other language as the Catholic Faith spread, and continues to spread. Official Church documents are typically written first in Latin, and then translated to other languages. This is a rich part of our history and our Faith.
'The Lord's Prayer 'is truly the summary of the whole gospel.' 'Since the Lord... after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, '
Ask and you will receive, ' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires.'
- Tertullian, De orat.
from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761
Resourced from EWTN's Prayer page.
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.
Pater Noster,
qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.
Amen
'Beginning with Mary's unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the Person of Christ manifested in His mysteries. In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first 'magnifies' the Lord for the 'great things' He did for His lowly servant and through her for all human beings. The second entrusts the supplications and praises of the children of God to the Mother of Jesus, because she now knows the humanity which, in her, the Son of God espoused. '
- from the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2675.
Resourced from EWTN's Prayer page.
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.
Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc,
et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.
'O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory for ever. Amen. '
- Romans 11: 33-36
Resourced from EWTN's Prayer page.
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.
Gloria Patri,
et Filio,
et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio,
et nunc, et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.
With the launch/relaunch of our Parish website in 2023, we are working to provide resources and links to not only share information about our Parish, but also help people grow in their personal relationship with Christ. We will be adding and updating more information and links in the near future. In the meantime, please feel free to use the links here to learn more about the prayers and devotions of our Catholic Faith: