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Prayers Every Catholic Should Know

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen .

OUR FATHER (Lord’s Prayer)
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.

(For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.) Amen.

HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

PRAYER OF PRAISE
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. 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.
The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits 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 .

ACT OF CONTRITION
O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments. But most of all because they offended thee, my God, who art 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.

PRAYER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of your divine love. Send forth your spirit and we shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

God, who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of your divine Spirit, grant us by that same spirit to be truly wise and to rejoice in your holy consolation through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ACT OF FAITH
My God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; I believe that your divine Son became man and 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 you revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.

ACT OF HOPE
O my God, relying in your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

ACT OF LOVE
O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To thee 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.

THE 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.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ .

THE ANGELUS
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, etc.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail Mary, etc.

And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt amongst Us. Hail Mary, etc.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. 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 the Resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.