Catholic Prayers: 12 Essential Prayers Every Catholic Should Know
Prayer is at the heart of Catholic life.
Whether you are learning about the Catholic faith, returning to prayer, teaching your children, or simply looking for a deeper relationship with God, traditional Catholic prayers can give you beautiful words to begin.
Some prayers have been passed down through generations. Others come directly from Scripture. Many are prayers Catholics have learned as children and carried throughout their lives.
In this guide, we will explore some of the most important Catholic prayers, what they mean, and when you may pray them.
1. The Our Father
✝ The 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.
The Our Father, also known as the Lord's Prayer, is one of the most important Christian prayers.
Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples. Catholics pray the Our Father during Mass, the Rosary, and many other moments of prayer.
It is a prayer of praise, trust, forgiveness, and dependence on God.
If you are beginning to learn Catholic prayers, the Our Father is a beautiful place to start.
2. The Hail Mary
✝ The 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.
The Hail Mary is one of the most well-known Catholic prayers and is central to the Rosary.
The prayer includes words from Scripture and asks the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for us.
Catholics often pray the Hail Mary when praying the Rosary, but it can also be prayed on its own as a simple prayer of devotion to Mary.
3. The Glory Be
✝ The 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 Glory Be is a short prayer of praise to the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
It is traditionally prayed at the end of each decade of the Rosary.
Although brief, the Glory Be reminds us that our prayer ultimately gives glory to God.
4. The Apostles' Creed
✝ 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;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will 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.
The Apostles' Creed is a profession of Christian faith.
It expresses fundamental Catholic beliefs about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness, resurrection, and eternal life.
The Apostles' Creed is traditionally prayed at the beginning of the Rosary.
5. The Hail Holy Queen
The Hail Holy Queen, or Salve Regina, is a traditional Catholic prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
It is usually prayed at the conclusion of the Rosary.
The prayer asks Mary to intercede for us and leads our hearts toward her Son, Jesus.
✝ 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.
6. Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
✝ Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
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 hosts,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
The Prayer to Saint Michael is a well-known Catholic prayer asking for spiritual protection and strength.
Saint Michael the Archangel is traditionally honored as a defender against evil.
Many Catholics have a special devotion to Saint Michael and keep his medal or image as a reminder of their faith.
7. The Memorare
✝ 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,
I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to thee do 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 Memorare is a traditional Catholic prayer asking the Blessed Virgin Mary for her intercession.
Many Catholics pray the Memorare during difficult moments, when seeking guidance, or when asking for Mary's prayers.
It is a beautiful reminder that we can always turn to God in prayer.
8. The Act of Contrition
✝ 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 offend Thee, my God,
who art 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.
The Act of Contrition is a prayer expressing sorrow for sin and a sincere desire to turn back toward God.
It is especially associated with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession.
Learning the Act of Contrition can help Catholics feel more comfortable and prepared when receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
9. The Angelus
✝ The Angelus
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
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.
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,
was made known by the message of an angel,
may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Angelus is a traditional Catholic devotion centered on the mystery of the Incarnation.
It recalls the Annunciation and Mary's response to God's call.
Traditionally, the Angelus is prayed in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.
It can be a beautiful way to bring short moments of prayer into a busy day.
10. The Morning Offering
✝ The Morning Offering
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins,
the reunion of Christians, and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Amen.
The Morning Offering is a prayer in which we offer our day to God.
You can pray it when you wake up or before beginning your daily activities.
It is an opportunity to place your work, joys, challenges, relationships, and intentions into God's hands.
Starting the day with prayer can help us remember that our faith is not separate from everyday life.
11. Guardian Angel Prayer
✝Guardian Angel Prayer
Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day, be at my side,
to light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.
Many Catholics learn a Guardian Angel prayer as children.
This simple prayer asks our guardian angel to guide and protect us.
It can be especially meaningful for parents who want to introduce their children to Catholic prayer.
Teaching children simple prayers can create memories of faith that stay with them throughout their lives.
12. The Holy Rosary
The Holy Rosary is one of the most beloved Catholic devotions.
The Rosary combines traditional prayers with meditation on important events in the life of Jesus and Mary.
The four sets of Mysteries are:
Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
A traditional five-decade Rosary includes the Apostles' Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Hail Holy Queen.
If you are new to the Rosary, read our guide:
Why Are Catholic Prayers Important?
Catholic prayers are more than words we memorize.
They give us a way to turn toward God throughout our everyday lives.
We can pray when we are happy.
We can pray when we are afraid.
We can pray when we are grateful.
We can pray when we don't know what to say.
Traditional prayers give us words when our own words may not come easily.
But Catholic prayer can also be very simple.
Sometimes a heartfelt conversation with God is a prayer in itself.
How to Start a Catholic Prayer Routine
You don't need to learn every Catholic prayer at once.
Start with one or two.
You might begin your morning with an Our Father or a Morning Offering.
During the day, you might pray a Hail Mary.
In the evening, you might pray the Rosary or simply thank God for the blessings of the day.
The important thing is to begin.
A Prayer for Today
If you don't know what to pray, start simply:
“Lord, guide my heart, strengthen my faith, and help me trust You today. Amen.”
Prayer doesn't have to be perfect.
It simply needs a willing heart.
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